Order of the Red Star, #297558, Reconnaissance Squad Leader

[Bill Garvy]

Award card

Order Booklet B-596622
1. Last name: Rodichev
2. Name and Patrionymic: Nikolai Andreevich
3. Rank: Guards Senior Sergeant
4. Sex: Male
5. Birthyear: 1922
6. Birthplace: Moscow Oblast, Oktyabrskii Region
7. Party Membership: since 1944
8. Education: seventh grade
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Service in the Red Army: since.1941
11. Place of service and duty position at time of awarding: Foot Reconnaissance Deputy Platoon Leader – 40th Guards Enakievsk Red Banner Rifle Division
12. Place of service and duty position at the current time: Guards Taman Tank Academy – Logistics Platoon Squad Leader
13. Home of Record: Krivoi Rog, Guards Taman Tank Academy

14. Awards

Award Serial Number Awarder
Red Star 297.558 40th Guards Rifle Division dated 7.8.43

Order of Glory III 4541 40th Guards Rifle Division dated 20.2.44

Victory over Germany Medal Edict dated 9.5.45

Verified 15th April, 1946 by Chief of Personnel Section, Guards Major Bondarov

Award Sheet

1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Rodichev, Nikolai Andreevich
2. Rank: Guards Senior Sergeant
3. Duty position: Squad Leader – Foot Reconnaissance Platoon, 116th Guards Rifle Regiment

Application for the Order of the Red Star

4. Birthyear: 1922
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party membership: Comsomol member
7. Participation in combat: since 1st January, 1943 on the South Western and Southern Fronts
8. Wounds or shell-shock: n/a
9. Time in the Red Army: since 1941
10. Inducted by: Oktyabrskii Regional Military Commissariat, Moscow Oblast
11. Earlier Awards: Red Star in 1943
12. Home of record: Moscow Oblast, Oktyabrskii Region, Spartak Factory, Kooperativnaya #26, Apartment 1

Short description of personal combat feat or service

Guards Senior Sergeant Rodichev has repeatedly participated in night and day combat raids, delivering “tongues”* and determining the quantity of Germans facing our forces.

On 21st July, 1943 during a nighttime raid near B. Armyanskaya while in a regimental reconnaissance raid, Comrade Rodichev displayed boldness and valor while conducting the operation. When the Germans detected the reconnaissance group, they unleashed a firestorm and tried to surround it, but Comrade Rodichev boldly led his soldiers forward, destroying Germans and personally killing six. During this Comrade Rodichev carried off a wounded soldier, not abandoning him in enemy occupied territory.

The reconnaissance group also seized one prisoner.

He is deserving of the Order of the Red Star.

Signed Commander, 116th Guards Rifle Regiment, Guards Major Shapiro on 25th July, 1943

Awarded the Order of the Red Star by Order 021/N of the 40th Guards Red Banner Rifle Division dated 6th August, 1943. Verified by Chief of the Division 4 Section, Guards Major Strakhov

(*In this context, I believe "tongues" means prisoners for interrogation.)

SECRET

5th Shock Army, 40th Guards Red Banner Rifle Division Order 021/N dated 6th August, 1943

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet USSR I award the following decorations for exemplary accomplishment of the Command’s combat missions in the struggle against the German invaders and displaying valor and courage:

Order of the Red Star

27. Guards Senior Sergeant Nikolai Andreevich Rodichev – Foot Reconnaissance Platoon Squad Leader, 116th Guards Rifle Regiment, 40th Guards Red Banner Rifle Division

Signed Commander, 40 Guards Red Banner Rifle Division, Hero of the Soviet Union Guards Colonel Kazak