Russia – Soviet: An Aircraft Armaments Mechanic Order of the Red Star awarded to Aleksei Pavlovich Borisov, who served with the 683rd Ground-Attack Regiment, 335th Ground-Attack Division who looked after the Regiment’s combat aircraft, supporting hundreds of combat sorties, effectively readying the aircrafts armaments which suffered no mechanical defects under his watch.
Order of the Red Star, type 6, the reverse numbered 1333358
Condition: Nearly extremely fine
Akelsei Pavlovich Borisov was born in the village of Tikhnevo, Ustyuzhna Raion, Vologda Oblast in 1921, and served in the Red Army from September 1940, becoming a member of the Communist Party in 1944.
This Order of the Red Star was awarded by Order of the 335th Ground-Attack Division on 15th April 1945 whilst working as an Aircraft Armaments Systems Mechanic in 683rd Ground-Attack Regiment, 3rd Air Army, 1st Baltic Front:
‘With the 683rd Ground-Attack Regiment comrade Borisov has seen frontline service in the Great Patriotic War since January 1942, During the regiment’s combat operations on the Southwestern, Voronezh, and Kalinin front between January 7, 1942 and November 12, 1943, he personally supported 260 combat sorties, with the planes’ armament systems functioning perfectly and the aircraft being quickly prepared for combat missions.
During the Regiment’s combat operations on the 1st Baltic Front between April 28, 1944 and April 6, 1945 the flight’s maintenance crews supported 508 combat sorties under his supervision, without any mechanical defects or malfunctions of the armament systems occurring through fault of the maintenance crews.
During his frontline service in the Patriotic War he supported a total of 768 combat sorties.
During the regiment’s intensive combat operations on the Vitebsk and Polotsk axes, the squadron had a grave shortage of armament systems maintenance personnel, but he was able to support up to 32-36 combat sorties a day, spending 25-35 minutes preparing each aircraft. As an armament systems mechanic he organises his subordinates’ duties superbly and ensures that aircraft are prepared for combat missions in a timely and proficient manner. All periodic repairs of damage sustained by aircraft in combat are performed quickly and proficiently and not a single plane experienced downtime through fault of the maintenance crews.
Generally, the cleaning, readjustments, and repairs of armament systems are conducted at night, without any rest and without regard for the time.
During this period a total of 50 cannon repairs and 44 machine-gun repairs were carried out under his supervision. Additionally, 150 guns and cannons were disassembled and reassembled.
For his conscientious efforts and for superbly supporting 768 combat sorties, he deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.’
Signed by the Commander of the 683rd Polotsk Order of Suvorov Ground-Attack Regiment. Hero of the Soviet Union, Major Pomukchinsky. .
Other than the subsequent award of a Medal for the Victory over Germany this was Borisov’s sole award. After the war he worked as a Metalworker with the ‘Lenpishchestroi’ Group, 12 Kievskaya, Leningrad, whilst a resident of apartment 29, 103 Obvodny Canal, Leningrad
