Description
Medal of Ushakov #13977
Awarded to Petty Officer 2nd Class Georgy Savvich Ivanidi (Георгий Саввич Иваниди)
For continuous combat service aboard the destroyer Strogy during the Siege of Leningrad, ensuring highly accurate artillery fire that destroyed enemy equipment, bunkers, and a railway battery, contributing to the destruction of 7 enemy tanks, and later shooting down a Ju-88 aircraft through precise anti-aircraft fire
Made of solid silver. Measures 35.7 mm in width, 48.7 mm in height including its eyelet and weighs 32.5 grams without its suspension. Featuring admiral Ushakov surrounded by 84 ‘pearls’. The serial number, ‘13977’, is located on the reverse of the medal. The minimum known serial number is 9 and the maximum 15704.
In excellent, above average condition. There are several dings and scratches on both sides, but the details on Ushakov’s bust and the wreath remain clearly visible. Both sides exhibit a medium silver patina, and the connecting ring has been cut. The suspension and the silver chain hanging diagonally from the medal’s suspension are original.
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms:
Petty Officer 2nd Class IVANIDI participated in all combat operations conducted by the destroyer “Strogiy” from July 1942 to February 1944. In combat operations he showed himself to be a staunch and courageous squad leader in the fight against the German fascist invaders. In the days when the city of Leningrad was in blockade, the destroyer Strogiy stood in a firing position under the Ivanovo rapids and in the village of Rybatskoye on the Neva. At this time, IVANIDI, working as an adjuster of corrections on a central firing machine, accurately followed all the commands, as a result of which the shooting was carried out accurately, the shells fell right on target, a lot of enemy military equipment, bunkers, pillboxes were destroyed and a large-caliber railway battery / “Berta” /.
In August 1942, a German tank column tried to cross the Izhora River to the city of Kolpino, but the destroyer Strogiy destroyed them with artillery fire. In this operation, 7 enemy tanks were destroyed. Comrade IVANIDI, working at his combat post as a corrector adjuster, ensured uninterrupted and accurate shooting. Since March 1943, Petty Officer 2nd class IVANIDI, worked as a horizontal range and altitude adjuster in the central anti-aircraft post of the Strogiy destroyer. He worked impeccably at his combat post, always performed accurately and ensured accurate shooting to repel enemy aircraft. As a result of accurate shooting in September 1943, a Ju-88 was shot down.
During the Sinyavin operations IVANIDI worked as a Komsomol organizer on the destroyer Strogiy and mobilized the Komsomol members for the best fulfillment of the command’s assignments.
The full translation of the citation can be read here
More information on Ivanidi can be found here and information on the destroyer Strogy can be read here
Please note that this Medal for Ushakov was Ivanidi’s only numbered award. An unnumbered Medal for Combat Merit would complete the set.
Also in the picture gallery are:
- picture of the destroyer Strogy, frozen in ice during the Siege of Leningrad
- picture plaque which states that at this location during the Siege of Leningrad (1941–1943), the destroyer Strogiy was stationed and fired on German forces with its guns
- picture of a marble plaque which commemorates the crew of the Strogiy who were killed in 1941–1943
- a map highlighting the locations mentioned in the citation
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