Order of the Red Star, #105251, Commissar

[Bill Garvy]

Record card

Order booklet nr. 647351

1. Last name: Vakurov
2. First name and patronymic: Ivan Stepanovich
3. Military rank: Lieutenant Colonel
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1907
6. Place of birth: Polevskoi Workers’ Settlement, Polevskoi Raion, Sverdlovsk Oblast
7. Party membership (since which year): Member of the Communist Party since 1928
8. Education: Elementary
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Since which year in the Soviet Army: From October 19, 1929 through December 15, 1930 and since October 6, 1935
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position occupied at the time of the award: Deputy chief of staff in charge of the control and guidance post of the 123rd Fighter Aviation Division
12. Current place of service and position: Deputy chief of staff in charge of the command post of the 123rd Fighter Aviation Division
13. Home address of the awardee: 6 Danilevsky Street, apartment 38, city of Kharkov

14. Record of all awards received:

Name of the order or medal/Serial number/Number of the document/Ground of award

Order of the Red Star 771116 Order booklet nr. 647351 Order of the Western Front nr. 0502 of April 30, 1942

Order of the Red Star 105251 Order booklet nr. 647351 Order of the Volkhov Front nr. 012/N of February 19, 1943

Medal for Combat Merit 2943860 Order booklet nr. 647351 Decree of November 6, 1945

Order of the Red Star 2915586 Order booklet nr. 647351 Decree of November 15, 1950

Order of the Red Banner 429108 Order booklet nr. 647351 Decree of November 5, 1954

Medal for the Defense of Leningrad Unnumbered Unnumbered permanent certificate Decree of December 22, 1942

Medal for the Defense of Moscow Unnumbered Unnumbered permanent certificate Decree of May 1, 1944

Medal for the Victory over Germany Unnumbered Unnumbered permanent certificate Decree of May 9, 1945

Medal for the Capture of Königsberg Unnumbered Unnumbered permanent certificate Decree of June 9, 1945

Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy Unnumbered Unnumbered permanent certificate Decree of February 22, 1948

Signature of the awardee: [signed]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee (position and signature):

Chief of staff of the 123rd Fighter Aviation Division
Guards Colonel [signed] /Borisenko/
January 20, 1955

Order

Secret
Copy nr. 2

[Pencil: Volkhov Front; March 6, 1943]

Order

Of the Volkhov Front

February 19, 1943 – Nr. 012/N – Active Army

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, for the exemplary accomplishment of combat missions in the struggle with the German invaders and the valor and bravery displayed in the process, I award:

[…]

The Order of the Red Star to:

[…]

2. Major Ivan Stepanovich Vakurov, Deputy Commander for Political Affairs of the 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment

[…]

Commander of the Volkhov Front
Hero of the Soviet Union
Army General [signed] /K. Meretskov/

Members of the Military Council of the Volkhov Front
Lieutenant General [signed] /L. Mekhlis/
Major General of the Quartermaster Service [signed] /Kochetkov/

Chief of staff of the Volkhov Front
Lieutenant General [signed] /Sharokhin/


Verified.

Assistant chief of the 3rd Subsection of the Personnel Section
Quartermaster 3rd Grade [signed] /Romanyuk/

All fields to be filled out fully

Award sheet

Last name, first name and patronymic: Vakurov, Ivan Stepanovich
Military rank: Major
Position and unit: Deputy commander for political affairs of the 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
1. Year of birth: 1907
2. Nationality: Russian
3. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1935
4. Party affiliation: Member of the Communist Party since 1928
5. Participation in combat (where and when): In the Patriotic War since July 1941
6. Wounds and contusions received: No
7. Awards received previously (for which merits): None
8. Drafted by which military commissariat: Military Commissariat of the Sverdlovsk
9. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his family): 3 Osipenko Street, city of Sverdlovsk

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

Comrade Ivan Stepanovich Vakurov has been participating in the Patriotic War since July 1941. During the fighting to lift the siege of Leningrad, while serving with the 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, he carried out a lot of activities to mobilize the men of the regiment for self-sacrificing combat actions. Within the regiment he organized a correct operational responsiveness of political officers and party organizations to the results of each combat flight. Because of this, within the regiment a rise in the quality of combat sorties was observed. The last couple of days the pilots of the regiment have destroyed 6-8 enemy aircraft without suffering any losses themselves.

The high moral spirit of the flyers of the regiment was visible during a series of battles fought by the regiment. For example:

Two pilots of the regiment fought with eight enemy fighters and shot down two of them while two others were damaged; six pilots of the regiment fought with nineteen enemy fighters and shot down five of them. In both cases they didn't suffer any losses themselves.

