Russia – Soviet: A crossing of the Oder River Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class to Senior Lieutenant A.I. Mikhailov, Assistant to the Regimental Chief of Staff, 627th Mortar Regiment, 26th ‘Stalin’ Rifle Division for his part ferrying troops across the river during the initial assault, before defeating a German counterattack in the process scattering a platoon of infantry, personally killing 6 German soldiers and 1 officer.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, type 2, reverse numbered 696548
Condition: a couple of small knocks and one crack to the enamel, Very fine
Senior Lieutenant of the Reserves Aleksei Ivanovich Mikhailov was born in the city of Novgorod in 1919 and served in the Red Army between September 1939 and March 1946 as the Assistant to the Regimental Chief of Staff, 627th Mortar Regiment, 26th ‘Stalin’ Rifle Division.
Mikhailov was to receive three awards during the Great Patriotic War, the first a Medal for Bravery issued by decree of the 166th Artillery Brigade on 14th January 1945, the second was an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the Commander of Artillery of the 2nd Belorussian Front on 5th June 1945, and finally he was to receive, this, his third award, an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the Commander of Artillery of the 43rd Army on 10th October 1945.
‘In battles during the crossing of the river Oder on 20.04.1945, while supporting the 269th Rifle Regiment, 136th Rifle Division, Comrade Mikhailov proved himself a courageous and brave officer. Under heavy enemy artillery fire, Comrade Mikhailov directed the crossing of military hardware to the western banks of the river Oder. Having ferried a battalion, he replaced the battalion’s wounded commander and continued to carry out his assigned mission. On 21.04.1945, in the area of the city of Pargov, the enemy went on to the counterattack. Comrade Mikhailov, situated in the vanguard of the infantry, took active part in repulsing the counterattack, correcting the battalion’s fire. Four heavy machine guns and up to a platoon of enemy infantry were destroyed or scattered. After this, gathering his scouts, he went on the attack together with the infantry. In this battle, Comrade Mikhailov personally killed 6 German soldiers and 1 officer.
For the courage and bravery displayed, Comrade Mikhailov deserves the government award the Order of the Red Star.’
Mikhailov would also receive a Medal for the Capture of Konigsberg and a Medal for the Victory over Germany during the war
After the war, Mikhailov worked as a Base Director in Riga, Latvia whilst living at Apartment 2, building number 143, Lachplesha Street, city of Riga.
