Russia – Soviet: An Order of the Red Star awarded to Captain Aleksandr Ivanovich Vostrikov, Commander of the 8th Independent Communications and Radio Navigation Support Company as part of the 334th Bomber Division, 6th Bomber Corps for his part in supporting 1,700 night time combat sorties in the Baltic states.
Order of the Red Star, type 2, without screwpost plate and with flared edges and numbered 986763
Condition: Good very fine
Aleksandr Ivanovich Vostrikov was born in the village of Otskochnoye, Voronezh Oblast during 1917. Having attained a Secondary education he joined the Red Army in 1939, and joined the Communist Party in 1942.
Vostrikov served during the Defence of Leningrad, but his first decoration was this Order of the Red Star awarded to him by Order of the Long Range Air Operations Command on 5th November 1944 with the following citation:
‘In the regiment he has supported 1700 night-time combat sorties.
During his time as company commander he has shown himself a disciplined, energetic, and honourable officer. He is a promising young commander. He is demanding of both himself and his subordinates. Within a short span of time he was able to train his company as a combat unit capable of providing the regiment with operational communications under any and all conditions.
All equipment the company uses is in good working order and in excellent condition. He received fine specialised training as a signaller. He devotes a great deal of attention to improving his specialised knowledge. In spite of the fact that his company is considerably understrength, his men are able to support the regiment’s combat operations in an excellent manner.
He is an excellent organiser. He is a strong willed commander who is capable of taking initiative.
He is morally stalwart and ideologically sound. He is dedicated to the cause of the Party of Lenin and Stalin and the socialist motherland.
For the bravery and courage he displayed in combat with German fascism, he deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.’
The recommendation was signed by the Commander of the 110th Minsk Long-Range Air Regiment, Guards Lieutenant Colonel Gavrilov.
Vostrikov was later to be awarded an Order of the Patriotic War 2nd Class by Order of the 18th Air Army on 3rd October 1945, this unit had seen extensive service in the Baltic states during the later stages of the war. He was also to receive a Medal for the Victory over Germany.
In 1947 at the time of receipt of his final award Vostrikov was acting as Commander of the 8th Independent Communications and Radio Navigation Support Company, 334th Bomber Division, 6th Bomber Corps and was listed as resident of Zonalnoye, Sakhalin Island in the Pacific.
