Russia – Soviet: A superb T34-85 Tank Company Deputy Commander’s downgraded ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ recommendation Order of the Red Banner awarded to Guards Lieutenant of the Technical Corps A.M. Ischenko, T34-85 Tank Company of the 3rd Battalion, 63rd Guards Red Banner Tank ‘Chelyabinsk’ Brigade, 10th Tank ‘Ural-Pavlograd’ Volunteer Tank Corps who having served on the front lines from the very first days of the war including in the catastrophic actions on the Western Front in the early days of the conflict would be decorated with a Medal for Combat Merits during the Rzhev offensive, and later a Medal for Bravery and an Order of the Red Star during the capture of the Ukraine.
He would be awarded this Order of the Red Banner during the advance across Poland to the Oder river for evacuating 5 T34-85 tanks from the battlefield during the advance, and when his unit was one of the first to cross the Oder river he would take over the command of the unit defending against 3 enemy counter-attacks destroying 2 anti-tank guns and 30 enemy troops during the battle.
Order of the Red Banner, type 4, reverse numbered 186594
Condition: some minor enamel damage to the banner, otherwise Good Very Fine
Aleksandr Mikhailovich Ischenko was born in the village of Berezovka, Khmelev district, Kirovograd Oblast during 1918. A Ukrainian national, he attained an unfinished secondary education before joining the Red Army in 1938.
Ischenko served from the very first days of the conflict, but his first decoration was a Medal for Combat Merits by decree of the 33rd Army on 16th November 1942, this at a time when this formation was heavily engaged in the fighting in the Rzhev salient, the last real threat to the Red Army’s defence around Moscow.
After a break in front line service from December 1942 until March 1944, Ischenko would see service with the 1st Ukrainian Front. He would be awarded a Medal for Bravery by decree of the 63rd Tank Brigade on 1st June 1944, and an Order of the Red Star by decree of the 63rd Tank Brigade on 30th August 1944 both of these awards were most likely in relation to acts carried out during the recapture of the Crimean Peninsula in April and May 1944.
By January 1945, Ischenko’s unit was in the line preparing for the Red Army’s Vistula-Oder offensive which began on 12th January 1945, it was during this next offensive that Ischenko would perform the act that would lead to his next decoration, this Order of the Red Banner by decree of the 4th Tank Army on 20th February 1945. Originally a recommendation for the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ and subsequently downgraded, it was awarded to him whilst serving as a Guards Lieutenant of the Technical Corps, T34-85 tank company of the 3rd Battalion, 63rd Guards Red Banner Tank ‘Chelyabinsk’ Brigade, 10th Tank ‘Ural-Pavlograd’ Volunteer Tank Corps.
The recommendation reads as follows:
‘Guards Lieutenant of the Technical Service Ischenko exhibited courage and bravery in the fight for the Soviet Motherland against the German-Fascist invaders. In the offensive operations, he accompanied the forward spearhead tank detachment and evacuated from the battlefield 5 damaged T34-85 tanks in the sectors of the towns Strojnow, Maleszowa (Kielce district), Gross Wertenberg-Sophienthal. Of these 5 tanks, 2 tanks T34-85 were repaired by him locally and returned to service. Exploiting he advance, he was among the first to force cross the river Oder. When his tank commander was wounded, comrade Ischenko assumed the command and repelled 3 enemy counter-attacks, and thus defended the bridgehead. His fire, covering our troops crossing the river, destroyed 2 anti-tank cannons and up to 30 enemy troops.
He deserves state award ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’.
Ischenko’s final combat decoration of the war would be an Order of the Great Patriotic War 2nd Class by Order of the 10th Tank Corps on 20th May 1945, this most likely for his part in either the Berlin or Prague operations for which he would receive the Medal for the Capture of Berlin, the Medal for the Liberation of Prague. He would also receive the Medal for the Victory over Germany.
Continuing in the armed forces after the war, he would receive a Medal for 30 Years of the Soviet Army and Naby in 1948, as well as a Medal for Combat Merits for 10 years long service and an Order of the Red Star for 15 years long service.
His home address on his record card was given as 31 Vokzalnaya Street, Kaita-Kurgan, Uzbekistan.
