Description
Soviet Medal for Bravery #59030
Awarded to Jr. Lieutenant Petrichenko Petr Titovich (Петр Титович Петриченко)
“For bravery in escaping the encirclement despite wounds and frostbite in order to restore connections and disrupting communication lines of the enemy”
Made of solid silver and lacquer. Measurements; 37.09 mm in diameter and 2.95 mm in thickness. The height of the medal is 41.81 mm (including the eyelet) and it weighs 30.1 gram without its suspension. The suspension measures 25.08 mm in width at its narrowest point and 31.61 at its widest point.
The medal for Bravery is in excellent, well above average condition with its details crisp. Even the higher laying parts like the rivets on the side of the tank and the canons show little wear. Much of the lacquer filling the letters is still present and the medal shows a very appealing even dark patina on both sides.
Great early piece with interesting research!
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:
“Jr. Lt. Petrichenko is a participant in the Patriotic war against the German Fascism since 22 June 1941. In conditions of constant enemy aerial bombardment and artillery shelling, making 18-20 hour shifts, he managed to provide uninterrupted communication to the Command during the battles near town Dvinsk, town Rezekne, and river Lovat’. For this effort he received a gratitude from the Lt.-General Lelyushenko.
In the escape from the encirclement near Staraya Russa, Jr. Lt. Petrichenko disrupted enemy communication lines six times and led 8 soldiers with him out of the encirclement. In the offensive operation near the villages Ryabinki, Turginovo, Novo-Zavidovsky, Kozlovo, he provided the division Commander wit uninterrupted communication capabilities. In the battle near the village Monchalovo, Jr. Lt. Petrichenko was in the defensive position with his radio station. After escape from the encirclement, despite wounds and frostbite to his legs, he declined hospitalisation and assured set up the radio link to the army Command.
At present, the radio signals platoon commander Petrichenko maintains uninterrupted radio link to the army Command, for which he received a gratitude from the 22 army Command.”
Some additional background information:
- His citation covers the Moscow offensive in December 1941 (infomap and combat diary provided in the images).
- Then the Rzhev offensive in Jan-Feb 1942, when his division first was encircled near Monchalovo, but managed to escape. His 185RD was responsible to lead HQ of the 29 Army from the pocket. The division lost more than half of its men in this period (two info maps provided in the images).
- And thirdly, the citation was written just few days before the Germans launched the operation “Seydlitz”on 02/07/1942. The 185RD was holding the position, where Germans finally broke through and thus encircled the 39 Army. The 185RD was lucky to be on the right side of the German blow, or else it would be encircled too.
The full translation of the research:
