Order of the Red Star, Nr. 3836254

[Bill Garvy]

Awarded to Sergeant Ivan Shoktko, Anti-tank Rifle Squad Commander, 641st Rifle Regiment, 165th Rifle Division, for action in January, 1945. Originally recommended for an Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd Class, February 28th, 1945, the recommendation was downgraded to an Order of the Red Star, April 12th, 1945. His Order of the Red Star was not received until December 3rd, 1992.

[Bill Garvy]

Award Sheet
1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Shokopko, Ivan Nikolaevich
2. Rank: Junior Sergeant
3. Duty position: Squad Leader – Anti-Tank Rifle Platoon, 649 Rifle Regiment, 165 Sedvets Red Banner Rifle Division
Recommendation for the Order of the Patriotic War II Class
4. Born: 1926
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party membership: no
7. Previous combat: 2 Belorussian Front since 25.11.1944
8. Wounds or shell-shock: none
9. Time in Red Army: since 9.6.1944
10. Inducted by: Nikopol Regional Military Commissariat, Dnepropetrovsk Oblast
11. Previous awards: n/a
12. Home of record: Dnepropetrovsk Oblast, Nikopol Region, village of Nikolai Moisenko. Mother – Shokotko, Tatyana Vasilevna
Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment
During the penetration of the German defense near Hill 109,0 at the village of Lortsin on 14 January 1945, the Germans attempted to resist our units’ attack with self-propelled guns’ artillery fire. Commanding a squad of “armor-busters,” Junior Sergeant Shokotko personally suppressed one enemy self-propelled gun with his anti-tank rifle, thus weakening the Germans’ firepower and permitting the infantry to rush into the German trenches.
For displaying military skill and bravery, Comrade Shokotko is deserving of the Order of the Patriotic War II Class.
Signed Regimental Commander, Guards Lieutenant Colonel Yurev on 2(?) February 1945
Endorsed 165 Rifle Division Commander, Guards Colonel N. Ko(?) on 28 February 1945
Awarded the Order of the Red Star by Order 32/N of the 96 Brest Rifle Corps dated 12.4.1945. Verified Chief of Personnel, 96 Rifle Corps, Administrative Services Major Burakov





Award Card
3.12.1992, Zhovtnev Region, Dnepropetrovsk, Ukraine
1. Last name: Shokotko
2. Name and patrionymic: Ivan Nikolaevich
3. Nationality: Ukrainian
4. Gender: Male
5. Birthyear: 1926
6. Birthplace: Kiev
7. Education: mid-level
8. Party membership: n/a
9. Place of service at awarding: Squad Leader (Sergeant) – 641 Rifle Regiment, 165 Rifle Division
10. Place of work at present: Dnepropetrovsk, Victory Riverside #80, Apt. 134
11. Awards:
Designation Serial Number Awarding Organization
Red Star 3.836.254 96 Rifle Corps dated 12.4.1945
Verified by Zhovtnev Regional Military Commissariat Colonel Mikhailov on 3 December 1992

[David]

Hi Bill, two questions:
How many orders of the red star do you have?
Why were soldiers who received orders so late?

Best regards, David.

[Bill Garvy]

One can never have too many Red Stars, and as far as the reason(s) for this actually being awarded a year after the fall of the Soviet Union, I can only guess what took them so long. I have been told by a reliable source Soviet awards are still being retroactively awarded to this day. What I found compelling about this award was the fact that Red Star numbers this high are usually awarded for action in Afghanistan.

[Pierre N]

Bill , you think he received in 1992 this award ,alive?

[Bill Garvy]

I can't say, based on the documentation I have presented here, whether or not he was alive, but based on his documented year if birth, 1926, he would have only been 66 years old when he received this order. Consider too that fact that he was only 19 when he performed his heroic actions.

[Pierre N]

only 19 years, very young ! Thank Bill !

[Adrian Stevenson]

Thanks for posting this Bill

I find it really interesting that awards were still being given for WW2 actions.

I agree with your quote about never having too many Red Stars.

Cheers, Ade.