Aleksey Vysotsky - Biography - Red Army Service During The German-Soviet War

Red Army Service During The German-Soviet War

In 1939 Vysotsky studied at the Podolsk artillery school. He was called to active duty in the Red Army that same year as the commander of an artillery platoon of 165th Howitzer Artillery Regiment, which took part in operations of the Soviet-Finnish Winter War. In 1941, after completing school he participated in the German-Soviet War (Eastern Front of World War II). As a part of 18th Guards Artillery Regiment he participated in defense of Odessa, Kerch and Sevastopol, as well as military operations on Don River and in the North Caucasus. He was then ordered to join the artillery battery of 265th Artillery Regiment of 3rd Ukrainian Front. In the autumn of 1943 he was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel, serving first as Chief of Staff of 124th Howitzer Artillery Brigade of the 20th Heavy Artillery Division reserves at General headquarters and then with the 6th Artillery Division of the Reserve Supreme Main Command (RVGK) on the 1st Belorussian Front. He participated in the liberation of Ukraine and Poland from German forces, as well as the final capture of Berlin. He appeared several times in war reports from the front, as printed in the newspaper Krasnaya Zvezda (Red Star). He was awarded the Order of the Red Banner three times for extraordinary accomplishments of military valor during combat operations, including for the defense of Odessa in 1941 and the defense of Sevastopol in 1942.

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