Military Photo ID of the Chief of Staff of the 817th Artillery Regiment, 76th Rifle Division, 21st Army, Stalingrad Front, issued on 24 September 1942 to Captain Arsentiy Prokopenko (Арсентий Андреевич Прокопенко).
In booklet format measuring 3 ½" x 2 ½", in oilcloth-wrapped hard cover. The lettering on the front cover reads "NKO (Narkomat of Defense) of the USSR, Identification Card." The ID photo inside is validated by the ink stamp of the 21st Army and hand signature of its Chief of Staff, Gen. Maj. Aleksey Danilov. The ID states that Prokopenko was born in 1906, was married, promoted to the rank of captain on 2 February 1942 by decree of the Southwestern Front, and had been lightly wounded in 1941.
In very good condition. The wear to the oilcloth of the cover is mild; the ID photo shows
In booklet format measuring 3 ½" x 2 ½", in oilcloth-wrapped hard cover. The lettering on the front cover reads "NKO (Narkomat of Defense) of the USSR, Identification Card." The ID photo inside is validated by the ink stamp of the 21st Army and hand signature of its Chief of Staff, Gen. Maj. Aleksey Danilov. The ID states that Prokopenko was born in 1906, was married, promoted to the rank of captain on 2 February 1942 by decree of the Southwestern Front, and had been lightly wounded in 1941.
In very good condition. The wear to the oilcloth of the cover is mild; the ID photo shows light foxing and soiling, mostly contained to the margins; the image is in sharp focus and mostly clear of wear. All the handwritten entries are clear and perfectly legible.
At the time of issue of this ID, the 76th Rifle Division was subordinated to the 21st Army, Stalingrad Front, defending the Starokletskiy bridgehead on the Don River about 100 miles northwest of Stalingrad and 25 miles southeast of Serafimovich, holding their positions against the 8th Army Corps of Army Group B. The division's artillery was tasked with extinguishing the enemy's firing positions and troops near Puzinskiy and Karazhenskiy. According to the divisional daily operational journal, the artillery was quite successful, allowing the infantry to take possession of a tactically important hill and advance 2 km toward Karazhenskiy where they took new defensive positions. Overall, the 21st Army was instrumental in holding the line on the northern flank of the German advance and allowed the Soviet High Command to build up forces for Operation Uranus, a massive counteroffensive which began on 19 November 1942.
As for the personal achievements of Captain Prokopenko, he was awarded with the Order of the Red Star for his actions on 24-25 October 1942 during the fighting for possession of the village of Kletskaya in the same vicinity but on the right bank of the Don. The commendation for the order cites Prokopenko's skillful preparation and control of artillery fire from the forward observation point he set up. His leadership allowed the infantry to seize the high ground to the southwest of Kletskaya, and assisted them in fortifying their new positions. repelling the enemy's counterattacks. The order was bestowed upon him on 9 December 1942. Prokopenko also received the Medal for Combat Service, and a second Order of the Red Star for length of service, and the "Jubilee issue" 1985 Order of the Partiotic War 1st cl.
Research Materials: b/w copy of the award commendation for the Order of the Red Star.
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