Order of the Red Star, #449007, Platoon Leader 179th Independent Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

[Bill Garvy]

Record card

Order booklet nr. B-867638

1. Last name: Talda
2. First name and patronymic: Nikolai Ivanovich
3. Military rank: Major
4. Sex: Male
5. Year of birth: 1921
6. Place of birth: Village of Petroostrov, Khmelevoye Raion, Kirovograd Oblast
7. Party membership (since which year): Since 1943
8. Education: Secondary
9. Nationality: Ukrainian
10. Since which year in the Soviet Army: Since September 24th, 1940
11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position occupied at the time of the award: Battery Commander in the 183rd Independent Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion of the Artillery Reserve of the High Command, Far Eastern Military District
12. Current place of service and position: Assistant Chief of Staff for Personnel Affairs of the 1697th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment, 23rd Tank Division
13. Home address of the awardee: 27a May Day Street, apartment 2, city of Korosten

14. List of all awards received:

Name of the order or medal/Serial number/Number of the document/Ground of award
Order of the Red Star 449007 Order booklet nr. B-867638 Order of the commander of the artillery of the Independent Coastal Army nr. 010 of January 12, 1944
Order of the Red Star 3030287 Order booklet nr. B-867638 Decree of November 3rd, 1953
Medal for Combat Merit / Order booklet nr. B-867638 Decree of June 20th, 1949
Medal for the Defense of the Caucasus / Decree of May 1st, 1944
Medal for the Victory over Germany / Decree of May 9th, 1945
Medal for the Liberation of Warsaw / Decree of June 9th, 1945
Medal for the Capture of Berlin / Decree of June 9th, 1945
Medal for the 30th Anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy / Decree of February 22nd, 1948

Signature of the awardee: [signed]

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

Chief of staff of the 1697th Antiaircraft Artillery Regiment
Major [signed] /Aksyutin/
April 15th, 1954


Order

Secret
Copy nr. 2

[Pencil notes: Independent Coastal Army; March 26th, 1944]

Order

Of the commander of the artillery of the Independent Coastal Army

January 19, 1944 – Nr. 010/N – Active Army

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

In the 179th Independent Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion of the Reserve of the High Command:

The Order of the Red Star to:

[…]

2. Senior Lieutenant Nikolai Ivanovich Talda, Platoon Leader in the Battalion

[…]

Commander of the artillery of the Independent Coastal Army
Lieutenant General of the Artillery [signed] /Dmitryev/

Chief of staff of the artillery of the Independent Coastal Army
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Rossov/

Chief of the Personnel Section of the artillery of the Independent Coastal Army
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Beletsky/
January 19th, 1944

Chief of the Personnel Section of the Independent Coastal Army
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Zhdanov/
February 7th, 1944


Award sheet

1. Last name, first name, and patronymic: Talda, Nikolai Ivanovich
2. Rank: Senior Lieutenant
3. Position and unit: Artillery Platoon Leader in the 179th Independent Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion of the Reserve of the High Command
Nominated for: Order of the Red Star
4. Year of birth: 1921
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party affiliation: Candidate member of the Communist Party
7. Participation in the Civil War, the subsequent combat actions to defend the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where and when): From September 1942 up until the present time on the North Caucasus Front
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War: No
9. Since when in the Red Army: 1941
10. Drafted by which military commissariat: Military Commissariat of the Petro-Ostrov Raion, Kirovograd Oblast
11. Awards received previously (for which accomplishments): None
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and the address of his family: _______________

Short, concrete description of his feat of arms or accomplishments:

The platoon commander by Senior Lieutenant Talda is perfectly prepared to carry out combat missions in any and all conditions. The platoon's combat tally contains 7 enemy aircraft shot down. During the fighting on the Taman Peninsula Senior Lieutenant Talda’s platoon shot down 2 enemy aircraft. Covering the floating crafts of the Independent Coastal Army and a troop concentration, the platoon has been carrying out its tasks with distinction.

During the disembarkment of landing troops on the Crimea and its support operations, enemy air forces repeatedly attempted to bomb the floating crafts and troops, but the platoon fired intensely and drove off the enemy aircraft both day and night, not allowing the enemy to reach its targets.

On the night of November 6th to 7th, 1943, enemy aircraft attempted the entire night long to drop their bombs on their target, but this was prevented by antiaircraft artillery fire. Senior Lieutenant Talda’s platoon displayed bravery and courage while firing intensely, despite the fact that their firing positions were being bombed.

At dusk on November 27th, 1943 a formation of 33 He-111 swooped down on the cordon, but antiaircraft artillery fire prevented the aircraft from bombing their targets. 30 bombs of various calibers fell close to the battery's firing positions, but Senior Lieutenant Talda’s platoon did not cease firing, displaying bravery and courage in the process.

Senior Lieutenant Talda keeps refining his knowledge of antiaircraft artillery and exercising command a battery.

Commander of the 179th Independent Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
Major [signed] /Korolyov/
December 6th, 1943

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

Deputy Commander of the artillery for air defense matters of the Independent Coastal Army
Major General of the Artillery [signed] /Karepin/
December 16th, 1943

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

Commander of the artillery of the Independent Coastal Army
Lieutenant General of the Artillery [signed] /Dmitriyev/
January 19th, 1944

By Order of the commander of the artillery of the Independent Coastal Army nr. 010/N of January 19th, 1944 awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Verified by the assistant chief of the Personnel Section of the artillery
[signed]

My thanks to Auke for his invaluable assistance. Photographs/scans used with permission.