Friday 3 July 2020

Survivability

"Award Order
  1. Name: Stepanov, Konstantin Ivanovich
  2. Rank: Guards Junior Lieutenant 
  3. Position: Tank commander, 14th Guards Independent Motorcycle Battalion
    is nominated for the Order of the Red Banner.
  4. Year of birth: 1922
  5. Nationality: Russian
  6. Party affiliation: VKP(b) candidate
  7. Participation in the Civil War and subsequent action in defense of the USSR, Patriotic War: 2nd Ukrainian Front February 1944-March 1945, 3rd Ukrainian Front since March 1945.
  8. Contusions or wounds in the Patriotic War: light wound on March 31st, 1945
  9. In the Red Army since: June 1941
  10. Conscripted by: Bizhulyak conscription office, Bashkir SSR
  11. Prior awards: Hero of the Soviet Union by order of the Supreme Soviet as of March 24th, 1945
Comrade Stepanov showed himself a fearless and brave reconnaissance officer during his time with the battalion. His examples of courage and heroism motivate the other personnel to heroism.

In the fighting near Nadvelyas, his tank was knocked out after crossing the first line of trenches. He quickly restored it and continued to complete his objective. After the second line of defense was crossed, his tank was hit by an enemy shell and caught fire. The crew was killed, but comrade Stepanov returned fire from his personal weapon and managed to cross two lines of trenches and returned to the battalion. He immediately obtained a new tank and rode it into battle. Soon he was wounded in the head, but did not abandon his tank and continued to complete his objectives.

For this display of heroism and courage he is worthy of the government award of the Order of the Red Banner.

Commander of the 14th Guards Independent Motorcycle Battalion, Guards Major Plotnikov
April 15th, 1945."

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