Order of the Red Star No. 1897402 for Review

[KevinS]

Greetings all!

I have just added my first Order of the Red Star to my collection and would like to post pictures of it for review, just in case. Thanks to this forum, I feel I have at least a basic knowledge of the Order so far. But that could also mean that I know just enough to be dangerous! I look forward to learning more from y'all as I enter this new (for me) field of collecting. If you need better or different photos, please let me know. Thanks in advance for any opinions.

Kevin

[Marcel Banziger]

It is a good MZPP made star.

[KevinS]

It is a good MZPP made star.

Thank you, Sir! Very good to know.

Wondering if my ORS is a Type 6, V6.1.3? The manufacturer and length of bayonet seems to match the photo of that version on the Odysseus site but the number engraving on my star seems a bit more...rudimentary.

[Marcel Banziger]

I will check when I'm at home. Don't have the list with me here at work. But yours looks very nice!

[toot]

I like it.

[KevinS]

I will check when I'm at home. Don't have the list with me here at work. But yours looks very nice!

Thank you Marcel! My question wasn't meant to put you to work on my behalf; I was just thinking outloud.

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I like it.

Thank you, toot!

[Marcel Banziger]

You are correct, it is a Type 6 Variant 6.1.3 as mentioned on the odysseus website

[KevinS]

You are correct, it is a Type 6 Variant 6.1.3 as mentioned on the odysseus website

Thank you for your help Marcel! It is very much appreciated.

[KevinS]

Thanks to member Auke for the research on the Award Card and Citation and to member Egorka for the translation of both and some additional research, I now have the details of the awarding of ORS No. 1897402. It was awarded to Lt. Aleksander Vasilievich Tarakanov, an artillery platoon commander of the 272 anti-aircraft artillery regiment, for actions on 03 April 1945. Here is his Register Card:






And here is his Citation for ORS No. 1897402. He was originally nominated for an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class but it was downgraded to an ORS:









The combat diaries of the unit state that the enemy aircraft that Tarakanov's platoon drove off on 3 April 1945 was an FW-190.

Interestingly, Tarakanov's "For Bravery" medal was originally submitted as an ORS but was downgraded. That award was for shooting down 2 Fokker D.XXIs on 15 JAN 1943, 1 Fokker C.X on 10 June 1943 and 1 ME-109 on 18 August 1943.

His first Order of the Red Star No. 1254667 was awarded to Tarakanov for the downing of 2 FW-190s, one on 7 March 1945 and the other on 9 March 1945.

And finally, a photo of Lieutenant Tarakanov:



Thanks again to Auke and Egorka for their help! I am honored to be the caretaker of Lt. Tarakanov's 2nd Order of the Red Star.

[Marcel Banziger]

Great research and very nice to put a face to the name and to bring this Red star back to life with this reasearch