Article about: Hello guys Plase let me share with you one of my latest Soviet award grouping with some very interesting history taking us back to the rainy autumn of 1944 in the Carpathian mountains. This
Hello guys
Plase let me share with you one of my latest Soviet award grouping with some very interesting history taking us back to the rainy autumn of 1944 in the Carpathian mountains.
This nice little grouping-Red Star order #1328906, award book printed in 1945 and soldier's ID book opened in 1942 used to belong to senior sergeant Vasily Nikolaevich Mizin-Ukrainian from village Vatni in Poltava region.
Born in 1916 Mizin has graduated with 10 classes. He was drafted soon after the beggining of German invasion of USSR- on 7th July 1941 he has reported himself in voenkomat in Stalinsky region, Artemovsky district.
It's unclear what he's been doing untill april 1942 but one of his citations (medal for bravery in 1945) confimrs that he's been at the front line. He received his first-light wound on 2nd of October 1944 near village Krasavino. On 22nd of November 1941 he received in the same area 2nd- this time heavy wound. He was evacuated and hospitalised and in april 1942 was sent back to duty in unit which was in forming proces in defense perimeter of Moscow-415th machine gun-artillery battalion as assistant commander of 45mm anti-tank gun called by frontovik's "farewell to the fatherland" or "fly killers". In May 1942 unit arrived at the front line in Tula area to reinforce defense positions.
Thank's to Igor I can share some interesting information about 415OPAB from it's first weeks at the front line.
"20 may 1942-I report that 415 OPAB has taken positions on the defense line on 19 May 1942 20:00. The battalion has absolutely no rifles or heavy MGs. 8 guns 76mm intended for 415 OPAB which has arrived at the rail station Khanino, has been deployed on firing positions. Ammunition for them is missing."
Mizin fought with the battalion at the Central front with his 45 untill September 1943 when during combat near Konotop in Ukraine he was wounded fo the third time. Evacuated returned to front on early 1944 after hospitalization...
… He was attached to a artillery squadron of 65th motor-rifle brigade which in December 1943 has been attached to 31st Tank Corps of 1st Ukrainian Front. Mizin as commander of 4th gun (battery of 76,2 mm Zis-3's) 2nd battery participied in combat in Ukraine in spring and summer of 1944, in Lvov-Sandomierz offensive, crossed Vistula and participied in fierce combat on Baranów-Sandomierz bridgehead. with the last German attempts to liquidate the bridgehead failed in last days of August 1944 31st "Vislansky" (for the river Vistula) tank corps has been put to rest in rear positions
In August 1944 in Slovakia had flared up the National Uprising against Nazi occupier and Slovak pro-fascict government led by Iosef Tiso. Slovak representative in Moscow asked Stalin to help uprising. Stalin agreed.
On 2nd September commaner of 1UF Ivan Konev received orders to prepare new offensive operation in the direction of Presov in Slovakia. On 8th September 1944 Dukla-Presov operation has begun. 31st TK has been one of the units which will take part in it. It was transported at the eastern bank of Vistula after few days of rest. Initially it has participied in combat at the western flank of attacking forces but after few days was transported to the central part, to the area of town Besko in south-east Poland.
31st tank corps attacked with 4th tank guards corps and later 1st Czecho-Slovak tank brigade on it's left flank. First town on it's combat route was Rymanów- about 10 kilometers east from Dukla. Then corps entered unfriendly for armored units mountainous terrain of lower Beskid- mountains chain being part of Carpathian mtns. The second thing- the late summer, autumn of 1944 was very rainy. Mountainous roads turned into muddy streams. Artillerymans often demounted armored shield of their guns and threw them away to reduce wight of their guns. On 18th september folowing the Czecho-Slovak scouts 31st TK captured village Rudawka Rymanowska.
On September 19th Tank corp broke German defense in village of Tarnawka-today it's not existing village formerly setteled by Lemkos-Greek-catholic Ukrainian speaking minority setteled in Polish Carpathian mountains.
