Russia – Soviet: A Communications Equipment Engineer’s line repair Order of the Red Star awarded to Captain Ivan Afanasyevich Ushkalov, 47th Battalion of the Aircraft Warning Service, Leningrad Air Defence Army.
Order of the Red Star, type 2, numbered 1538829
Condition: Good very fine
Ivan Afanasyevich Ushkalov was born in Novoivanovka Rural Municipality, Sudzha Raion, Kursk Oblast during 1903, serving in the Red Army in 1925 and 1926, he then took a break from military service rejoining in 1932. A resident of Leningrad, Ushkalov saw service there during the Siege being awarded the Medal for the Defence of Leningrad. Subsequently he went on to receive a Medal for Combat Merit for 10 Years Long Service on 3rd November 1944, before receiving this award of the Order of the Red Star by Order of the Artillery Commander of the Leningrad Front on 18th November 1944 with the following citation:
‘Serving as a communications equipment engineer of the 47th Battalion of the Aircraft Warning Service, Captain Ushkalov has performed his duties exemplarily and demonstrated efficiency in organising communications and repairing equipment during the Patriotic War.
Captain Ushkalov devoted a great deal of attention the training of line supervisors, radio experts, and other specialists in the field of communications. Under his personal supervision much effort was put into repairing and enhancing the equipment used at the early warning posts. A control panel was installed at the battalion post, which simplified the duties of the battalion post’s telephone operators significantly and allowed for the number of telephone operators required for each shift to be reduced by two people.
When the battalion was redeployed from Volkhov to Kingisepp, Captain Ushkalov tirelessly worked to repair communications devices and radio equipment.
When the battalion was inactive for some time, the communications equipment was repaired and prepared for the unit’s most recent deployment to the Estonian SSR.
When the early warning posts were deployed in liberated Estonian territory, Captain Ushkalov was personally dispatched to the periphery along with a group of signallers in order to establish communications. Thanks to his initiative and resourcefulness he was able to lay 45 kilometres of permanent telephone cables and repair more than 100 kilometres of telephone cables.
Captain Ushkalov devoted a great deal of attention to the training and education of radio specialists, as a result of which the battalion was able to set up all available radio posts in in the initial phase with a full complement of radio operators.
At the present moment Captain Ushkalov puts a great deal of effort into equipping the battalion post and the regional early warning posts, supplying them with enhanced and newly repaired equipment.
For his conscientious devotion to his duties and the initiative and resourcefulness he displayed in organising communications during the battalion’s deployment in the Estonian SSR, Captain Ushkalov deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.
Signed by the Commander of the 47th Battalion of the Aircraft Warning Service, Major Zinchenko.
After this award, Ushkalov served until the end of the war and beyond, being awarded the Medal for the Victory over Germany, before being awarded an Order of the Red Star for 15 years long service on 5th November 1946, and finally an Order of the Red Banner for 20 years long service on 19th November 1951. Post war he served as the Assistant Chief of the Signals Supply Section, staff of the Leningrad Air Defence Army, and was resident at 1/6 Kalyalyev Street, Apartment 24, city of Leningrad.