During the period in which the regiment faced difficulties with the materiel, Vakurov personally scrutinously inspected the status of the repair activities on each plane and took energetic measures to improve the quality of work of the technicians.

Within the regiment the agitational activities were organized very well. By personal agitation Vakurov inspires the men to conduct heroic deeds.

For good and concrete party-political activities within the 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, which enabled the regiment to execute its combat missions during the battles to break through the siege of Leningrad, Vakurov deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Deputy commander for political affairs of the 215th Fighter Aviation Division
Brigade Commissar [signed] /Vinogradov/
February 5, 1943

He deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the 215th Fighter Aviation Division
Lieutenant General of Aviation [signed] /Kravchenko/
February ___, 1943

He deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the 2nd Fighter Aviation Corps
Major General of Aviation [signed] /Blagoveshchensky/
February ___, 1943

Agreed.

Commander of the 14th Air Army
Major General of Aviation [signed] /Zhuravlyov/
February ___, 1943

He is to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the Volkhov Front
Army General /Meretskov/

Member of the Military Council
Lieutenant General [signed] /Mekhlis/
February ___, 1943

Major, later Lieutenant Colonel, Ivan Stepanovich Vakurov's Order of the Red Star, #105251. My thanks to Auke for his invaluable assistance. Photographs/scans used with permission. Service Record and other documents to follow shortly.

[Bill Garvy]

Citation for his other Order of the Red Star, #771116, conferred earlier, and Award List.

All fields to be filled out fully

Award sheet

Last name, first name and patronymic: Vakurov, Ivan Stepanovich
Military rank: Battalion Commissar
Position and unit: Military commissar in the staff of the Air Forces of the 10th Army
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
1. Year of birth: 1907
2. Nationality: Russian
3. Since when in the Red Army: 1935
4. Party affiliation: Member of the Communist Party since 1928
5. Participation in combat (where and when): No
6. Wounds and contusions received: No
7. Awards received previously (for which merits): None
8. Drafted by which military commissariat: Career officer
9. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his family): ______________

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

Comrade Vakurov has been serving in the Active Red Army since July 15, 1941 as the military commissar of the Air Forces of the 28th Mixed Aviation Division.

Throughout the fighting with Germanic fascism he showed himself a bold and decisive commissar, possessing a thorough understanding of his specialty. He delves deeply into the staff’s operational duties and performs a great deal of work to train the headquarters personnel and make them work more closely together. As a result, the staff is a well-coordinated combat entity, capable of working in any condition or situation.

Comrade Vakurov is in close contact with the masses, who consider him a professional and political authority. In complex situations he is capable of leading troops in combat and carrying out the assigned task, as was the case near the city of Novgorod-Seversky, when divisional headquarters was orders to organize the defense, restore order among the various separately retreating units, and pull out any valuables that were of military significance. Here comrade Vakurov showed himself a talented organizer and demonstrated the qualities of a true commissar of Stalin; the assigned task was accomplished in time.

Conclusion: For the exemplary accomplishment of combat missions during the struggle with Germanic fascism he deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the Air Forces of the 10th Army
Major General of Aviation [signed] /Bogorodetsky/

Military commissar of the Air Forces of the 10th Army
Senior Battalion Commissar [signed] /Suslov/
February 10, 1942


Comrade Vakurov deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Chief of the Political Section of the Western Front
Brigade Commissar [signed] /Makarov/
April 14, 1942


He deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the Air Forces of the Western Front
Major General of Aviation [signed] /Khudyakov/

Military commissar of the Air Forces of the Western Front
Brigade Commissar [signed] /Litvinenko/

Order

Secret
Copy nr. 2

Order

Of the Western Front

On decorating personnel

April 30, 1942 – Nr. 0502 – Active Red Army

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, for the exemplary accomplishment of combat missions in the struggle with the German invaders and the valor and bravery displayed in the process, I award:

[…]

In independent units of the Air Forces of the Western Front:

[…]

The Order of the Red Star to:

[…]

8. Battalion Commissar Ivan Stepanovich Vakurov, Military Commissar in the Staff of the Air Forces of the 10th Army

[…]

Commander of the Air Forces of the Western Front
Major General of Aviation [signed] /Khudyakov/

Military commissar of the Air Forces of the Western Front
Brigade Commissar [signed] /Litvinenko/

Chief of the Personnel Section of the Air Forces of the Western Front
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Popov/

Verified: Assistant chief of the Personnel Section of the Air Forces of the Western Front
Quartermaster-Technician 1st Grade [signed] /Goryachov/

Service record card

Card nr.:

