Stepan Khandrus

[Red October]

Award Card

Order Booklet 958339

1. Last name: Khandrus
2. Name and patrionymic: Stepan Kharitonovich
3. Rank: Major
4. Gender: Male
5. Birthyear: 1922
6. Birthplace: Kamenets-Podolskiy Oblast, Volochinskii Region, village of Polyany
7. Party membership: since 1942
8. Education: mid-level
9. Nationality: Ukrainian
10. Time in Red Army: 8.1939-5.1945
11. Place of service at awarding: Battalion Commander - 738 Artillery Regiment, 6 Guards Rifle Division
12. Place of work at present: Odessa Inter-Oblast Party School – Student
13. Home address: Odessa, Sverdlovo 33
14. Awards:

Designation Serial Number Awarding Organization

Red Star 65.337 South West Front dated 29.09.42
Patriotic War I 26.607 Bryansk Front dated 25.08.43
Alexander Nevsky 30.114 11 Army dated 6.05.44
Red Banner 251.133 2 Baltic Front dated 2.11.44
Bravery Medal 24.874 South West Front dated 5.11.41

Verified by Odessa Combined Military Commissariat Chief Lieutenant Colonel Borunov on 1 August 1946

[Red October]

Bravery Medal

Award Sheet

Duty position: Battalion Commander –738 Light Artillery Regiment
Rank, last name, name, and patrionymic: Lieutenant Khandrus, Stepan Kharitonovich

Recommended for: Medal for Bravery

1. Born: 1921
2. Nationality: Ukrainian
3. Social Standing: Collective farmer
4. Party membership: Komsomol member
5. Since when in the Red Army: Since August 1939
6. Participation in the Civil War: Didn’t participate
7. Wounds or contusions: None
8. If recommended for any previous action, when and for what: None submitted
9. Any previous awards and awarded for what: Had gratitude from the battalion commander of the Artillery school
10. Service in white or other bourgeois army and situations of captivity: None
11. Home of record: [trans: entry intentionally obscured]

Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment

During the defense of Konotop on 09/09/41 he showed courage to provide cover for the batteries retreating to a new line of defense. Operating a machine gun he destroyed enemy machine gun emplacements. Under the heavy machine gun and mortar fire from the enemy, he ensured the removal of the surviving materiel and vehicles from the battlefield.

Commander of the 738th Rifle Regiment
Major/ [signed] / Kasatkin

Military Commissar
Senior Political Officer / [signed] / Mekhes

[Red October]

Red Star. Awarded for action in Stalingrad.

Award Sheet

Last name, name, and patrionymic: Khandrus, Stepan Kharitonovich
Rank: Senior Lieutenant
Duty position: Battery Commander – 738th anti-tank,Artillery Regiment

Recommendation for the Order of the Red Star

1. Born: 1921
2. Nationality: Ukrainian
3. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1939
4. Party membership: Komsomol member
5. Participation in fighting / where and when: Konotop, Orlovka and Tim in 1941
6. Wounds and contusions: Has a wound
7. Previous awards: Medal for bravery for showing courage and bravery battle with the German fascists
8. Inducted by: Volochivsk RVK
9. Home of record: [trans: entry intentionally obscured]

Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment

Battery commander Senior lieutenant Khandarus for the entire period of the war with the German fascists has shown himself a brave, courageous and valorous commander. In the battle for motherland on 21.8.1942 near the village of Oak Ravine, the battery led by Comrade Khandrus was first to turn around and moving under heavy mortar and artillery fire repelled the attacking tanks.

Commader of the 738th Anti-tank Artillery regiment
Major / signed / Parinov

Military Commissar
Senior Political Officer / [signed] / Mekhes

[Red October]

OPW 1st Class

1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Khandrus, Stepan Kharitonovich
2. Rank: Major
3. Duty position: Battalion Commander –738 Light Artillery Regiment, 69 Light Artillery Brigade
Recommendation for the Order of the Red Banner
4. Born: 1921
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party membership: Party member since 1942
7. Previous combat: In the Patriotic War since 22.6.1941
8. Wounds or shell-shock: Wounded 2 times
9. In Red Army: since 1939
10. Inducted by: Volochinsk RMC
11. Previous awards: Medal For Bravery, Order of the Red Star. For valour and courage.
12. Home of record: [trans: entry intentionally obscured]

Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment

Captain Khandrus has been a participant in the Great Patriotic War against the German invaders from the early days. He is a bold and courageous commander. He was a participant in the defense of the city of Stalingrad and battles near the town of Staraya Russa as commander of the battery.

In the area of the grove “Pistol” on 13.3.43, Battery Captain Khandarus led the firing directly, flooding the enemy firing point and enemy troops, destroying: 2 bunkers, 3 machine gun positions and up to a platoon of infantry.

On 17.3.43 the battery, under heavy artillery fire and bombing of the enemy aircraft destroyed: 3 dugouts, 2 machine gun positions, 2 machine guns and destroyed the ammunition depot.

During a breakthrough on the front edge of enemy defenses at the height "CAP", height 244,9/ Bryansk front / and the advancing of our units to the west, the division destroyed: 3 mortar batteries, 10 machine gun positions, 2 75mm artillery batteries and up to two companies of enemy infantry. They destroyed five bunkers, exploded an ammunition depot and knocked out one enemy tank.

