Colonel Fyodor Alekseyevich Savelyev

[Auke]

This partial group to a Soviet colonel is one of my favorite groups. It consists of RS #213445, OPW2 #44030 and Lenin #285400. I won't post all the documents I have here, unless you really want to see them of course, but I will post all the English translations. I have also written someting about this group here: https://www.warrelics.eu/forum/order...-2/#post176525.

[Auke]

First of all his record card:

Record card

Order booklet nr. A-238473

1. Last name: Savelyev
2. First name and patronymic: Fyodor Alekseyevich
3. Military rank: Guards Lieutenant Colonel
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1905
6. Place of birth: Kalinin Oblast, Krasnyi Kholm Raion, village of Kostino
7. Party membership (since which year): Member of the VKP(b) since 1930
8. Education: Secondary
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Since which year in the Red Army: Since 1927
11. Place of service (name of unit) and duty position at the time of the awarding: Staff of the 5th Guards Tank Army - Deputy chief of the reconnaissance department of the army
12. Current place of service and duty position: 69th Instructional Tank Battalion - Battalion commander
13. Home address of awardee: Field post nr. 62122
14. Record of all awards presented:

- Order of the Red Star nr. 213445, temporary certificate nr. 871770, by Order of the 5th Guards Tank Army nr. 022/N of 28 July 1943
- Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class nr. 44030, temporary certificate nr. A-206029, by Order of the 5th Guards Tank Army nr. 090/N of 17 November 1943
- Order of the Red Banner nr. 109614, temporary certificate nr. B-233594, by Order of the 5th Guards Tank Army nr. 030/N of 23 February 1944
- Order of the Red Star nr. 958334, temporary certificate nr. 134276, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 3 November 1944 [for 15 years of service, AdV]
- Medal for the Victory over Germany, certificate nr. 00046062, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 9 May 1945
Order of the Red Banner nr. 371844, by Decree of 15 November 1950 [for 20 years of service, AdV]
- Order of Lenin nr. 285400, by Decree of 5 November 1954 [for 25 years of service, AdV]
- Medal for 30 years of the Soviet Army and Fleet

Signature of the awardee: [signature]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee: [?] [?] [?] [?] 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Junior Lieutenant [signature] /Kuzovsky/
15 June 1947

[Auke]

This is the award sheet for his first award, the screwpost base RS:

Award sheet

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Savelyev, Fyodor Alekseyevich
2. Military rank: Major
3. Duty position, unit: Deputy chief of the reconnaissance department of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Recommended for: Order of the Red Star
4. Year of birth: 1905
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: Member of the VKP(b)
7. Participation in the Civil War, the following combat actions for the defense of the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where, when): Participates in the Patriotic War
8. Suffered wounds and contusions in the Patriotic War: Severely wounded
9. Since when in the Red Army: 1927
10. Drafted by which RVK: [For some reason left blank, AdV]
11. Which earlier awards: No awards
12. Permanent home address of the recommendee and the address of his family: Kalinin Oblast, Krasnyi Kholm Raion, village of Simenovo

Short, concrete description of personal combat feat or merits:

Comrade Savelyev is working as the deputy chief of the reconnaissance department and chief of a reconnaissance group of the 5th Guards Tank Army and does his work well.

During the period of combat actions he correctly organized the reconnaissance and in proper time and truthfully determined the disposition of the enemy troops facing the frontline of the army.

Comrade Savelyev himself went to the units and formations of the army to organize night patrols for capturing prisoners of war and the conducting of the reconnaissance.

Comrade Savelyev is considered a meritorious authority among the commanders of the reconnaissance department. He correctly organized the activities in the reconnaissance group.

