Russia – Soviet: An Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class to Reserve Captain Nikolai Stepanovich Zhitenyov, the Chief of the Chemical Service of the 168th Rifle Division, 22nd Army, for his leadership of the unit during extended offensive operations during 1944-5.
Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, type 2, flatback reverse, numbered 563586
Condition: Good very fine
Reserve Captain Nikolai Stepanovich Zhitenyov was born in the city of Stalingrad (then Tsaritsyn) in 1906, he became a member of the Communist Party in 1940, and joined the Red Army in June 1941.
Serving as the Chief of the Chemical Service of the 168th Rifle Division, 22nd Army, Zhitenyov’s first award of the Order of the Red Star came by Order of the 168th Rifle Division on 29th April 1944, this was for fighting with the Baltic Front earlier in the year.
Continuing to serve with this unit as part of 22nd Army, Zhitenyov’s second award, this Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class was awarded to him on 28th July 1945 with the following citation:
‘Throughout the entire period the division was engaged in offensive operations, Captain Zhitenyov worked with exceptional energy and perseverance to organise chemical reconnaissance missions and improve the chemical warfare units’ level of combat readiness. The Division’s Independent Chemical Defence Company and the rifle regiments’ chemical defence platoons are tight-knit entities that are well trained in their specialty. At the most critical moments of battle, on October 4-6 and 18-19 1944 and in February and March 1945, the chemical warfare units carried out the special task of covering the flanks of the advancing troops and supporting the defence in various separate sectors. Captain Zhitenyov personally supervised the execution of these tasks.
Under his leadership the chemical troops repeatedly displayed steadfastness and selflessness while repelling enemy counterattacks.
For organising the Chemical Service’s tasks in a skillful manner and for the personal bravery he displayed in the performance of duty, he deserves to be awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class.’
This award would be for fighting in Latvia and around the Kurland Peninsula where the German Army Group North was surrounded and continued to fight until the end of the war, when it surrendered to Red Army forces on 8th-11th May 1945.
As the Chief of the Chemical Service, he would have likely been responsible for laying smoke screens amongst other roles. After the war, Zhitenyov served as the Chairman of the Furniture Makers’ Cooperative of the Kalinin Raion, city of Leningrad and was living at 93rd Sovetskaya Street, Apartment 4, city of Leningrad
