Russia – Soviet: A Superb Carpathian Offensive Order of Glory 3rd Class to Warrant Officer Vasillii Vasil’evich Gordienko, 465th Rifle Regiment, 167th Rifle Division for delivering supplies to the frontline troops while under heavy fire, he had previously been awarded the Order of the Red Star for personally killing 71 Germans and capturing 12 others after driving two platoons of infantry into a ravine during the Korsun-Cherkassy offensive in January 1944, and then later went on to be decorated with the Medal for Bravery during the fighting in Czechoslovakia during December 1944.
Order of Glory 3rd Class, type 2, variation 1, with hand engraved serial number 179520
Condition: Good very fine
Vasillii Vasil’evich Gordienko was born in Edmekaia Oblast, Belopomsk Region, Iumanovka during 1911. He joined the Red Army and served throughout the Great Patriotic War with the 465th Rifle Regiment, 167th Rifle Division.
The 167th Division’s second formation with which we know Gordienko served played a part in fourteen major offensives during the course of the war, but it was not until the Korsun-Cherkassy Pocket Battle in January 1944 that he was to receive his first award, an Order of the Red Star, which was given to him by Order of the 167th Rifle Division on 3rd March 1944, the citation for this award:
‘For the period of the military operations of the regiment in the rear of the enemy in January 1944. During the entire two-week period of intense fighting he was with a group of soldiers of his company on the front line, defending separate areas on the instructions of the command in the most important places. In the battles repelling enemy attacks in the region of the populated settlement of Shubennyi Stav on 18th January 1944, he boldly counterattacked two platoons of enemy infantry, and with a skilled manoeuvre, drove the enemy into a ravine – personally killing at least 71 Germans and capturing 12 soldiers and took them to the staff of the regiment.
In the battle for the populated settlement of Tikhonovkaon on 24th January 1944, he bravely repelled a number of preplanned attacks of the enemy – supported by tanks. He steadfastly protected the sector, killing a group of 10 Germans, and to the end of the battle remained at his military post. His bold actions helped our units to repel all enemy attacks.’
During the latter part of 1944 the Division was involved in the fighting in western Ukraine and on to the Carpathian Mountains and Hungary. It would have been for the initial fighting in this Region whilst serving with 4th Ukrainian Front that Gordienko was to be awarded this Order of Glory 3rd Class by Order of 167th Rifle Division on 15th December 1944, the citation as follows:
‘For the time of the offensive operations of the regiment from 2nd October to 20th October and again from 23rd November to 30th November 1944, under difficult conditions and despite heavy fire, on the order of Starshina (Company Sergeant Major) Gordienko, despite the danger of heavy fire, hot food and ammunition were always delivered on time to the frontline submachine gunners of the company, contributing to the quick fulfilment of the mission.
Recommended for the award of the Order of Glory 3rd Class’
This recommendation was signed by the Commander of the Regiment, Major Taratukhin and the chief of Staff Major Mikheev on 7th December 1944.
During December 1944, 167th Rifle Division was involved in the fighting on the Czechoslovakian border, and Gordienko was to receive his third and final award, the Medal for Bravery, for his part in these actions by Order of the 167th Rifle Division on 5th February 1945, the citation for this was as follows:
‘During the period of the offensive battles from 16th December 1944 until 27th December 1944, in the region of the settlements of Davydov and Klechenov in Czechoslovakia, Warrant Officer of a company of submachine gunners Gordienko smoothly and in a timely manner provided the company with hot meals. In the battle for the settlement of Klechenov, in a mountainous wooded area, despite heavy enemy artillery and mortar fire, Gordienko fully provided the personnel of the company with hot food. At the time of an enemy counterattack, Gordienko took part in the battle and killed 13 enemy soldiers and officers, fulfilling the military mission of the company.’
Originally this decoration was a recommendation for the Order of Glory 2nd Class, but was changed to a Medal for Bravery while going through the chain of command.
After the war he was serving at Factory Number 61 in the city of Kharkov, and was living at Artema Street, Voikova 8 within the city.
in interesting award to an individual decorated on 3 separate occasions whilst serving in a Division that had seen action in at least 14 front level offensives