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Vakurov, Ivan Stepanovich
2. Born on: January 17, 1907
3. Nationality: Russian
4. Knowledge of foreign languages and level of mastery: No
5. Place of birth (according to the current administrative division): Polevskoi Workers’ Settlement, Polevskoi Raion, Sverdlovsk Oblast
6. Social situation, profession and specialty: Serviceman and newspaper editor for 5 years
7. Party affiliation
Member of the Communist Party since: 1928
Party membership booklet nr.: 1982851
Candidate member of the Communist Party since:
Candidate membership booklet nr.:
Member of the Komsomol since:
Not a party member:
Membership of other parties:
Party penalties and changes in party affiliation:
8. Education (note the exact name of the educational institution, when graduated, period of education and number of classes or courses for unfinished education):
General and special education: 7 classes in 1923 in the Polevskoi Workers’ Settlement, 2 courses at the ______ Technical School in 1925 in the city of Sverdlovsk
Military education: Two-month Reserve Political Officer Course at the Political Department of the Ural Military District in Sverdlovsk in 1936 and a course for one-year enlistees in 1930 in the 1st Pacific Rifle Division
Political education: No

9. Military promotions/By whose order/Order nr./Date

Political Officer People’s Commissariat of Defense 3507/P September 29, 1937
Senior Political Officer People’s Commissariat of Defense 02850/P July 10, 1939
Battalion Commissar People’s Commissariat of Defense 04045/P December 6, 1941
Guards Major Kalinin Front 0408/P December 12, 1942
Guards Lieutenant Colonel Air Force 01407 June 18, 1947

10. Service at the front in the Patriotic War (when, where and for how long): Western Front from July 15, 1941 through October 20, 1942; Kalinin Front from October 20, 1942 through January 10, 1943; Volkhov Front from January 10, 1943 through February 28, 1943; Kalinin Front from February 28, 1943 through May 1, 1943; Western Front from May 1, 1943 through May 1, 1944; and 1st Belorussian Front from May 1, 1944 through May 9, 1945
11. Participation in the Civil War, the war against the Fins, and other combat actions to defend the USSR prior to the Patriotic War (where, from when to when, day, month and year): No
12. Awards and award dates: Order of the Red Star on April 30, 1942; Order of the Red Star on February 19, 1943; Medal for Combat Merit on November 3, 1945; Medal for the Victory over Germany in 1945; Medal for the Defense of Moscow on May 1, 1944; Medal for the Capture of Königsberg on June 9, 1945; Medal for the Defense of Leningrad on December 22, 1942; Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy on February 22, 1948
13. Biographical certificate nr. AG-14444, issued on August 20, 1949

14. When (month and year) called up for the Armed Forces, having worked where and in which capacity (name and location of enterprise, kolkhoz etc.), and drafted by which military commissariat (if called up several times, note consecutively from when to when he served and when he was called up for the last time):

15. Service in the Armed Forces:

Name of the position/Place of service (unit, institution, formation, army, front, district, fleet or flotilla)/By whose order/Order nr./Month, day and year

