Russia – Soviet: An interesting Vehicle Mechanic’s capture of an enemy truck and killing 20 Germans Order of Glory 3rd Class awarded to Master Sergeant Stepan Senifontovich Ogurtsov, a Vehicle Mechanic in the 50th Tank Brigade, 3rd Tank Corps, for his par

Russia – Soviet: An interesting Vehicle Mechanic’s capture of an enemy truck and killing 20 Germans Order of Glory 3^rd Class awarded to Master Sergeant Stepan Senifontovich Ogurtsov, a Vehicle Mechanic in the 50^th Tank Brigade, 3^rd Tank Corps, for his part in the Vistula-Oder Offensive that began in January 1945 and led to the rapid liberation of Poland.

Order of Glory 3^rd Class, type 2, numbered 313270

Condition: Good very fine

Stepan Senifontovich Ogurtsov was born in the city of Aktyubinsk during 1916. Having attained an Elementary education he served in the Red Army from September 1943 until December 1945. Serving as a vehicle mechanic in the 50^th Tank Brigade, 3^rd Tank Corps he was to be awarded three decorations for gallantry during the Great War.

The first was an order of the Red Star issued to him by Order of the 50^th Tank Brigade on 12^th October 1943, the second a Medal for Combat Merit by Order of the 61^st Army in October 1943, these awards most likely for actions during Operation Kutozov, the counter-attack to the German Operation Citadel (The Battle of Kursk).

Ogurtsov’s final award was an Order of Glory 3^rd Class issued to him by Order of the 9^th Guards Tank Corps on 15^th February 1945 on the back of the following citation:

‘During the period of the battalion’s combat actions comrade Ogurtsov showed himself a brave, resourceful and energetic commander. He completely handles his technical officer’s duty position and inspires his subordinates by personal example to successfully repair the unit’s material.

When the battalion, having lost a transport vehicle due to a lack of fuel supplies, experienced difficulties in the supply of ammunition and hot ____ (unreadable) for the combat vehicles, comrade Ogurtsov captured a German 7 ton fuel truck, killing up to 20 Germans in the process, which contributed to the battalion’s combat actions.

He deserves the Order of Glory 3^rd Class.’

After the war he was a driver working in the agriculture industry in the village of Korenovsk, Korenovsk Raion, Krasnodar Krai and was a resident of 42 Lenin Street, village of Korenovsk