Description
Order of the Patriotic War 1st class #63918
Awarded to Lt. Col. Georgij Nikolaevich Yakhontov (Георгий Николаевич Яхонтов)
For introducing innovations while leading the Airforce’s aerial photography service, making it the best in the Red Army. His leadership improved aerial reconnaissance, providing crucial intelligence. During the Minsk offensive, his service uncovered enemy defenses and new constructions, aiding rapid troop advances
Made of solid gold, silver and enamels. Measures 45.46 mm in height, 43.67 mm in width and weighs 29.0 grams without its screwplate. The serial number is located at the 6 o’clock position and the mint mark Monetni Dvor is located at the 12 o’clock position of its reverse.
In excellent condition with crisp details. The white and red enamels are gorgeous and extremely well preserved without chipping or repairs. Its reverse is in excellent condition as well and both sides show a light patina to the silver and gold. Its silver screwpate is time period to the order and its screw has not been shortened.
Brief description of his feat of arms or achievements:
Lt. Colonel YAKHONTOV has been leading the aerial photography service of the Airforce since the first day of the war. In this period, he established aerial photography service to be the best among the whole Red Army airforce. Developing and directing the inventiveness among his troops, he was the first to develop cradle suspension device for a photo camera, automatic photo control of bomb strikes, and photo transformers. Proposed and tested in the 1 Airforce, all these devices are now deployed among all other aviation armies of the Red Army airforce.
Thanks to his efficient command, the aerial photography service of the 1 Airforce significantly improved and assumed the leading role in the whole system of aerial reconnaissance. It provides complete and timely aerial photography intelligence information to the ground and aviation units.
For excellent organisation of aerial photography service, which provided significant assistance to the units of the Western front fighting on the ground, Lt. Colonel YAKHONTOV was bestowed with order “Red Star” in 1942 and order “Patriotic war II class” in 1943.
In the Minsk offensive operation, aerial photography service of 1 Airforce under the leadership of Lt. Colonel YAKHONTOV fully uncovered the enemy defences in the sector: Vytebsk, Orsha, along the river Berezina, as well as timely detected construction of new enemy fallback defence line along the state border and in the Eastern Prussia. This significantly assisted to rapid advance of our troops.
CONCLUSION: He deserves order “PATRIOTIC WAR FIRST CLASS”.
The full translation of the citation can be read below:
More information on Lt. Col. Yakhontov can be found here
Also included in the picture gallery are scans of images of Lt. Col. Yakhontov, a intelligence report with his signature and picture of a book about aircraft photography equipment, As an extra we also included and translated the citation for his Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class
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