He is dedicated to the Party of Lenin and Stalin and the socialist motherland. He deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Deputy chief of staff for reconnaissance of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Colonel [signature] /Grechanikov/



Deserves the What?. [The general forgot to add the name of the award, en then the clerk added "What?" , AdV]

Chief of staff of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Major General of Tank Troops [signature] /Baskakov/
22 July 1943



By Order of the 5th Guards Tank Army of 25 July 1943 awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Assistent chief of the personnel department of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Major of Administrative Service [signature] /Bog[?]/

[Auke]

And the award sheet for the OPW2. He was initially recommended for a Red Banner, but this was downgraded:

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Savelyev, Fyodor Alekseyevich
2. Military rank: Guards Major
3. Duty position, unit: Chief of a reconnaissance group of the reconnaissance department of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Recommended for: Order of the Red Banner
4. Year of birth: 1905
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: Member of the VKP(b)
7. Participation in the Civil War, the following combat actions for the defense of the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where, when): Participates in the Patriotic War since May 1942
8. Suffered wounds and contusions in the Patriotic War: Suffered wounds and contusions
9. Since when in the Red Army: From 1927 to 1930 and from 1931 to 1943
10. Drafted by which military commissariat of a raion: Military commissariat of the raion Leningrad
11. Which earlier awards (for which merits): Order of the Red Star by Order of the 5th Guards Tank Army nr. 022 of 28 July 1943
12. Permanent home address of the recommendee and the address of his family: Penza Oblast, Sosnovoborsk Raion, [?] Mordovsky Kochin, village of Russky Kochim

Short, concrete description of personal combat feat or merits:

Comrade Savelyev is working as the chief of a reconnaissance group and personally leads and organizes the combat reconnaissance.

During the period of combat actions from 15 October 1943 to 3 November 1943, comrade Savelyev correctly organized the reconnaissance, always knowing which enemy was facing the frontline of the army and what its intentions were and making correct conclusions and proposals concerning the enemy actions.

Comrade Savelyev repeatedly personally led the reconnaissance. On 18 October 1943 he led a reconnaissance group near Popelnastoye. While capturing prisoner of war he discerned the actions of the 161st Infantry Division in this sector. In [?] the night of 19 October he correctly organized listening posts, which aided the discovery of the enemy's intentions in the assigned sector.

Due to his personal participation in the combat reconnaissance, on 21 October 1943 an enemy prisoner of war was captured 18 kilometers deep in the enemy rear, who revealed the arrival of the 736th Tank Destruction Battalion at our Front's area of operations.

While accomplishing the order to determine the enemy's disposition along the frontline on 1 November 1943, the reconnaissance was organized to take prisoners of war and capture enemy documents.

Comrade Savelyev personally participated in the combat reconnaissance mission in the area west of Iskrovka in the direction of the Savchin ravine.

As a result of the night-time reconnaissance, prisoners of war were captured from the 10th Motorized Regiment and the 14th Tank Division near Alekseyevka, 23rd Tank Division, the 1st Assault Battalion and documents of the Totenkopf Tank Division near Nedai Voda, that permitted full disclosure of the enemy's composition facing the frontline. Comrade Savelyev deserves the Order of the Red Banner.

Deputy chief of staff for reconnaissance of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Colonel [signature] /Grechanikov/



Deserves the Order of the Red [?]. [illegible, AdV]

Chief of staff of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Major General of Tank Troops [signature] /Baskakov/
8 November 1943



By Order of the 5th Guards Tank Army nr. 090/N of 17 November 1943 awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class.

Assistent chief of the personnel department of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Lieutenant Colonel of Administrative Service [signature] /Krotov/

[Bill Garvy]

Auke, thank you very much for heeding my suggestion and posting this group. If I had it in my collection it would be one of my favorite groups as well. In the meantime, any chance to see the long-service Order of the Red Star, nr. 958334?

[Auke]

But three months later he did get his Red Banner. I don't have the award, but I do have the citation:

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Savelyev, Fyodor Alekseyevich
2. Military rank: Guards Major
3. Duty position, unit: Chief of the 1st section of the reconnaissance department of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Recommended for: Order of the Red Banner
4. Year of birth: 1905
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: Member of the VKP(b)
7. Participation in the Civil War, the following combat actions for the defense of the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where, when): Participates in the Patriotic War since July 1941 with the Western, Voronezh, Steppe, and 2nd Ukrainian up to now
8. Suffered wounds and contusions in the Patriotic War: Suffered two severe wounds
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1929
10. Drafted by which military commissariat of a raion: [Again left blank, AdV]
11. Which earlier awards (for which merits): Orders of the Red Star and Patriotic War 2nd Class for exemplary fulfillment of missions
12. Permanent home address of the recommendee and the address of his family: [Left blank, AdV]

