Bravery Medal 129.452, BZ-35 driver, 395th Airfield Service Battalion, Stalingrad front.

[David]

Record card

1. Last name: Chopenko
2. First name and patronymic: Vasily Terentyevich
3. Military rank: Private
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1913
6. Place of birth: Village of Grodzevo, Babanka Raion, Kiev Oblast
7. Party membership (since which year): Member of the Communist Party since 1942
8. Education: Elementary
9. Nationality: Ukrainian
10. Since which year in the Red Army: From June 24, 1941 to January 3, 1946
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position occupied at the time of the award: Driver in the 394th Airfield Service Battalion, 24th Region, 8th Air Army, Stalingrad Front
12. Current place of service and position: Driver with the Executive Committee of the Babanka Raion, Kiev Oblast
13. Home address of the awardee: Village of Babanka, Babanka Raion, Kiev Oblast

14. List of all awards received:


Medal for Courage 129. 452
Temporary certificate nr. 208179
Order of the 8th Air Army nr. 1/N of November 16, 1942


Signature of the awardee: [signed]

I confirm the correctness of the data and the signature of the awardee (position and signature):

Military commissar of the Babanka Raion
Major [signed] /Lyukakin/
September 2, 1946




Order Of the 8th Air Army, Stalingrad Front

November 16, 1942 – Nr. 1/N – Operational Army

On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, for the exemplary execution of combat missions at the front in the struggle with the German invaders and the valor and bravery displayed in the process, I award:



The Medal for Courage to:

61. Private Vasily Terentyevich Chapenko, driver in a motor transport company of the 395th Airfield Service Battalion, 24th Airfield Basing Region



Commander of the 8th Air Army
Major General of the Air Forces [signed] /Khryukin/

Chief of staff
Colonel [signed] /Seleznyov/



Award sheet

Concerning: Private Vasily Terentyevich Chapenko, driver in a motor transport company of the 395th Airfield Service Battalion

Medal for Courage

1. Year of birth: 1913
2. Nationality: Ukrainian
3. Social position: Working class
4. Party affiliation: Candidate member of the Communist Party
5. Since when in the Red Army: Mobilized in June 1941
6. Service in the Civil War: No
7. Wounds and contusions: No
8. Has he been nominated for an award before (if so, when and what for): No
9. Which commendations and awards did he receive and what for: 4 commendations and a financial reward for his efforts supporting air units and for efficiently executing his assignments
10. Service in the White Army or other bourgeois armies and time spent in captivity: No, no
11. Permanent address: Field post office 236 – 395th Airfield Service Battalion


Short, concrete description of his feat of arms or accomplishments (to be compiled by the staff of the military unit, formation, or institution):

"Driving a specialized BZ-35 truck during the hostilities, comrade Chapenko did not suffer any breakdowns or accidents. He serviced 32 air regiments on 25 airfields, which means he ensured that approximately 2200 aircraft were refueled. During that same time he transported 310 tons of aviation gasoline and pumped it into aircraft.

Between July 7 and 12, 1942 he was part of an outfit of 6 specialized trucks which were given orders to haul away a load of fuel that was threatened by enemy forward elements near Lozno-Aleksandrovka and Belolutskaya. He displayed bravery and resourcefulness, as a result of which, in spite of the threat of encirclement, he was able to extract his truck loaded with fuel.

While en route in the Meshkovo area, where the enemy had deployed an assault force, comrade Chapenko once again displayed bravery and courage as he pulled his truck out of the incursion area and drove it across the Don River at the Veshenskaya crossing site during an enemy air raid. He brought the fuel truck back to his unit without any damage or malfunctions and in a timely manner.

He is dedicated to the cause of the Party of Lenin and Stalin and the socialist motherland. He deserves this nomination for the Medal for Courage."


Commander of the 395th Airfield Service Battalion
Captain [signed] /Dragun/

Military commissar of the 395th Airfield Service Battalion
Senior Political Officer [Captain] [signed] /Shevchenko/

Chief of the Personnel Section
Captain [signed] /Smolin/
September 4, 1942



He deserves the Medal for Courage.

Commander of the 24th Airfield Basing Region
Colonel [signed] /Aksyonov/

Military commissar of the 24th Airfield Basing Region
Regimental Commissar [Colonel] [signed] /Nizhnikov/
September 14, 1942



I agree.

Deputy commander for the Rear of the 8th Air Army
Major General of the Air Forces [signed] /Ryabtsev/

Military commissar of the Rear of the 8th Air Army
Regimental Commissar [signed] /Kuznetsov/
September 21, 1942



Awarded the Medal for Courage by Order of the 8th Air Army, Stalingrad Front nr. 1/N of November 16, 1942.

Chief of the 2nd Subsection of the Personnel Section of the 8th Air Army
Major [signed] /Kurnosov/

[David]

Bz-35 truck.

[David]

Bravey Medal 129.452

[Marcel Banziger]

Great looking medal with a real "been there" look and very nice and interesting research!

[David]

If the medal kept the red enamel, it would be perfect.

[Marcel Banziger]

I personally don't mind the missing red enamel. Don't forget the soldier was wearing this medal from late '42 onwards. That's at least more than 2 years of battle, hard labour with driving/refuelling and who knows what else. I would be surprised if there would be enamel left. No, this one has character, it's been there. It has a story to tell. The lack of enamel doesn't change that.

[David]

It was for putting a "but...."
You have to be really brave to go in a truck with 3,200 liters of fuel, in a front full of Ju-87 and Fw-190 among other Luftwaffe planes. A candy for them.