Red Star to a "head of radio station"

[Egorka]

Hello,

This is an interesting front line award. it is also a little illustration of the subject covered in the thread "Paperwork discrepancies".

Please, meet Guards Master Sergeant MISHKIN NILKOLAJ EMILYANOVICH, Ukrainian born 1922 in the village Pokrovsky of Artemovsk district, Stalingrad region. VKP(b) member since April 1943, secondary school, in service 1940-1945. Service position: 1 Gu. Mechanised Red Banner Brigade, Head of Radio Station. He was working in a coal mining enterprise as head of electricians team after the war (April 1946). Lived in the town Lisichansk.

So in the award register card written in in 1946 at the local Military commissariate he is called a "head of radio station". Do you have mental picture what he did? Well, lets see.

The citation will help (Red Star # 293568 awarded 14.10.1943). It is written closer to the events and by the people actually involved (in this case). MISHKIN's position is described as "Car Commander of Reconnaissance Company 1 Gu. Mechanised Brigade". It is somewhat different to "head of radio station".

RS 293568 citation:

"During liberation of town Druzhkovka, comrade Mishkin's crew rushed into town centre and discovered 3 enemy firing position, two of which were destroyed and 10 hitlerites killed by his machine-gun fire. The left tire was hit by fire. Despite the damage, the vehicles was safely evacuated from the battle field.

During liberation of town Nikolaevka comrade MISHKIN's crew was ordered to rush into Nikolaevka and draw enemy fire for revealing enemy positions. The crew reached Nikolaevka and was subjected to enemy artillery, mortar and tank fire. Despite the hail of enemy fire, comrade MISHKIN after 30 minutes long barrage returned to the company position with valuable documents."

Here are Druzhkovka and Nikolaevka marked on German map of 1941.

to be continued...

[Egorka]

Mishkin was commanding armoured car BA-64.
It has a crew of two people, one of which was Mishkin himself.
The car commander was also the radio operator. In facts of his award citations describes him as "car commander and radio operator".

[Egorka]

Here is a very interesting page describing BA-64 restoration project. Very informative!
And here is some information in English". Also quite good.

[gobusik]

Great topic, very thanks!!!

[Bagration]

Nice one and great research, the BA-64 was very appreciated by the recon troops, you can also find a more heavy version BA-6 and BA-10 with a 45mm gun.

[Egorka]

I have had a different idea of the impression BA-64 left on the servicemen.
The 2-3 accounts I have read were not very excited about them.

[Bagration]

From what i've read so far on report battle during ww2 and Korean war ... lack of firepower obviously (I guess that was not the case for the 6 and 10 version), not a good fiability, vulnerability for the gunner with open top turret, not very confortable interior and hot during summer time but despite this ... he was actually appreciated for his good speed, somehow good protection armor (15mm slopped), also the crossing capability was good but the center of gravity tented to push him on side giving him a poor horizontal stability.

I guess that was not a so bad vehicles especially when the Soviet army lack alot of recon motorized stuff or transport ... Surely an T-60 or T-70 was better suited for recon mission because of the better protection, low profile and improved firepower but that's a very different kind of doctrinal use.

You can find a little bit more info here :

https://www.militaryfactory.com/armo...p?armor_id=341

[MAP]

Very nice background information!