Private (one-year enlistee) 1st Chita Rifle Regiment, 1st Pacific Rifle Division, Independent Red Banner Far Eastern Army October 19, 1929
On long-term leave (in reserve) December 15, 1930
Cadet Political Officer Course at the Political Department of the Ural Military District, city of Sverdlovsk October 6, 1935
Instructor and writer 64th Aviation Brigade, Transbaikal Military District, Bada Station, Transbaikal Railroad Line January 1936
Newspaper editor 64th Aviation Brigade, Transbaikal Military District, Bada Station, Transbaikal Railroad Line March 1936
Secretary of the Party Bureau 32nd Aviation Regiment, 67th Aviation Brigade, Transbaikal Military District, Bada Station April 1938
Secretary of the Party Committee 67th Aviation Brigade, Transbaikal Military District, Domna Station, Molotov Railroad Line People’s Commissar of Defense 00148 of April 27, 1939 December 1938
Secretary of the Party Committee 28th Mixed Aviation Division, Transbaikal Military District, Domna Station People’s Commissar of Defense 0191 of March 9, 1940 March 1940
Staff commissar 28th Mixed Aviation Division, Air Forces of the Western Front September 1941
Staff commissar Headquarters of the Air Forces of the 10th Army, Western Front People’s Commissar of Defense 0846 of February 7, 1942 February 1942
Staff commissar 215th Fighter Aviation Division, Western Front and 3rd Air Army, Kalinin Front People’s Commissar of Defense 0846 of February 7, 1942 May 15, 1942
Deputy commander for political affairs 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, 14th Air Army, Volkhov Front; 3rd Air Army, Kalinin Front; and 1st Air Army, Western Front January 10, 1943
Chief of staff 263rd Fighter Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Army, Western Front; 16th Air Army, 1st Belorussian Front; and 4th Air Army, 2nd Belorussian Front Air Forces of the Kharkov Military District 056 of April 25, 1944 Jun 18, 1943
Acting chief of staff 484th Fighter Aviation Regiment, 323rd Fighter Aviation Division, 4th Air Army, 2nd Belorussian Front 8th Fighter Aviation Corps 012/OK of October 8, 1944 October 8, 1944
Acting senior chief of the Operational Reconnaissance Section and chief of the Reconnaissance Photo Service Headquarters of the 323rd Fighter Aviation Division, 8th Fighter Aviation Corps, 4th Air Army, 2nd Belorussian Front and Northern Group of Forces 8th Fighter Aviation Corps 05/OK of February 28, 1945 February 28, 1945
Senior chief of the Operational Reconnaissance Section Headquarters of the 323rd Fighter Aviation Division, 4th Air Army, Northern Group of Forces 4th Air Army 052 of August 16, 1946 March 15, 1946
Assistant chief of staff Headquarters of the 323rd Fighter Aviation Division, 8th Fighter Aviation Corps, 4th Air Army, Northern Group of Forces 4th Air Army 090 of July 16, 1947 June 1947
Deputy chief of staff 323rd Fighter Aviation Division, 4th Air Army, Northern Group of Forces 4th Air Army 072 of November 4, 1948 April 1948
Deputy chief of staff 239th Fighter Aviation Division, 37th Air Army, Northern Group of Forces 4th Air Army 072 of November 4, 1948 February 1949
Deputy chief of staff 100th Fighter Aviation Division, 69th Air Army, city of Kharkov, Kiev Military District Commander in Chief of the Air Force 03075 of November 14, 1949 February 1950
Card compiled on the basis of Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Stepanovich Vakurov’s personnel file ______ October 13, 1947 and registration documents in the possession of the 69th Air Army.

Chief of the Personnel Section of the 69th Air Army
Colonel [signed] /Shiryayev/
June 30, 1950

Deputy chief of staff 105th Fighter Aviation Division Commander in Chief of the Air Force 02804 September 5, 1950
Deputy chief of staff 105th Fighter Aviation Division 69th Air Army 0153 July 14, 1950
Assigned to the disposal of the 24th Air Army 69th Air Army 0280 November 2, 1951
Deputy chief of staff 263rd Fighter Aviation Division, 71st Fighter Aviation Corps, 24th Air Army Commander in Chief of the Air Force 0705 March 28, 1952
Deputy chief of staff 123rd Fighter Aviation Division, 24th Air Army Commander in Chief of the Air Force 01756 September 1, 1953
Deputy chief of staff in charge of the control and guidance post 123rd Fighter Aviation Division 24th Air Army 02 January 14, 1954
Deputy chief of staff in charge of the control and guidance post 123rd Fighter Aviation Division, 24th Air Army Commander in Chief of the Air Force 0603 April 30, 1954
Deputy chief of staff in charge of the command post 123rd Fighter Aviation Division Commander in Chief of the Air Force 01268 September 21, 1954
Assigned to the disposal of the commander of the 69th Air Army 24th Air Army 0149 October 19, 1955
Transferred to the reserve in accordance with Article 59, Section A, with the right to wear a military uniform.

Registered at the Military Commissariat of the Dzerzhinsky Raion, city of Kharkov
Commander in Chief of the Air Force 01954
December 30, 1955

16. Wounds and contusions (when, where and nature of the wound): No
17. Academic title: No
18. Academic degree: No
19. Stays abroad (when, where and for how long): In Poland from January 13, 1945 through April 8, 1945 and from July 20, 1945 through February 1950 and in Germany from April 8, 1945 through July 20, 1945 with the Soviet Forces
20. Service in the old army, last position and rank: No
21. Service in the White Army or other foreign armies (only note service in foreign armies when the officer wasn’t serving in the Soviet Army at the same time): No
22. Has he been in captivity or on territory occupied by the enemy without his unit; when, where and for how long (only note escapes not with a unit): No
23. Has he been convicted, when and by which courts, for what and for how long, has the conviction been retracted: No
24. Family situation: wife’s first name, patronymic, last name, and year of birth, children’s names and years of birth, address of the officer’s family if living apart: Married to Lyudmila Nikolayevna Vakurova, born in 1906. Son Arnold born in 1932, daughter Ninel in 1934
25. Special remarks: