Mikhail Aleksandrovich Zaretskikh

Mikhail Aleksandrovich Zaretskikh

Order of the Red Banner nr. 160318 was awarded by Order of the 8th Air Army of December 22, 1944 to 22-year-old Lieutenant Mikhail Aleksandrovich Zaretskikh, pilot in the 525th Ground-Attack Regiment, 227th Ground-Attack Division, 8th Ground-Attack Corps, 8th Air Army, 4th Ukrainian Front.


Promotions	Date
Junior Lieutenant	April 22, 1943
Lieutenant	November 5, 1944
Senior Lieutenant	May 8, 1946
Captain	July 30, 1952
Major	April 10, 1975

Award citation

1. Last name, first name, and patronymic: Zaretskikh, Mikhail Aleksandrovich
2. Rank: Lieutenant
3. Position and unit: Pilot in the 525th Yampol Kremenets Ground-Attack Regiment, 227th Berdichev Red Banner Ground-Attack Division

Nominated for: Order of the Red Banner

4. Year of birth: 1920
5. Nationality: Mari
6. Party affiliation: Komsomol member since 1940
7. Service in the Civil War, subsequent combat operations to defend the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where and when): Patriotic War: 1st Ukrainian Front from November 1, 1943 to August 9, 1944 and 4th Ukrainian Front since August 9, 1944
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War: No
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1940
10. Drafted by which military commissariat: Military commissariat of Kirov District, city of Kirov
11. Previous awards (for which achievements and when): Order of the Red Star for 10 combat sorties by Order of the 227th Berdichev Red Banner Ground-Attack Division nr. 07/N of March 19, 1944 and Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class for 35 combat sorties by Order of the 8th Ground-Attack Corps nr. 02/N of May 12, 1944
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and his family's address: _______________

Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:

He has seen frontline service in the Patriotic War since November 1, 1943. During this time he completed 83 successful combat sorties. For 45 of these sorties he was awarded two orders while serving in the 637th Ground-Attack Regiment. Serving in the 525th Yampol Kremenets Ground-Attack Regiment he completed 38 combat sorties, damaging or destroying 10 railroad cars, 12 vehicles, 16 wagons, and 5 horses, causing 6 large fires, suppressing 5 antiaircraft and small-caliber antiaircraft positions, and killing as many as 30 enemy soldiers and officers.

The overwhelming majority of his completed combat sorties were reconnaissance missions.

On August 16, 1944, while reconnoitering Pelinino train station, he spotted 4 transport trains and 2 locomotives. On the main road leading from Nizhne-Veretsky to Svalava he detected as many as 40 vehicles.

On August 23, 1944, while reconnoitering the Szeledź [?] - Łupków railroad sector, he spotted and photographed 4 transport trains and 4 locomotives. On the Nizhnów [?]road he spotted 10 vehicles. During a ground-attack strike he damaged or destroyed as many as 4 railroad cars, caused 2 large fires, and suppressed 2 small-caliber antiaircraft guns.

On August 25, 1944, near Mogura-Loshnyanska [?] mountain, he detected a line of trenches on its eastern slopes, which he photographed. While returning to Kulaszne train station he photographed 3 transport trains. At the railroad midpoint he attacked 1 transport train; a direct hit set the train on fire in two places.

On September 20, 1944, while carrying out a mission along the Lazy-Nizhnya [?] road, he spotted as many as 10 vehicles and 30 horse-drawn carts. At M-Berezine [?] station he detected 3 transport trains and 1 locomotive and 1 flatcar under a tarpaulin. Maneuvering among the antiaircraft and small-caliber antiaircraft fire explosions he took photos.

Conclusion: For 38 successful combat sorties, for destroying enemy troops and materiel, and for valuable reconnaissance information he deserves the Order of the Red Banner.

Commanding officer of the 525th Yampol Kremenets Ground-Attack Regiment
Lieutenant Colonel [signed] /Yefremov/
October 20, 1944

Mikhail Aleksandrovich Zaretskikh

Order of the Red Banner nr. 160318, reverse

Order of the Red Banner nr. 160318, obverse and reverse