Description
Soviet Medal of Ushakov #6892
Guards Senior Seaman Kirill Yefimovich Bondarenko (Кирилл Ефимович Бондаренко)
Awarded for service on the guards cruiser ‘Krasny Krym’ (Red Crimea)
Made of solid silver. Measurements; 36.00 mm in width; 49.18 mm in height. Weight; 31.6 gram without its suspension. Featuring admiral Ushakov surrounded by 84 ‘pearls’. The serial number, “6892”, is located on the reverse of the medal. The minimum known serial number is 9 and the maximum 15704.
This Medal of Ushakov is in excellent, above average condition. There are several dings and small scratches and the higher laying parts show only light wear with the details perfectly visible. The double layer steel suspension is original and time period as is the silver chain. Its connection ring has not been cut.
Scarce piece!
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms:
“Throughout the war, the machinery he was entrusted with did not suffer a single increase in salinity. During a bombardment of enemy positions near Sevastopol, the main steam line in the first boiler room gave out. The boiler room quickly started to fill with steam. Pressure in the main steam line fell, which threatened to reduce the ship’s speed. Bondarenko quickly darted toward the damaged main and under difficult conditions, during which he scalded himself, he placed a hoop on the main. Steam stopped entering the boiler room and the ship did not lose speed. In spite of the burns he sustained he continued standing watch at the boiler.
During a bombardment of the enemy shores near Ozereika, the lining on the feedwater main feeding the boiler burst due to the vibrations. The boiler was in danger of being put out of commission. Hot water was gushing out of a flange. Under difficult conditions, Bondarenko quickly replaced the lining, and the boiler remained in operation.
He deserves the Medal of Ushakov.
Commanding officer of the guards cruiser Krasny Krym, Black Sea Fleet
Guards Captain 1st Grade [Navy Captain] [signed] /Melnikov/
March 19, 1945”
The full translation of the research: Translation_Bondarenko
More info on the Red Crimea can be found here and here
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