Description
Medal for Bravery #76571
Awarded to NKVD Counter Intelligence (later SMERSH) Sergeant Vasily Iosifovich Bitskevich (Василий Иосифович Бицкевич)
For retrieving a canon behind enemy lines in August 1941 and personally eliminating 15 German invaders in the course of 5 days
Made of solid silver and lacquer. Measurements; 37.23 mm in diameter and 3.03 mm in thickness. The height of the medal is 42.07 mm (including the eyelet) and it weighs 29.9 grams without its suspension. The suspension measures 25.45 mm in width at its narrowest point and 32.37 at its widest point.
The medal for Bravery is in a nice, above average condition. The higher laying parts like the rivets on the side of the tank and the canons show medium wear and most details are still perfectly visible. Much of the lacquer filling the letters is still present and the medal shows a very appealing even dark patina on both sides. Its connection ring has not been cut and all parts are authentic to the medal.
Great early piece to a NKVD counterintelligence sergeant. Rare and desirable as such!
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:
“Comrade BITSKEVICH has been fighting in the Patriotic war from the beginning. He actively participated in the struggle against the German-Fascist invaders. On 25 August 1941, he was returning from a combat mission for reconnoitering the enemy rear area, when he discovered 5 trucks Zis-5 and a canon on the Loban main road. He and his group, acting under enemy fire, managed to restore 2 trucks and tow the canon back to our positions.
As the squad commander of a separate company of the NKVD military counterintelligence department, 54 army, he spends a lot of effort training his troops for combat. While manning the forward line in the sector of 80 rifle division, he personally eliminated 15 German invaders in the course of 5 days.
He deserves state award medal “FOR BRAVERY””
The full translation of the research can be read below:
More information on Sgt. Bitskevich can be found here
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