Guards Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical Service Mikhail Maksimovich Porokhnya

[Bill Garvy]

Record card

[Pencil note: Military Commissariat of the Leningrad Oblast]

Record card

Order booklet nr. A-832359

1. Last name: Porokhnya
2. First name and patronymic: Mikhail Maksimovich
3. Military rank: Colonel of the Medical Service
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1904
6. Place of birth: Village of Vasyurinskaya, Krasnodar Krai
7. Party membership (since which year): Member of the Communist Party since 1944
8. Education: Higher
9. Nationality: Russian
10. Since which year in the Soviet Army: From April 15, 1921 through August 15, 1923 and since August 15, 1940
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position at the time of the award: Chief physician of the 71st Fighter Aviation Corps
12. Current place of service and position: Chief physician of the 71st Fighter Aviation Corps
13. Home address of the awardee: 9 Menushensky Street, apartment 7, city of Mogilyov

14. Record of all awards received:

Names of the orders and medals/Their numbers/Numbers of the documents/Ground of award

Medal for Combat Merit 93587 Order booklet nr. A-832359 Decree of August 18, 1942

Order of the Red Star 1132105 Order booklet nr. A-832359 Order of the 18th Air Army nr. 081/N of April 6, 1945

Medal for Combat Merit Unnumbered Order booklet nr. A-832359 Decree of June 24, 1948

Order of the Red Star 3168742 Order booklet nr. A-832359 Decree of August 21, 1953

Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad Unnumbered Decree of December 22, 1942

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

Medal for the Defense of the Caucasus Unnumbered Decree of May 1, 1944

Medal for the Victory over Germany Unnumbered Decree of May 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 the Personnel Section of the 71st Fighter Aviation Corps
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Khusainov/
January 29, 1954

All fields to be filled out fully

Award sheet

Last name, first name and patronymic: Porokhnya, Mikhail Maksimovich
Rank: Military Physician 2nd Grade
Position and unit: Chief of the Medical Service of the 705th Airfield Support Battalion
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
1. Year of birth: 1904
2. Nationality: Russian
3. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1940
4. Party affiliation: Not a member
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: Military Commissariat of the Krasnodar Oblast
9. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his family): ______________

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

During the Patriotic War he showed himself a brave and persevering commander and specialist, capable of taking initiative. He has been organizing the medical support of the combat units well. He makes every effort to prevent infectious diseases within the garrison and have ill, wounded, and contused soldiers rejoin their unit as soon as possible. In August and September 1941, under his direct supervision 11 commanders were discharged within a remarkably short period of time, including 2 pilots who had been wounded during a crash. Thanks to his energetic and timely prophylactic measures, nobody in the battalion was admitted with an infectious disease. The Medical Service has a full workload. During the Patriotic War 1208 men received medical attention and 3120 outpatient procedures were carried out. During this period not a single procedure carried out by the Medical Service on somebody requiring medical treatment had a fatal outcome. Comrade Porokhnya personally checks and replenishes the first-aid kits aboard military aircraft. He performs a great deal of political educational work among his subordinates. Serving as an agitator he brings a Bolshevik word of truth to the masses of soldiers and commanders.

He is dedicated to the Party of Lenin and Stalin and the socialist motherland.

He deserves the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the 705th Airfield Support Battalion
Quartermaster 2nd Grade [signed] /Dragunov/

Military commissar of the 705th Airfield Support Battalion
Political Officer [signed] /Besschotnov/

For his excellent medical support he deserves the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the 250th Aviation Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Glushchenko/

Military commissar of the 250th Aviation Regiment
Senior Battalion Commissar [signed] /Okunev/
July 20, 1942

For his excellent medical support he deserves the Medal for Combat Merit.

Commander of the 62nd Long-Range Aviation Division
Colonel [signed] /Tupikov/

Member of the Military Council
Senior Battalion Commissar [signed] /Mozgovoi/
July 20, 1942

He deserves to be awarded the Medal for Combat Merit.

