Description
Order of the Red Star #164522
Awarded to Lieutenant Vyacheslav Andreevich Antoniev (Вячеслав Андреевич Антоньев)
For outstanding courage and combat skill, completing 24 combat sorties, shooting down an enemy aircraft, destroying ground targets and ammunition depots, and repeatedly bringing his damaged aircraft safely home despite wounds, fire, and critical fuel shortages. In total, Antoniev was credited with eight aerial victories
Made of silver and enamels. The order measures 49.35 mm in width, 47.68 mm in height and weighs 29.9 grams without its screwplate. The serial number is located at the 6 o’clock position and the mint mark on the 12 o’clock position of its reverse. This early variation has a round base ‘heel’ of the screw.
In worn but decent condition. The raised areas like the soldier show light wear and most details are perfectly visible. The enamel on the star’s 3 o’clock ray has been replaced, while the remaining rays retain their original enamel; the restoration is subtle and hard to detect from a distance. Its reverse is in good condition and shows a dark patina. The screwpost is full length and the order comes with its time period silver screwplate.
A n early award with great research
Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:
During the short time of combat work comrade Antonyev showes himself as one of most brave pilots of fighter squadron. He carried out 24 combat flights: 7 of which were to attack enemy ground troops and technics and other 17 for reconnaissance and cover spotters.
During the flight, he is proactive, bold, and quickly and correctly navigates the situation.
On the 22nd of June 1942 acting as part of a group he conducted reconnaissance of the enemy’s front line near Debaltsevo. As a result of enemy’s heavy anti-aircraft machine gun fire, the fuel tank of his plane was damaged. Despite the fact that gasoline was flooding the cabin and the pilot itself, comrade Antonyev brought successfully the aircraft to unit’s airfield.
On the 25th of June 1942 while returning from a combat mission аn enemy spotter aircraft «Henschel126» was detected, and despite of minimum fuel, was attacked, shot down and made an emergency landing on its own territory. Having returned to his airfield, he immediately refueled with fuel and ammunition and again took off on a combat mission within a group of 4 fighters. During the attack action they burned the plane on the ground and blew up two large ammunition depots. Comrade Antonyev demonstrated fearlessness and courage in this mission, boldly rushing into the attack despite the hurricane of anti-aircraft machine gun fire. During his next attack to the target, he was seriously wounded by an explosive bullet. Bleeding and overcoming pain, comrade Antonyev managed to bring the plane to unit’s airfield, masterfully landed and then lost consciousness in the cockpit.
Comrade Antonyev is one of the disciplined pilots, knowledgeable and loving flying, he passes on his skills to his comrades. Demanding of himself, possesses the strong-willed qualities of a fighter pilot, and enjoys authority among his comrades. Devoted to the Lenin-Stalin Party and to the socialist Motherland. He never was a POW or surrounded, and is currently in his unit.
Conclusion: for exemplary execution of orders from the command on the front lines in the fight against German fascism and the courage and fearlessness demonstrated in doing so, comrade Antonyev deserves the government award of the Order of the Red Banner.
We also translated the citation for his Order of the Patriotic War to give some further insight in his accomplishments:
He fought on the North-Caucasus, Southern, 4 Ukrainian, 2 Ukrainian, 1 Ukrainian fronts of the Patriotic war during the periods: 31.12.1941 – 28.06.1942 and again since 03.04.1943.
He was bestowed with “Red Star” order on 28.12.1942 for 24 combat missions conducted between 31.12.1941 and 01.11.1942.
He was bestowed with “Red Banner” order on 06.11.1943 for 99 combat missions conducted between 01.06.1943 and 01.10.1943.
He was bestowed with “Red Banner” order on 15.09.1944 for 5 personally shot down enemy aircrafts and for 56 combat missions conducted between 01.10.1943 and 17.07.1944.
During the period from 17 July 1944 till January 1945, he was undergoing medical treatment in a hospital after sustaining a sever wound in a Li-2 aircraft catastrophe.
After receiving his latest governmental award, i.e. during 01.01.1945 – 10.05.1945, he conducted 33 successful combat missions flying an Airacobra aircraft, total flying time 34h 44min. Of these missions: 21 for ground troops cover, 8 for river crossing cover, 1 main road cover, 1 ground attack mission, 2 for covering the city of Prague. He was involved in 5 air fights, but didn’t shot down any enemy aircrafts.
During the January – March 1945 offensive operations, he conducted 5 combat missions with total flying time 4h 38min. His missions were to provide air cover to our ground troops.
In April – May 1945, he conducted 28 combat missions with total flying time 30h 06min operating on the Berlin and Dresden sectors, as well as missions to provide air cover to the city of Prague. Of these missions: 16 for ground troops cover, 8 for river crossing cover, 1 main road cover, 1 ground attack mission, 2 for covering the city of Prague. He engaged in 5 air fights.
Despite having sustained a sever injury in a catastrophe of a Li-2 aircraft, comrade ANTONIEV is eager to fly his combat missions. He engages the enemy boldly and bravely. He has not had any instances of flying incidents, damages to his aircrafts, or loss of orientation during inflight navigation.
He has never been in enemy captivity, nor in enemy encirclement. CONCLUSION: For exhibited courage and bravery in his air battles, for 33 successful combat missions, he deserves state award order “PATRIOTIC WAR II CLASS”.
The full translation of the research can be read here
– citation Order of the Patriotic War590356
Summary on his air victories:
222 combat missions during the period January 1942 – May 1945.
Aircrafts: Yak-1, Airacobra.
Units:
647 all purpose aviation regiment.
45 fighter aviation regiment.
100 Guards fighter aviation regiment.
The list of ANTONIEV’s air victories:
24.07.1943 1 Me-109 near settlement Gayduk.
16.08.1943 1/2 ФВ-189 near settlement Golly Dolina.
10.09.1943 1/4 ФВ-189 near settlement Kalinino-Khlebodarovka
24.10.1943 1 Ме-109 east of settlement Mikhailovka.
30.05.1944 1 ФВ-190 near settlement Aroneanu
30.05.1944 1 ФВ-190 south of settlement Iași
03.06.1944 1 Ме-109 near settlement Horlești
05.06.1944 1 Ме-109 north-east of settlement Iași
FLIGHT INCIDENT ON 17 JULY 1944
Flight incident on 17 July 1944: In the condition of low visibility due to dense fog, transport aircraft Li-2 ferrying pilots and technical personnel (18 men) from 7 fighter aviation corps crushed into a hill due to pilots mistake. The aircraft was inbound to the Starokonstantinov airfield and crushed near town Kremenets.
Of the 18 passengers, only 3 miraculously survived albeit sustaining most sever injuries (one of them was ANTONIEV).
More information on Lt. Antoniev can be found here
Also included in the picture gallery are several relevant screenshots, pictures of his type of aircraft and a book mentioning Antoniev
Please contact us with questions