In september 1944 Tarnawka has been destroyed in circa 60%. Rest of the locals were deported in 1947 to USSR ans so called regained territories in western and nort-east Poland
On september 19th Mizin distinguished himself in combat for Tarnawka
"... has shown himself as brave and courageous commander during the fight against German invaders in Carpathian mountains. In the engagement for the village Tarnawka on 19th September 1944, Mizin continued delivering fire at the enemy despite strong artillery barrage. With his gun he suppressed the enemy battery. When his gun firing position came under fire, an enemy projectile set ablaze wooden boxes placed right next to the ammunition. Disregarding mortal danger, Mizin, quickly put off the fire. In the engagement during 19-15 september, his gun eliminated 2 machine gun positions, 1 armored carrier, 2 mortars, and up to 20 enemy soldiers."
In the picture you will see the village of Tarnawka 74 years later. I couldn't locate where the artillery positions were located but deffinitely that's the sight Mizin has seen in september 1944. 74 years ago you could see row of solid wooden houses, typical only for this area. Now there are only remains of an old cementry and greek-catholic church.
On 19th September 65th Moto-rifle brigade together with 237th tank brigade after capturing Tarnawka pushed further west, following the main road capturing village Wisłoczek and crossing the stream with the same name.
It is thought that untill capture of Dukla on September 20th units of 1st Ukrainian front lost in Dukla-Presov operation about 130 thousand man killed and wounded. Battle got more fierce with closing to the Polish-Slovak border. After that battle two places one in Slovakia and one in Poland were named "The death valley"
During my trip to battlesite of Dukla pass I have not only visited Tarnawka but also other places where 31st tank corps had fought untill 25th Spetember as in Mizin citation to follow his path. So let me show you this hell on Earth 74 years later.
First thing I saw entering Rudawka Rymanowska-last village before Tranawka a monument to a Czech lt. Geisler- commander of a platoon of airborne scouts, killed about 15.00 18th September while platoon was pinned down by fierce German fire.
31st TK entered Rudawka on 19th September 7.00 a.m.
By noon September 20th 31st TK reach villages of Królil Polski and Królik Wołoski.
"65th Motor-rifle Brigade attacked in the direction of Tylawa, hill 591, hill 605, 513, Królik Wołoski and reached western Edge of Królik Wołoski"
Main road to Tylawa with western Edge of Królik Wołoski on left (village not exist anymore)
On 23rd September after havy fights 31TK oercame Tylawa from North and took positions on hills west from the town(2nd photo.) to attack on Smereczne (3rd photo., village not exist) Fight for Smereczne was hard and fierce and lasted few days. In this area 65th motor-rifle brigade was on 25th September 1944.
In early October 31st TK crossed Polish-Slovak border west from Barwinek and participied in heavy battle for "Udolje Smrti" (Death valley) where was involved in heavy tank battle in area of Slovak towns Vysna and Nizna Pisana and Svidnicka.
Battle was long and bloody. It took almost 130000 casualties among Soviets and almost 6000 among Czech and Slovak soldiers.
On October 20th 31st Tank Corps has been withdrawn from Slovakia to area of Polish town Domaradz to resuply huge lacks of tanks, equipment and people.
To confirm my words about huge losses in 31st TK during the battle of Dukla pass-note from the combat journal of the corp from 14th October 1944- "daily combat amount of the corp-staged tanks T-34 in ranks-6, SU-152-2, SU-76-8. Active bayonets in 242 tank br.-46 man, 65th moto-rifle brig.-19 man"
Imagine how fierce was the battle that just so few tanks and even only company of "active bayonets" remained in the corp.
Second picture-Mizin's ID book used since 1942 untill the end of his service. Both-Res Star and his book were with him during this horrific battle.
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Red Star #1328906 grouping-battle of Dukla Pass
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