Russia – Soviet: A Liberation of Ukraine Order of the Red Star to future Hero of the Soviet Union Guards Senior Sergeant Pavel Dmitrievich Svistov, Assistant Platoon Commander, 928th Rifle Regiment, 252nd Rifle Division for uncovering a group of Germans who were holding up his regiment’s advance. With the fire of his squad he destroyed 10 enemy soldiers and dispersed two squads of enemy infantry, taking two prisoners. He would later be decorated with the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ as a result of an action on 23rd August 1944 in Moldova where he charged the enemy with a hand held machine gun. Having entered the village of Balauresti he encountered a large concentration of an enemy supply train, including horse carriages and vehicle columns, he would eliminate disorientated Germans whilst firing at point blank range, before smashing two trucks full of troops with hand grenades. He then assumed a position behind a vehicle and fired at the enemy vehicle column with his machine gun causing them to flee without the vehicles. In this action Svistov eliminated 30 troops and took 22 prisoners whilst forcing the Germans to abandon 50 vehicles loaded with material, 150 horse carriages and 7 fully operational cannons. The action meant the Germans were unable to evacuate its supply train across the river Prut, and forced them to retreat.
Order of the Red Star, the reverse numbered 600139
Pavel Dmitrievich Svistov was born in the village of Solonovka in Smolensk District of Altai Krai in 1924. Born into a peasant family, he was a Russian national, who after finishing 6 grades of school would work on a collective farm. In August 1942, he would be called up to the ranks of the Red Army, and would serve on the front line from August 1943 onwards being wounded in battle several times.
In August-September 1943, a cadet of the machine-gun platoon of a separate training rifle company of the 252nd Kharkov Rifle Division, Red Army soldier P.D. Svistov, boldly advanced forward in battles and destroyed the enemy, for his action he would be awarded a Medal for Courage by Order of the 252nd Kharkov Red Banner Rifle Division on 9th October 1943.
This Order of the Red Star would be Svistov’s next decoration, issued to him by Order of the 252nd Kharkov Red Banner Rifle Division on 22nd February 1944. At the time of the award he would be serving as a Sergeant and Squad Commander of a Foot Reconnaissance Platoon, 928th Rifle Regiment, 252nd ‘Kharkov’ Red Banner Rifle Division, the citation reads:
‘In the area of the city of Gorodishche on 9th February 1944, on reconnaissance, in the lead with the platoon commander, he took 9 Germans prisoner.
On 30.01.1944, reconnoitring the outskirts of the village of Samgorodok, they suddenly discovered a group of Germans, who fired upon our lines and were delaying the regiment’s advance. With the fire of his squad, he destroyed up to 10 enemy soldiers, dispersed up to two squads of enemy infantry, and personally took two prisoners in the process. Over the period of battles from 05.01.1944 to 17.02.1944, he delivered an array of valuable information about the enemy.’
He would however perform his bravest and most significant act in August 1944 in Romania. Later awarded the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ for this act on 24th March 1945 the recommendation reads as follows:
‘In the combat engagement for the village Balauresti (Ungheni District, Moldova Soviet Socialist Republic). On 23rd August 1944, Svistov was performing a combat mission. He led the 1st Rifle Battalion to the forward line, when they were fired upon by the enemy. Not loosing any time, he boldly and swiftly charged the enemy with his handled machine-gun. A group of soldiers followed him. Firing their salvoes, they attacked the enemy, killing 18 and routing up to a company of Hitlerites. The enemy couldn’t withstand the charge and retreated. Having entered the village, Svistov encountered a large concentration of the enemy supply train, horse carriages and vehicle columns. Svistov advanced to a close position, and firing point blank was eliminating disorientated Hitlerites, who were attempting to flee, but Svistov’s machine-gun bursts ran them down. Two trucks filled with troops attempted to escape but were smashed with hand-grenades. Then Svistov assumed a position behind a vehicle and continued his machine-gun fire at the enemy vehicle column. The enemy fled abandoning the vehicles. In this outstandingly heroic and dangerous action, Svistov eliminated up to 30 enemy troops and captured 22 as prisoners. The enemy was forced to abandon up to 50 vehicles loaded with military material and food, up to 150 horse carriages, and 7 fully operational cannons. For exceptional heroism exhibited in the struggle against the German Fascism, for the achieved success of state wide importance. (he prevented the enemy to evacuate its large supply train across the river Prut and forced the enemy to retreat), for ensuring success in this combat operation and enabling the advance of the regiment, he deserves to be granted the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’.’
Later, on 13th December 1944, Sergeant P.D. Svistov participated in the capture of a prisoner in offensive battles on the territory of Hungary. He was the first to break into the enemy trench and personally killed 12 soldiers, thereby ensuring the completion of the combat mission. For his actions he would be awarded the Order of Glory 3rd Class on 2nd January 1945.
On 13th February 1945, Sergeant. P.D. Svistov, as part of a group of 14 scouts, reconnoitred the area and identified the location of the enemy. During the reconnaissance, the group suddenly came across an enemy force of up to 250 people, located in a separate large house. During an unequal fierce battle, he personally killed 12 enemy soldiers, was seriously wounded but did not leave the battle until reinforcements arrived. He would be awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by decree of the 10th Guards Rifle Corps on 8th March 1945.
Senior Sergeant P.D. Svistov would be demobilised in 1947. He would then return to his homeland, and would work as a collective farm chairman in the village of Sychevka in the Smolensk District, later as a machinist at a meat packing plant in Barnaul, then at a boiler plant in the city of Biysk.
He died on 27th December 1983 and is buried at the Central (old) Cemetery in the city of Biysk in the Altai Territory,
