Wednesday 19 October 2016

Resilient Driver

"Nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union: Guards Senior Sergeant Shilov, Grigoriy Iosifovich, mechanic-driver of a T-34 tank from the 316th Tank Battalion, 30th Tank Brigade

With his tank, comrade Shilov fought on the Voronezh Front in 1943 for Rossosh, Chuguyev, Kharkov, Valki, and dozens of other settlements. In battle for Mikhailovka, Sofievka, Rossosh, Karpenkovo, Varvarovka, Osadchiy, Ternovaya, Lizogubovka, Malinovka, Chuguyev, Kharkov, Valki, New and Old Olkhovatka, his tank destroyed:
  • Anti-tank guns: 7
  • Heavy guns: 2
  • SPGs: 3
  • Cars with ammunition and cargo: 5
  • Motorcycles with sidecars: 10
  • Soldiers and officers: 530
His tank traveled for 1106 km during this operation, 700 km of which was in combat. The turret was twice penetrated by a shell, twice the driver's hatch was torn off. Two commanders, one turret gunner, and one radio operator died in his tank. Under enemy fire, his tank evacuated immobilized tanks 6 times. At Olkhovatka, while wounded, he was taking his damaged tank out of battle. Another shell burned the tank and the driver, heavily wounded, was delivered to a hospital. After the hospital, with a crippled hand, he refused to go to the rear and returned to his brigade. Unable to drive a tank, he became a mechanic and an instructor, teaching young mechanics.

Commander of the 30th Tank Brigade, Guards Lieutenant-Colonel Novokhatko"

CAMD RF 33-793756-55

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