Description
Researched Group of two Soviet Orders of the Red Banner #28975 and #60507
These are the only orders mentioned in his record card
Awarded to Pilot Senior Lieutenant Ivan Pavlovich Tavolzhanov (Иван Павлович Таволжанов)
Beautiful group in excellent condition with interesting and very extended research. Rare as such!
Red Banner #28975
This order of the Red Banner made of solid silver and enamels. Measures 40.65 mm in height and 36.32 mm in width. It weighs 23.2 gram. The serial number and the mint mark Monetni Dvor are located at the 6 o’clock position of its reverse.
The order is in excellent, well above average condition with all details crisp. Even the higher laying parts such as the center wreath and the torch have most details visible. The red enamel is all present and in far better condition than most screwback Red Banners. It only shows some minor superficial flaking. The order has no repairs and the screwpost is full length. It comes with its time period silver screwplate and both sides show a very attractive patina.
Red Banner #60507
This order of the Red Banner made of solid silver and enamels. Measures 40.64 mm in height and 36.11 mm in width. It weighs 23.6 gram. The serial number and the mint mark Monetni Dvor are located at the 6 o’clock position of its reverse.
The order is also in excellent, well above average condition with most details crisp. The red enamel is mostly present and in far better condition than most screwback Red Banners. There is only some damage at the 3 o’clock ray of the center star. The order has no repairs and the screwpost is full length. It comes with its time period silver screwplate.
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or accomplishments for his 1st order of the Red Banner (#28975):
“Upon a personal order from the commander of the Air Forces, comrade Major General Vershinin, special government documents needed to be delivered to Shakhty, Novocherkassk, and Rostov on March 6, 1942 in weather far from suitable for flying. The orders outlined that two aircraft needed to be dispatched; in case the aircraft carrying Major Fateyev and the documents was forced to land, the second one was required to continue the journey. Pilot Tavolzhanov was instructed to carry out this assignment. Faced with winds of up to 18 meters a second, poor visibility, and snowstorms, the special purpose aircraft flown by Tavolzhanov and carrying Major Fateyev took off to execute thus crucial assignment. The sortie was carried out in non-flying weather with the aircraft flying solely on instruments. Altogether the mission was accomplished with great commitment, on schedule, and with distinction.
The assignment of supporting the Operational Group of the Air Forces staff, located in the city of Starobelsk, was given to pilot Tavolzhanov. During the support period he enabled a number of special combat missions with the goal of issuing and delivering field orders on the front line and within air units under complex wintry conditions, predominantly in non-flying weather.
Upon instructions of the commander of the Southern Front and a personal order from the commissar of the Air Forces, comrade Division Commissar Alekseyev, during a special operation, comrade Tavolzhanov was entrusted with a special combat mission aimed at bringing – within one hour of receiving the assignment – a member of the Military Coucil from Starobelsk to Barvenkovo. The weather was unsuitable for flying (a blizzard, winds of up to 20 meters a second, low cloud cover), but the assignment needed to be carried out, regardless of the risk level. The mission was given to comrade Tavolzhanov.
In the area northwest of the village of Golaya Dolina, over the woods, the aircraft was taken under intense fire by dugouts from enemy troops who had advanced into this area. Pilot Tavolzhanov stopped the throttle and started imitating an emergency landing. Having deceived the enemy, he managed to get away.
The rest of the flight was carried out with poor visibility and on instruments. With great skill the pilot was able to accomplish this combat mission.
While reporting on the mission, the commissar of the Air Forces of the Southern Front expressed its gratitude to the pilot.
Keeping honorary watch on February 23, 1942, pilot Tavolzhanov carried out a combat mission from the commander of the Front’s Air Forces aimed at delivering orders within the army in an excellent manner. The assignment was executed in adverse weather conditions and received an excellent evaluation.
During the Patriotic War Tavolzhanov has flown 113 combat sorties, supporting the front line during special operations with an overall flight time in the U-2 aircraft of 420 hours, the majority of them in adverse weather conditions.
For his combat service he deserves the Order of the Red Banner.”
Short Description of his feat of arms for the 2nd order of the Red Banner (#60507):
“Flight leader comrade Tavolzhanov has been at the front since day one of the Great Patriotic War.
Serving in the communications squadron attached to the staff of the 4th Air Army, the pilot flew 315 important combat missions, for which the Military Council of the Southern Front awarded him the Order of the Red Banner on April 29, 1942.
Since September 1942 comrade Tavolzhanov has been serving in the night bomber squadron. He has flown 64 nighttime bombing sorties.
On the night of November 27, 1942, upon illuminating a target in the village of Digora, the pilot hit the target in an excellent manner, blowing up a large ammunition depot and causing an extensive fire among a concentration of enemy vehicles, which lasted until morning.
On the night of November 30, 1942, while striking the enemy near the village of Alagir, the pilot neutralized an enemy searchlight.
Between December 10 and 15, 1942 the pilot flew 24 sorties toward comrade General Kirichenko’s corps, to which he delivered more than 7000 kilograms of gasoline and ammunition.
For bombing the enemy’s avenue of retreat near Kangly train station on the night of January 9–10 of this year, comrade Tavolzhanov, who had participated in this operation, was commended by comrade General Ustinov.
In December 1942 the pilot flew 8 nighttime sorties behind enemy lines in the 37th Army’s area of operations, for which the pilot was commended by the Military Council and the commander of the 37th Army, comrade Major General Kozlov.
At Kalug, with only a short flight strip in the mountains, the pilot carried out 4 nighttime combat missions on January 2 and 3 of this year, bombing enemy troops near the village of Chikola, and one sortie aimed at dropping leaflets over the enemy’s troop positions, which caused disorder within the enemy’s defenses at the village of Chikola.
Comrade Lieutenant Tavolzhanov undertook major efforts during the period the squadron was formed. He excels in accurately bombing the enemy.
For the excellent execution of combat missions at the front in the struggle with the German invaders, I nominate comrade Tavolzhanov for a second Order of the Red Banner.”
Below the full translation of Order of the Red Banners:
After the war Tavolzhanov died as a pilot in in the famous IL-14 disaster. More information on this can be found here and here
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