Description
Soviet Order of the Patriotic War 1st class #8007
Awarded to Colonel Petr Vladimirovich Veselov (Петр Владимирович Веселов)
For personally participating in organizing the escort of VIP aircraft group on the route to Tehran in 1943 for Stalin’s meeting with Roosevelt and Churchill
Made of solid silver and gold. The medal measures 43.49 mm in width and 47.07 mm in height including its eyelet. It weighs 38.2 grams with its suspension and 28.7 grams without. The suspension is 32.38 mm in width at its widest point and 21.50 mm in height at its narrowest point. The serial number is located at the 7 o’clock position on its reverse. The suspension ring, screwplate and the suspension itself are all original.
In superb, well above average condition. The details are all crisp and not even the higher laying parts like the hammer and sickle show any wear. Both the red and white enamels are exceptionally well preserved without repairs, which is unusual for these suspension type awards. The red enamels show a microscopic chip on the very tip of the 12 o’clock ray of the red star and the white enamels only one ding next to the A in ‘ВОЙНА’. Its reverse is in equally excellent condition and its connection ring has not been cut.
Next to impossible to upgrade. Rare as such
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:
“Comrade VESELOV is experienced in organising combat training. Being himself a good propagandist, he constantly improves the personnel combat moral and instigates them for achieving their combat objectives. He is efficient in organising the work of the political department and personally works closely with the subordinate political officers, party leaders, and Komsomol leaders. As the result of the efficient political work among the personnel, the aviation corps trained 60 pilots qualified for night missions, 58 pilots retrained to operate new aircraft types. Also the military discipline significantly improved, political awareness and combat moral heightened among the corps personnel.
In the end of November (1943), he personally participated in organisation and escort provisioning of the VIP aircraft group on the route to Tehran. All, who took part in this escort, were bestowed with orders and medals.
CONCLUSION: For exceptional proactiveness and efficient leadership of the party and Komsomol organisations, for good performance in providing air defence to Baku city and for ensuring military discipline, political awareness, and combat moral among the troops, he deserves state award order “PATRIOTIC WAR I CLASS”.”
The full translation of the research can be found below:
Some background information:
The Soviet delegation to Tehran also traveled in two stages: railroad and aircraft. Stalin’s railway route went through Stalingrad to Baku. Due to unstable weather on the Moscow-Baku route, it was decided to cover 2500km by rails in about two days. On 25 November 1943, STALIN left Moscow on the special train №501 in deep secrecy. Before the Tehran conference, several special carriages were manufactured for the government, including a semi-armoured railcar for STALIN. On the exterior, the special railcar practically did not differ from a standard one. He had three-axle bogies, which gave him increased stability. The lower part of the railcar was armoured and could withstand a heavy rifle or machine gun bullet. Inside, the railcar consisted of a salon for meetings, a compartment for the leader, a personal bathroom, two compartments for security and maintenance personnel, a kitchen and a boiler room.
From Baku to Tehran, the Soviet delegation traveled by two American Douglas C-47 military transport aircraft, which were converted into a passenger version with a luxury cabin. The salon was additionally soundproofed, insulated and divided into compartments with partitions. This cabin accommodated up to 12 passengers. According to the memoirs of Air Marshal GOLOVANOV (long-range aviation commander, who was responsible for STALIN’s flight to Tehran) the special train arrived in Baku on 27 November 1943 at 04:00. Together with STALIN came VOROSHILOV, MOLOTOV and BERIA. STALIN suggested to fly to Tehran the next day, but GOLOVANOV, citing good weather and the lack of guarantees for the same tomorrow, persuaded him to fly immediately. The delegation moved to the airfield and at about 08:00 in the morning took off in two planes for Tehran. According to the previously developed plan, the plane in which STALIN flew with the company, to which the Chief of the General Staff SHTEMENKO was added, was piloted by Colonel GRACHEV, the chief pilot of BERIA, who had previously flown under the command of GOLOVANOV in long-range aviation. The second plane was flown by GOLOVANOV himself. Officials of the People’s Commissariat for Foreign Affairs and STALIN’S guards flew in it. Transport aircrafts were escorted all the way by two squadrons (24 units) of American P-40 “Kittyhawk” fighters of the 8th Air Defense Fighter aviation Corps, which, upon arrival in Tehran, remained there for air cover until the end of the conference. The transports were traveling at cruising speed and arrived in Tehran in less than three hours.
Two pictures of Col. Veselov can be seen in the picture gallery. Both of them show him wearing this Order of the Patriotic War.
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