Russia – Soviet: A Baltic Offensive Order of the Red Star to Junior Lieutenant Ilya Ivanovich Goreev, Platoon Commander of a Submachine Gun Company with the 249th Tank Regiment who in battles with the German occupiers during the offensive of Novosokolniki carried 20 wounded soldiers and officers from the battlefield as well as evacuating 4 officers under enemy artillery fire. Supporting the tanks in battle, when fired upon, Gordeev’s platoon destroyed up to 40 Germans.
Order of the Red Star, type 2, the reverse number 465721
Condition: Good Very Fine
Ilya Ivanovich Goreev was born in the village of Cherdyn-2 in the Lopatinsky District, Penza Oblast in 1921. Having attained an Elementary education he joined the Red Army in September 1940.
This Order of the Red Star would be Goreev’s first award issued to him by decree of Armoured and Mechanised Forces of the 10th Guards Army on 22nd January 1944. Issued to him whilst serving as a Junior Lieutenant, and Platoon Commander of a Submachine Gun Company with the 249th Tank Regiment, the citation reads:
‘Submachine Gun Platoon Commander Junior Lieutenant Gordeev, in battles with the German occupiers from the 1st to 15th January 1944 during the offensive on Novosokolniki and in the area of the villages of Lopatovo and Shalai, personally carried from the battlefield 20 wounded soldiers and officers, and with a group of submachine gunners evacuated 4 officers under enemy artillery fire.
In addition, Comrade Gordeev continually escorted the tanks into battle and, each time the German infantry fired on the tanks and their supporting infantry, he quickly gave the order to open fire on the enemy infantry. Comrade Gordeev’s platoon destroyed up to 40 Hitlerites, and he did not lose a single man from this platoon.
For boldness and bravery displayed, he deserves the government award the Order of the Red Star.
He would later be awarded an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class on 30th October 1944 by decree of the Armoured and Mechanised Forces of the 2nd Baltic Front and would be issued with the Medal for the Victory over Germany.
His final award would be a Medal for Combat Merits issued on 15th November 1950.
In March 1947 he would be working as a Student on an advanced Infantry Officer courses with the Belarussian Military District and would be living in the village of Cherdyn-2 his birthplace.