Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
September 19, 1944
[No. 188]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Maslennikov

The troops of the 3rd Baltic Front, going over to the offensive, broke through the enemy defences and today, September 19, captured the town and large railway junction of Valga — a powerful strongpoint of the German defences in the southern part of Estonia.

In the battles during the breakthrough of the enemy defences and for the capture of the town of Valga, distinction was won by the troops of Lieutenant-General Romanovsky, Lieutenant-General Zakhvataev, Major-General Martynchuk, Major-General Stepanenko, Major-General Bunkov, Major-General Solovyev, Major-General Nikishin, Major-General Rozhdestvensky, Major-General Kozin, Colonel Shkel, Colonel Shiryaev, Colonel Alekseyenkov, Colonel Dudorov, Major-General Smirnov, Major-General Burlakin, Major-General Polyakov, Colonel Mironenko, Major-General Rodionov; artillerymen of Colonel-General of Artillery Krasnopevtsev, Major-General of Artillery Levin, Colonel Leonov, Major-General of Artillery Yakovlev, Colonel Fastritsky, Colonel Yanklovich, Colonel Mozalev, Colonel Volkov, Colonel Kamorny; tankmen of Major-General of Tank Troops Kolosov, Colonel Ivanovich, Colonel Ovsyannikov, Lieutenant-Colonel Mzhachikh, Lieutenant-Colonel Fedorov, Major Kibal; airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Zhuravlev, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Filin, Colonel Polushko, Colonel Andreyev, Colonel Grashchenkov, Colonel Dodonov, Lieutenant-Colonel Podmogylny, Lieutenant-Colonel Kulish, Major Yakovlev, Lieutenant-Colonel Zolochevsky, Lieutenant-Colonel Rasskazov; sappers of Major-General of Engineer Troops Kirchevsky, Major-General of Engineer Troops Chepurov, Colonel Sergeyev, Colonel Marchak, Colonel Rogovich; signallers of Major-General of Signal Troops Sinelnikov, Colonel Korplyakov, Colonel Sokolov, Lieutenant-Colonel Drobkis, Major [of State Security] Kosobokov.

To commemorate the victory achieved, the units and formations which particularly distinguished themselves in the battles during the breakthrough of the German defences and for the capture of the town of Valga shall be recommended for conferment of the designation "Valga" and for the award of orders.

Today, September 19, at 22:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland salutes the valiant troops of the 3rd Baltic Front who broke through the enemy defences and captured the town of Valga, with twelve artillery salvoes from one hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I express my thanks to the troops under your command who took part in the battles during the breakthrough of the enemy defences and for the liberation of the town of Valga.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

September 19, 1944 [No. 188]