Commander of Long-Range Aviation
Lieutenant General of Aviation [signed] /Golovanov/

Member of the Military Council of Long-Range Aviation
Divisional Commissar [signed] /Guryanov/
August 15, 1942

Award sheet

For (position; name of the unit, formation, or institution; military rank; and first name, patronymic, and last name): Chief of the Medical Service of the 9th Guards Donbass Long-Range Bomber Aviation Division, Guards Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical Service Mikhail Maksimovich Porokhnya
Who is being nominated for (name of the award): Order of the Red Star
1. Year of birth: 1904
2. Nationality: Russian
3. Social situation: Serviceman
4. Party affiliation: Member of the Communist Party since 1944
5. Since when in the Red Army: From 1921 through 1923 and since 1940
6. Participation in the Civil War: No
7. Wounds and contusions: No
8. Earlier nominations for awards, when, and for what: Nominated for an award and decorated for his participation in the Patriotic War
9. Commendations and award received previously and for what: Medal for Combat Merit by Decree of August 18, 1942; Medal for the Defense of Leningrad; Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad; Medal for the Defense of the Caucasus
10. Service in the White Army or other bourgeois armies and time spent in captivity: No
11. Permanent address:

Short, concrete description of his combat feat or merits:

He has been serving in the Active Army since October 20, 1941. Until May 1943 he served as chief physician of the 705th Airfield Support Battalion. He provided medical support for the units’ combat sorties – both during takeoff and in the military hospital – in an excellent manner, for which he was awarded the Medal for Combat Merit on August 18, 1942.

Being the best physician, he was appointed chief of the division’s Medical Service in May 1943. Comrade Porokhnya performed a great deal of work in providing medical support to the men. On his initiative he established a divisional sanatorium, which handled 600 men. 85 of them – aviators who had suffered wounds or trauma – regained their health. Of the 188 aviators who were recovering in hospitals after sustaining wounds or because of diseases, 175 returned to their units, which amounts to 95 percent. 105 members of aircrews were trained as medics to render first aid to injured crew members. 38 men took a course aimed at improving the skills of the cooks of the division and corps. The special training for all medical personnel of the division was well organized. Within the division 363 medical lectures and talks with medics were held.

In 1943 all flying personnel were successfully and efficiently examined by a medical commission. He devotes a lot of attention to matters concerning curative medicine and kitchen units. He shows much concern for the health of the men of the division.

All aforementioned activities were conducted by the units’ medical personnel and comrade Porokhnya himself after he received his previous award.

He is disciplined, dutiful, politically developed, and morally stalwart. He is dedicated to the Party of Lenin and Stalin and the socialist motherland.

Conclusion: For his selfless efforts in preserving the health of the men he deserves the Order of the Red Star.

Commander of the 9th Guards Donbass Long-Range Bomber Aviation Division
Guards Major General of Aviation [signed] /Blinov/
October 26, 1944

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

Commander of the 6th Donbass Long-Range Aviation Corps
Lieutenant General of Aviation [signed] /Tupikov/
October 29, 1944

Order

Secret
Copy nr. 3

Order

Of the 18th Air Army of the Red Army Air Forces

April 6, 1945 – Nr. 081/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:

[…]

4. Guards Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical Service Mikhail Maksimovich Porokhnya, chief of the Medical Service of the 9th Guards Donbass Bomber Aviation Division

[…]

Commander of the 18th Air Army of the Red Army Air Forces
Chief Marshal of Aviation [signed] /Golovanov/

Chief of staff of the 18th Air Army of the Red Army Air Forces
Lieutenant General of Aviation [signed] /Perminov/


Service Record has been requested and will be posted soon.

[Bill Garvy]

Service record card

Card nr.

1. Last name, first name and patronymic: Porokhnya, Mikhail Maksimovich
2. Born on: November 4, 1904
3. Nationality: Russian
4. Knowledge of foreign languages and level of mastery:
5. Place of birth (according to the current administrative division): Village of Vasyurinskaya, Krasnodar Krai
6. Social situation, profession and specialty: Serviceman, physician
7. Party affiliation
Member of the Communist Party since: 1944
Party membership booklet nr.: 6800672
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: Krasnodar Medical Institute in 1929
Military education: KUMS [Advanced Medical Officer Training Course] in 1940
Political education: No