Short, concrete description of personal combat feat or merits:

Comrade Savelyev fulfilled the command's order on 25 January 1944 to destroy, together with a motorcicle regiment, the headquarters of enemy regiments near Shpola and Zvenigorodka, take prisoners and capture operational documents. Comrade Savelyev displayed exceptional combat skills, bravery and resourcefulness. While in contact with the commander of the 29th Tank Corps, Major General Kirichenko, he led the reconnaissance along a wide frontline near Shpola, Zvenigorodka, and Mokraya Kaligorka, which showed a large number of tanks in the enemy rear area. Near Shpola the headquarters of the 389th Infantry Division and an artillery regiment of that division were destroyed, 18 prisoners were taken and all roads leading towards Shpola from the north and south were cut.

With the reconnaissance group comrade Savelyev personally made contact with units of the 20th Tank Regiment and united with units of the 1st Ukrainian Front near Zvenigorodka.

Cut off from their units, comrade Savelyev and his reconnaissance group conducted reconnaissance along a wide frontline. By order of General Kirichenko, they maintained uninterrupted communications with our units from Zhuravka to Zvenigorodka, [?] he personally led the reconnaissance section. On 2 February 1944, while executing the reconnaissance order [?], he was severely wounded.

For personal courage and the skilful management of the army's reconnaissance section, comrade Savelyev deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Deputy chief of staff for reconnaissance of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Colonel [signature] /Grechanikov/



Deserves the Order of the Red Banner.

Chief of staff of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Major General of Tank Troops [signature] /Baskakov/
9 February 1944



By Order of the 5th Guards Tank Army nr. 030/N of 23 February 1944 awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Assistent chief of the personnel department of the 5th Guards Tank Army
Guards Lieutenant Colonel of Administrative Service [signature] /Krotov/

[Auke]

And that were his bravery awards. He received an additional Red Star on 3 November 1944 for 15 years of service, a Red Banner on 15 November 1950 for 20 years of service, and an Order of Lenin (see below) on 5 November 1954 for 25 years of service.

[Auke]

Auke, thank you very much for heeding my suggestion and posting this group. If I had it in my collection it would be one of my favorite groups as well. In the meantime, any chance to see the long-service Order of the Red Star, nr. 958334?

Sorry Bill, I only have the three awards pictured above.

[Bill Garvy]

What a brave and resourceful Soviet officer. . .

[Auke]

Some information from his service records:

Fyodor Alekseyevich Savelyev was born on 17 February 1905 in the village of Kostino, Krasnyi Kholm Raion, Kalinin Oblast in a family of peasants. After high school he worked as a metal worker in the Molotov Factory in Leningrad. He joined the Communist Party in 1930 with membership card nr. 1044269 and got married to Anna Stepanovna.

In Leningrad he joined the Red Army in November 1927. He started his service as a Private with the border guards. For some reason he was transferred to the reserves in May 1930, but the joined the army again in June 1931. He attended the Oryol Armor School in 1932 and an officers training course (KUKS) in 1934. Later he also attended the Stalin Academy for Senior Officers and the Higher Armor School in Leningrad.

His promotions were as follows:

Senior Lieutenant: 20 November 1938
Captain: 1940
Major: 4 November 1942
Lieutenant Colonel: 21 February 1944
Colonel: 23 August 1951

In May 1942 he had finished his military education and started serving with the Western Front. He was severely wounded in August 1942. Just over four months later he became the assistent chief of the reconnaissance section of the 15th Tank Corps and later the 5th Tank Army (in the various document his assignment is given as deputy chief, assistent chief and acting chief). He was severely wounded again in February 1944 and after a recovery period of over eight months he became commander of a cadet battalion at a tank school. Since the NKVD wants to know everything, his service record also mentions a trip to Romania in December 1945.

After the war he commanded a tank training battalion and served as deputy commander of a mechanized regiment. On 26 January 1955 he was transferred to the reserves.