citation ORB 70842 AKININ

АКИНИН Митрофан Степанович 1911
AKININ Mitrofan Stepanovich 1911

Private of the topography service of 89 heavy howitzer artillery destruction brigade.

===== order "RED BANNER" ===== 

	18 July 1943, the brigade was deployed near the villages Sidorovka, Protasovo, Pavlovka. The brigade was providing artillery reenforcement support for 143 Rifle Division, which was fighting for the settlement Soglasnij, the hills 254.6 and 257.3. The enemy was attempting to hold these hills at any cost, because the line of commanding heights was advantageous for defence. Enemy infantry was stubbornly defending the southern slopes of the hills, while being supported by tanks, artillery, and mortars. 3 enemy tanks were dug in on the hills. There tanks fired directly at our troops. Enemy observation post on the hills allowed the enemy to observe our options in depth, directing artillery fire at our troops concentrations. 
	Private AKININ, togther with platoon commander Lt. GORBUNOV, received an order: advance to the forward line to our attacking troops, locate the enemy observation post and his firing positions on the hills, then correct our fire and thus destroy the enemy observation post. 
	After 45 minutes, the artillery brigade HQ received a radio message with the results of the reconnaissance and the command to open fire.
	@13:20, new radio message from the forward observation post sounded: "Intensive enemy artillery barrage, Lt. GORBUNOV is wounded. Private AKININ rendered him medical aide. Despite wounds and intensive enemy fire, Lt. GORBUNOV and Pvt. AKININ continue their observations and correction of our fire aimed at the enemy observation post."
	@15:45, radio message from the forward observation post said: "Mission accomplished. Enemy observation post is destroyed, 1 enemy tank set ablaze, 2 other tank stopped firing. Our infantry entered the southern outskirts of Soglasnij. Private AKININ is returning to the main observation post."
	After returning to the main observation post, Lt. GORBUNOV declared: "So great are our people - brave and hardworking. I ask to bestow Pvt. AKININ with order RED BANNER for his courage and bravery exhibited during this combat mission."
He deserves order "RED BANNER".

Commander of 89 heavy howitzer artillery destruction brigade 
Lt. Colonel /OPOKOV/
10.08.1943