Thursday 7 May 2020

Heroic Tractor Driver

"Award Order
  1. Name: Tikhonov, Ivan Gerasimovich
  2. Rank: Guards Red Armyman
  3. Position and unit: assistant tractor driver of the 88th Order of the Red Star Army Evacuation Company of the 6th Guards Tank Army
    is nominated for the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class.
  4. Year of birth: 1920
  5. Nationality: Russian
  6. Party affiliation: none
  7. Participation in the Civil War, subsequent actions in defense of the USSR and the Patriotic War: in the 8th Army on the Volkhov Front since 1941
  8. Wounds and contusions in the Patriotic War: heavy wound and heavy contusion
  9. In the Red Army since: 1940
  10. Recruited by: Teik recruitment office of Ivanovo oblast
  11. Previous awards: "For combat merit" medal in 1944
Brief and specific description of personal heroism or achievements: Assistant tractor driver Guards Red Armyman I.G. Tikhonov took part in the Patriotic War since its first days. During this period he achieved mastery of the tractor and thanks to careful attention to his machine it was always in working order. His tractor made a journey from Belaya Tserkov to Czechoslovakia. He showed courage and bravery when evacuating tanks under enemy fire. Recently he took part in the evacuation of three tanks from no man's land near Klinovice. 

Comrade Tikhonov's tractor has travelled for 8539 km and worked for 1673 engine hours without medium repairs or overhaul.

In battle for the Socialist motherland comrade Tikhonov was heavily wounded and heavily contused.

Comrade Tikhonov is worthy of the state award Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class.

Commander of the 88th Order of the Red Star Army Evacuation Company of the 6th Guards Tank Army, Guards Captain Shidlovskiy
May 20th, 1945"

2 comments:

  1. Uhmmm...I think some minor elaboration may be required here. When a Russian document says "tractor"...I once thought that might've referred to tracked AFVs in general, but this doc. suggests it was a recovery vehicle. Any idea what the model might've been and what it looked like?

    Also, when talking about tank ammunition, what would be the US or British army equivalent of "grenade"? A fragmentation round, or maybe APHE?

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    Replies
    1. It doesn't specify the model, could have literally been anything, the USSR was short on prime movers and even agricultural tractors were put to use in the military.

      "Grenade" includes any ammunition with an explosive filler, same as the German Panzergranate, Sprenggranate, etc.

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