Russia – Soviet: A Finland 1944 Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class awarded to Lieutenant Viktor Ivanovich Kuryatnikov, Machine Gun Company Commander, 136th Rifle Regiment, 97th Rifle Division, 26th Army for wounds received in the right shoulder on 15th August 1944, at a time the 26th Army was involved in the ejection of German forces from Finland.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, type 2, flatback reverse, the reverse numbered 862697
Condition: one small enamel chip to the central white enamel, Good Very Fine
Viktor Ivanovich Kuryatnikov was born in the village of Ishaki, Chamzinsky District, Mordovian SSR in 1919. A Russian national, he attained a middle school education before joining the Red Army in November 1939. He would see frontline service in the Great Patriotic War from 22nd June 1941 until 15th August 1944 suffering two wounds during his service.
This Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class was his sole award and was issued to him by decree of the Supreme Soviet on 6th August 1946 for his service as a Lieutenant and Machine Gun Company Commander, 136th Rifle Regiment, 97th Rifle Division, 26th Army, the citation reads:
‘Comrade Kuryatinov, in battles against the German-fascist invaders as part of the 136th Rifle Regiment, 97th Rifle Division, 26th Army, in the position of Machine-Gun Company Commander, was severely wounded in the right shoulder on 15th August 1944. At present, he is fit for limited service, 2nd degree.’
26th Army was involved in the fighting in Finland in August 1944 which would lead to their surrender and the ejection of German forces from the country.
By 6th August 1949, Kuryatnikov was employed as a kholkhoz bookkeeper at the Novaya Zhizn Kolkhoz in the Saransky Selsvoet, Polessky District, Kaliningrad Oblast.
