Order of the Red Star, #390871, Mortar Platoon Leader, 32nd Rifle Regiment

[Bill Garvy]

Abbreviated Award Card

Card indicates that Order of the Red Star #390.871 was awarded to 32nd Rifle Regiment Mortar Company Platoon Leader Junior Lieutenant Asilii Aristeev for “combat with the German invaders” according to Order 035/N dated 15.12.43. He was born 1921 as an ethnic Kazakh and was not a Communist Party member. His home of record is listed as “Kyrgyz SSR, Frunze Oblast, Ki(?)” Collective Farm.” The stamp “2nd Ukrainian Front” is crossed out. The temporary award card A474207 accompanied the award.

Abbreviated Award Card

Card indicates that Order of the Patriotic War #354.625 was awarded to 19th Rifle Division, 32nd Rifle Regiment Platoon Leader Lieutenant Asilii Aristeev for “combat with the German invaders” according to 64th Rifle Corps Order 039/N dated 30.11.44. He actually received the award 10.2.45. He was born 1921 as an ethnic Kazakh and was not a Communist Party member. His home of record is listed as “Kyrgyz SSR, Frunze Oblast, Kirov Region.” The temporary award card D29450 accompanied the award.

Unit Award Order

SECRET

19th Voronezh Red Banner of Labor Rifle Division Order 035/N dated 15th December, 1943

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet USSR, I award the following decorations for exemplary accomplishment of the Command’s missions in the struggle against the German invaders and for having displayed valor and bravery:

Order of the Red Star to:

1. Junior Lieutenant Asilii Aristeev – Mortar Platoon Leader, 32nd Rifle Regiment

Signed Commander, 19th Rifle Division, Colonel Lazarev and Division Chief of Staff Colonel Zubov

3 Copies
1-File
2-3 to Addressees(?)

Award Sheet

1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Aristeev, Asilii
2. Rank: Junior Lieutenant
3. Duty position: Platoon Leader – Mortar Company, 32nd Rifle Regiment, 19th Rifle Division
4. Born: 1921
5. Nationality: Kazakh
6. Party membership: n/a
7. Previous combat: since 6.10.1943
8. Wounds or shell-shock: n/a
9. In Red Army: since 2nd October, 1942
10. Inducted by: Kirov Regional Military Commissariat, Frunze Oblast
11. Previous awards: n/a
12. Home of record: [trans: entry intentionally obscured]

Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment

Comrade Aristeev is a bold and decisive commander. In fighting for Hill 177.9 our small unit attacked an enemy trench however when only ten meters remained until the trench two heavy machineguns opened up from the German side causing our infantry to go to ground.

Quickly sending several correctly-sighted mortar rounds, Comrade Aristeev destroyed the two heavy machineguns and eight enemy soldiers.

In other mortar firing Comrade Aristeev destroyed an enemy mortar battery.

He is deserving of the Order of the Red Star.

Signed Commander, 32nd Rifle Regiment, Guards Major Matukhin on 13th December, 1943

Endorsed Commander, 19th Rifle Division, Colonel Lazarev on 15th December, 1943

Junior Lieutenant Asilii Aristeev's Order of the Red Star, #390871.

My thanks to Auke and Paul Schmitt for their invaluable assistance.