OGIII # 382588 veteran WIA
Born in 1920 in town Konotop, Sumy region, Ukraine. Participated in Patriotic war on Karelian front during 1941-1944 period, and on 3 Ukrainian fron from March-April 1945 as a driver at 26 Army HQ.
21 December 1941, while serving in 54 rifle division, he was severely wounded during enemy attack, but didn’t leave the battlefield until the engagement was over.
From February 1942, probably after hospitalization period, he was assigned the duties of a driver in the army supply section, and later a driver for the 26th army HQ. He maintained this role until the end of the war.
After the war continued service as a driver in 660 detached transport unit located in Stavropol military district, USSR.
Veterans awards are: “Combat Service Merits” medal #1937537 on 11.04.1945, and order of Glory III class # 382588 on 27.08.1945.
54 Rifle “Mazurskaya” Division
The main forces of the division were on the Voinitsa River, where they fought elements of the Finnish 3rd Infantry Division’s Group F. On 10 July, fierce fighting began for control of the village of Voinitsa. The division held positions there for the next nine days, retreating towards Kalevala. Finnish troops advanced to Korpijärvi on 23 July where they attacked along the northern shore of Lake Keski-Kuittijärvi. Some Finnish troops were sent to the lake’s southern shore, where they moved into the village of Enonsu and sent patrols out, which were stopped near Luusalmi. The 54th Rifle Division took positions on the Kis-Kis river northwest of Kalavala. There, the division stopped the Finnish advance on 19 August 1941. In September, the Finnish troops again attacked, but were repulsed. On 19 September, the 337th Rifle Regiment returned to control of the division.
The division defended Kalevala until 1944, with its left wing on Lake Keski-Kuittijärvi. During this period, it conducted small-scale offensive operations.
Disposition of 54 rifle division on 24 December 1941:
26th Army
A Soviet field army active from 1941 until 1947. By the time KOVTUN began service as a driver in 26 army, the army has already been formed for the 4th time.
The first formation: 26th Army was a part of the Southwestern Front and defended the Soviet-German border between Przemyśl and the Carpathian Mountains in June 1941, under command of Lt.Gen. Kostenko. By 10 July 1941 only small part of the 26th Army with its commander reached the Dnieper river. Most of its units were destroyed or captured by Germans.
The second formation: The 26th Army was quickly rebuilt in October 1941 by subsequent reinforcements and now defended the Dnieper river south-west of Kiev. When 6th and 12th Army ended up in Uman Pocket, the 26th Army tried to relieve them and attacked in the Boguslav-Zwenigorodka direction. It didn’t work. On September 26 Army itself became surrounded in the Kiev Pocket. The Soviets tried to break out. General Kostenko escaped from the encirclement with quite a large group of his soldiers, but the army was disbanded.
The third formation: The third time, 26th Army formed in November 1941 in the Volga Military District. On 18 December it was assigned to the newly formed Volkhov Front. In late December 1941 the army was predesignated as the 2nd Shock Army. Therefore the name "26 army" was free again.
The fourth formation: The army was reformed for the fourth time within the Karelian Front in March–April 1942. On 1 January 1943 the army comprised 27th, 54th, 186th, and 263rd Rifle Divisions, 61st, 67th, 80th, and 85th Naval Infantry Brigades, artillery, and other units. The army arrived to Hungary before German Operation “Spring Awakening” (Unternehmen Frühlingserwachen) and participated in German defeat near Balaton lake.
Combat path of the 26 Army 4th formation during the Feb-June 1945.
Commander of 26 army Guards Lt-General GAGEN (1895-1969).
The citation:
