Russia – Soviet: A Long Service Award of the Order of the Red Banner awarded to Guards Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Stepanovich Morozov, the Chief of Staff of the 98th Guards Heavy Tank and Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, a well decorated officer he had seen service from Stalingrad to Konigsberg, being awarded two Orders of the Red Banner, a Medal for Combat Merit, and Order of the Red Star and an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class during his time in service.
Order of the Red Banner, type 4, numbered 493636
Condition: Good very fine
Ivan Stepanovich Morozov was born in the city of Molotov in 1914, he joined the Red Army in 1935 and became a member of the Communist Party in 1939.
Morozov was a much decorated Red Army officer during the Great Patriotic War serving as the Chief of Staff of the 98th Guards Heavy Tank and Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment. While attached to the 5th Tank Army he was to receive his first decoration the Order of the Red Star on 10th December 1942, this is most likely an early award related to the Red Army’s major offensive in the Stalingrad area that had begun on 19th November 1942 and had led to the encirclement and destruction of the German Sixth Army in the city itself, Morozov’s role in the offensive led to the award of the Medal for the Defence of Stalingrad.
By 5th September 1943, Morozov had transferred to the 11th Guards Army and was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, this most likely for a part in Operation Kutozov which the 11th Guards Army had played a role in from mid-July onwards, which attempted to clear the Orel salient of German forces as part of a counterattack that began shortly after the start of Operation Citadel (the Kursk offensive).
Morozov went on to receive his first Order of the Red Banner by order of the Armoured and Mechanised Forces of the 3rd Belarussian Front on 10th February 1945, this most likely for his role in the East Prussian Offensive that began in January 1945 and resulted in the clearing of Poland and East Prussia, his unit playing a key role in the offensive particularly in the Capture of Konigsberg which led to the award of the Medal for Capture of Konigsberg.
After the war Morozov went on to receive a run of awards for Long Service, a Medal for Combat Merit for 10 Years in November 1945, Order of the Red Star for 15 Years Long Service in November 1950 and finally this Order of the Red Banner for 20 Years Long Service in December 1956.
Morozov was still serving as the Chief of Staff of the 98th Guards Heavy Tank and Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel in 1946.