9. Conferment of military ranks/By whose order/ Order nr./Date
Military Physician 3rd Grade People’s Commissariat of Defense 2293/3 November 16, 1938
Military Physician 2nd Grade Long-Range Aviation 035/OK June 13, 1942
Major of the Medical Service People’s Commissariat of Defense 01874 March 15, 1943
Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical Service Long-Range Aviation 0184/OK April 11, 1944
Colonel of the Medical Service Ministry of War 014 January 3, 1951

10. Service at the front in the Patriotic War (when, where and for how long): In the Patriotic War from October 20, 1941 through May, 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):
12. Awards and award dates: Order of the Red Star on April 6, 1945; Medal for Combat Merit on August 16, 1942; Medal for the Defense of Leningrad; Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad; Medal for the Defense of the Caucasus; Medal for the Victory over Germany; Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy; Medal for the Capture of Berlin
13. Biographical certificate nr. YeZ-5092, date of issue: October 10, 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): Medical district manager in the village of Vankhovskoye, Krasnodar Krai. Served in the Soviet Army voluntarily from April 15, 1921 through April 15, 1923 and rejoined voluntarily on August 15, 1940 via the Military Commissariat of the Krasnodar Krai

15. Service in the Armed Forces:

Name of position/Place of service (unit, institution, formation, army, front or district, fleet or flotilla)/By whose order/Order nr./Month, day, and year
Private-musician Divisional School nr. 22 April 15, 1921 (two years in the prewar reserve)
On long-term leave April 15, 1923
Senior squadron physician 161st Reserve Fighter Aviation Regiment August 15, 1940
Chief of the medical aid post 220th Air Force Base North Caucasian Military District 0371 September 12, 1940
Chief of the Medical Service 220th Air Force Base North Caucasian Military District 0135 March 4, 1941
Battalion chief physician 705th Airfield Support Battalion, North Caucasian Military District North Caucasian Military District 0716 October 24, 1941
Battalion chief physician 705th Airfield Support Battalion, 62nd Long-Range Aviation Division Long-Range Aviation 059/OK June 26, 1942
Chief of the Medical Service 62nd Long-Range Aviation Division Long-Range Aviation 0241/OK May 27, 1943
Divisional chief physician 22nd (62nd) Long-Range Aviation Division 22nd Bomber Aviation Division 06/LS Febreuary 13, 1946
Divisional chief physician 62nd Long-Range Aviation Division Main Military-Medical Directorate 0195 August 6, 1946
Corps chief physician Headquarters of the 1st Guards Bomber Aviation Corps Long-Range Aviation 0482/OK December 31, 1946
Corps chief physician Headquarters of the 1st Guards Bomber Aviation Corps Main Military-Medical Directorate 0315 July 5, 1947
Corps chief physician 51st Guards Long-Range Bomber Aviation Corps Long-Range Aviation 0482/OK February 15, 1949
Service record compiled using records in possession of the Personnel Section of the 50th Long-Range Air Army.

Officer in charge of the records of medical personnel, Medical Service of the 50th Long-Range Air Army
Guards Major of the Medical Service [signed] /Zhdanovich/
June 25, 1951
Corps chief physician 71st Fighter Aviation Corps, 24th Air Army Commander in Chief of the Soviet Army Air Forces 02643 November 22, 1952
At the disposal of the commander of the 76th Air Army Commander in Chief of the Air Force 01776 December 26, 1967
By Order of the Ministry of Defense nr. 01156 of May 20, 1958 transferred to the reserve in accordance with Article 60, Section B, with the right to wear a military uniform.

Registered at the Military Commissariat of the Pushkin Raion, city of Leningrad, 1958.

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): With the Soviet forces in Poland from December, 1944 through May, 1946
20. Service in the old army, last duty position and rank:
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):
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 here): 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 Varvara Stepanovna Gulyayeva, born in 1900. Daughter Svetlana born in 1930 and daughter Lyudmila born in 1938
25. Special remarks:

[GIZMO8Z]

An excellent grouping! Thanks for sharing, Bill!

[robin morley]

Very nice yet simple group, He travelled a bit as well leningrad, Stalingrad and the Caucasus where incidentl I am heading this year on my annual foriegn climbing trip.

[Bill Garvy]

Guards Lieutenant Colonel of the Medical Service Mikhail Maksimovich Porokhnya's Orders of the Red Star, #1132105 & #3168742, his long-service award.