Russia – Soviet: An Order of the Red Star awarded to Lieutenant Vasily Yefimovich Lepikhov, a Machine-Gunner in the 2nd Motorised Rifle Battalion, 33rd Uman Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade and later the Commander of a

Russia – Soviet: An Order of the Red Star awarded to Lieutenant Vasily Yefimovich Lepikhov, a Machine-Gunner in the 2nd Motorised Rifle Battalion, 33rd Uman Red Banner, Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade and later the Commander of a Self—Propelled Gun of the 87^th Guards Heavy Tank and Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, 2^nd Guards Mechanised Division for his part in killing 11 Hitlerites and destroying 3 enemy firing positions in his units advance across Poland in the early weeks of 1945.

Order of the Red Star, type 6, numbered 2749531

Condition: Nearly extremely fine

Vasily Yefimovich Lepikhov was born in the village of Klinskiye, Novaya Derevnya Raion, Ryazan Oblast in 1926. Having attained an elementary education, he became a Komsomol member in 1942 and then joined the Red Army in November 1943 and served initially as a Machine Gunner in the 2nd Motorised Rifle Battalion, 33rd Uman Red Banner Order of Kutuzov 2nd Class Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade, before later serving as the Commander of a self-propelled gun of the 87^th Guards Heavy Tank and Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, 2^nd Guards Mechanised Division:

This Order of the Red Star was Lepikhov’s first decoration, awarded to him whilst serving as a Guards Private First Class and as a Machine-Gunner by Order of the 33^rd Guards Motorised Rifle Brigade on 21^st February 1945 as a result of the following citation:
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‘During the fighting with the German invaders near the city of Brze_ Kujawski and the city of Toru_, comrade Lephikov displayed courage and bravery.

With his machine gun comrade Lepikhov killed 11 Hitlerites and destroyed 3 enemy firing positions. With his heavy machine-gun fire he supported his platoon’s advance.

For the valour and bravery he displayed comrade Lepikhov deserves the Order of the Red Star.

Signed by the Commander of the 2^nd Motorised Rifle Battalion, Guards Captain Dvoryashin.

Lephikov would go on to receive the Medal for the Capture of Berlin, the Medal for the Victory over Germany and the Medal for the 30^th Anniversary of the Soviet Army and Navy and finally a Medal for Combat Merit for 10 years long service on 30^th April 1954

At the time of this final award, Lepikhov was still serving as the Commander of a self-propelled gun of the 87^th Guards Heavy Tank and Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, 2^nd Guards Mechanised Division, he was a resident of 1/33 Zhdanov Street, village of Levashovo, Leningrad Oblast.