ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Chernyakhovsky

The troops of the 3rd Byelorussian Front today, July 13, as a result of five days of fighting, destroyed the German garrison encircled in the city of Vilnius and liberated the capital of the Lithuanian Soviet Republic from the fascist invaders.

In the fighting for the capture of the city of Vilnius, the following troops distinguished themselves: the forces of Lieutenant General Krylov, Major General Kazartsev, Major General Perekrestov, Major General Poplawski, Major General Gladyshev, Major General Laskin, Major General Kazaryan, Colonel Donets, Major General Kalinin, Major General Alekseyenko, Colonel Zhekov-Bogatyrev, Colonel Babayan, Major General Gorodovikov; the artillerymen of Lieutenant General of Artillery Barsukov, Major General of Artillery Fedorov, Major General of Artillery Vladimirov, Colonel Baryshev, Colonel Rakhmanov, Colonel Cherneta, Major General of Artillery Yudichev, Major General of Artillery Rozhanovich, Colonel Gatsko, Colonel Sedov, Lieutenant Colonel Tikhomirov, [Lieutenant Colonel] Guzhva, Lieutenant Colonel Litvinov, Colonel Kozlov, Major Ryzhikov, Major Usov, [Colonel] Nikitin, Lieutenant Colonel Naumenko, Major Kolupayev, Major Sharkov, Colonel Mezhinsky; the tankmen of Lieutenant General of Tank Forces Obukhov, Lieutenant General of Tank Forces Rodin, Colonel Rodionov, Colonel Kremer, Colonel Sokolov, Major General of Tank Forces Aslanov, Major General of Engineer-Tank Service Solovoy, Major General of Tank Forces Vovchenko, Major General of Tank Forces Fominykh, Colonel Gritsenko, Lieutenant Colonel Yesipenko, Colonel Dolganov, Lieutenant Colonel Molchanov, Lieutenant Colonel Kurnosov, Lieutenant Colonel Mishchenko, Lieutenant Colonel Dyachuk, Colonel Krutila, Lieutenant Colonel Solter, Major Borzenkov, Lieutenant Colonel Nemkovich; the airmen of Colonel General of Aviation Khryukin, Lieutenant General of Aviation Beletsky, Lieutenant General of Aviation Savitsky, Major General of Aviation Andreyev, Colonel Savin, Lieutenant Colonel Gorbatyuk, Lieutenant Colonel Orlov, Lieutenant Colonel Doroshenko, Lieutenant Colonel Zaitsev, Colonel Chuchev, Major Katkov, Colonel Vasilyev, Colonel Chumachenko, [Lieutenant Colonel] Rodin; the sappers of Lieutenant General of Engineer Forces Baranov, Colonel Molchanov, Major Rabinovich, Colonel Isupov, Colonel Lukashenko; and the signallers of Major General of Signal Forces Burov, Colonel Prikhodai, Lieutenant Colonel Belov, Colonel Minin, Colonel Tkachenko, Major Tarasenko, Major Semyonov, Major Sukhinin.

In commemoration of the victory achieved, the formations and units that have most distinguished themselves in the fighting for the capture of the city of Vilnius are to be nominated for the designation "Vilnius" and for decoration with orders.

Today, July 13, at 23:30 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the 3rd Byelorussian Front who have captured the capital of Soviet Lithuania, the city of Vilnius — with twenty-four artillery salvoes from three hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I declare gratitude to the troops under your command who participated in the fighting for the liberation of the city of Vilnius.

Eternal glory to the heroes who fell in battle for the freedom and independence of our Motherland!

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

July 13, 1944 [No. 136]