In the battle near the village of Fedorivka on 20.7.43 Captain Khandrus was ordered to take a new Division OP. under heavy bombing from enemy aircraft and without loss, they promptly took the new OP and with accurate fire, repulsed counterattacks, resulting in our infantry advancement. The exemplary combat activity of the division contributed to many breakthroughs on the front edge of the enemy forces and the advancing our units forward - to the west.

For their courage and bravery in the fight with Germans, for skillful command of the division when performing command assignments, captain Khandrus is deserving of the governmental award, the Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class.

Commander of the 738th Light Artillery Regiment
Major / [signed] / Levin

[Red October]

Nevsky

1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Khandrus, Stepan Kharitonovich
2. Rank: Captain
3. Duty position: Division Commander, 738th Light Armour Regiment
Recommendation for the Order of the Red Banner
4. Born: 1921
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party membership: Party member
7. Previous combat: In the Patriotic War since June 1941
8. Wounds or shell-shock: Wounded 2 times at Stalingrad
9. In Red Army: since 1939
10. Inducted by: Volochinsk RMC
11. Previous awards: Medal For Bravery, Medal For the Defense of Stalingrad, Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, Order of the Red Star. For
12. Home of record: [trans: entry intentionally obscured]

Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment

Participated the heroic defense of the city of Stalingrad. Has been in the battles against the German invaders from the first days of the Patriotic War. He is a bold and fearless commander who knows how to lead the division in battles in modern warfare.

In the battle in the direction of Vitebsk the personnel of his division demonstrated examples of the execution of command assignments.
In the battle for Koshkino, Captain Khandrus divison destroyed with their fire: 6 machine gun positions, two enemy observation posts, suppressed the fire of two artillery batteries and one mortar battery and he was personally in the combat formations of the advancing infantry and proceeding together with them, managing the fire of the division. In the fighting in the direction of Vitebsk on 19.12.43, Captain Khandrus while in the combat formations with the advancing infantry, despite the heavy small-arms and artillery fire of the enemy, the division with their firing destroyed 2 machine gun positions, scattered a group of machine gunners totaling more than a platoon, thereby helped the infantry advance.

In the fighting on 28/12/43 84 with the support of the 84 Guards rifle division, Khandrus repelled 6 counterattacks, while scattering a battalion infantry he supressed the fire if 4 machine gun positions and one mortar battery

The artillery batallion of Captain Khandrus represents a united, tight knit team and is the best in the regiment.

For showing courage and bravery in the fight against the German invaders Captain Khandrus is deserving of the governmental award the “Order of the Red Banner”

Commander of the 738th Light Artillery Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel / [signed] / Levin
2.1.44

[Red October]

Award Sheet

1. Last name, name, and patrionymic: Khandrus, Stepan Kharitonovich
2. Rank: Major
3. Duty position: Battalion Commander –738 Light Artillery Regiment, 69 Light Artillery Brigade
Recommendation for the Order of the Red Banner
4. Born: 1921
5. Nationality: Ukrainian
6. Party membership: yes
7. Previous combat: Patriotic War
8. Wounds or shell-shock: wounded 26.8.42 and 12.8.1944
9. In Red Army: since 1939 and on active duty since 26.6.1941
10. Inducted by: Volochinsk RMC
11. Previous awards: Bravery Medal SWF 5.11.41, Red Star SWF 29.9.42, Defense of Stalingrad Medal, OPWI Bryansk Front 25.8.42, Nevsky 11A 6.5.44
12. Home of record: [trans: entry intentionally obscured]

Short description of personal combat feat or accomplishment

In earlier fighting as in the most recent offensive fighting on the 2 Baltic Front Major Khandrus has proven himself a brave and valorous officer capably leading his battalion, which due to his command has turned into a tight, fighting entity setting the example in the accomplishment of the Command’s combat missions. He possesses the personal characteristics of boldness, decisiveness, and bravery, as well as an excellent decision-making ability of tactical problems in all conditions which characterize the activity of Comrade Khandrus.

In fighting on 3.8.44 Major Khandrus was assigned the mission to capture Mezhare Station. By devoting one of his batteries to engagements with the retreating enemy and cutting off the enemy’s withdrawal along the major roadway, Major Khandrus thus enabled the capture of Mezhare Station.

In fighting on 10.8.44 while amongst the infantry formations and correcting the battalion’s fire Comrade Khandrus destroyed four machinegun firing positions, suppressed a mortar battery’s fire, an anti-tank weapon, scattering and personally destroying up to a platoon of enemy infantry resulting in the supported rifle unit forcing the Aiviekste river and advancing.

In combat on 12.8.44 while following the attacking infantry and conducting the battalion’s fire, Major Khandrus was seriously wounded and evacuated to a hospital.

For bravery and valor displayed in combat against the German invaders while accomplishing the Command’s missions Major Khandrus is deserving of the Order of the Red Banner.

Signed Commander, 738 Light Artillery Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Levin on 20 August 1944

[Ralph P]

Very interesting reading, thanks for your thread.