Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
October 15, 1944
[No. 197]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Meretskov

To Admiral Golovko

The troops of the Karelian Front broke through the heavily fortified German defences north-west of Murmansk and today, October 15, with the support of ships and landing units of the Northern Fleet, captured the city of Petsamo (Pechenga) — an important naval base and a powerful strongpoint of the German defences in the Far North.

In the battles during the breakthrough of the German defences and for the capture of Petsamo, distinction was won by the troops of Lieutenant-General Shcherbakov, Major-General Mikulsky, Colonel Solovyev, Major-General Zhukov, Major-General Alekseyev, Major-General Dubovtsev, Major-General of Coastal Service Kustov, Colonel Kalinovsky, Major-General Khudalov, Major-General Korotkov, Major-General Panin, Colonel Koshchiyenko, Major-General Sopenko, Colonel Kaverin, Colonel Lysenko, Colonel Blak, Colonel Amvrosov, Colonel Rossiyichenko, Colonel Krylov, Colonel Rassokhin, Major Timofeyev, Captain Barchenko-Yemelyyanov; sailors of Rear-Admiral Mikhailov, Rear-Admiral Fokin, Captain 1st Rank Klevensky, Captain 1st Rank Kuzmin, Captain 1st Rank Kolyshkin, Captain 2nd Rank Alekseyev, Captain 3rd Rank Zyuzin, Captain 3rd Rank Fedorov, Captain 2nd Rank Korshunovich; artillerymen of Lieutenant-General of Artillery Degtyarev, Lieutenant-General of Artillery Voyevodin, Major-General of Artillery Panitkhin, Colonel Khramov, Colonel Nebozhenko, Lieutenant-Colonel Grigoryev, Colonel Sobolev, Lieutenant-Colonel Stroker; airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Sokolov, Major-General of Aviation Preobrazhensky, Major-General of Aviation Kidalinsky, Major-General of Aviation Petrukhin, Colonel Zhatkov, Colonel Minayev, Colonel Pushkarev, Colonel Laryushkin, Colonel Kalugin, Colonel Udonin, Colonel Pogreshayev, Colonel Finogenov; tankmen of Lieutenant-General of Tank Troops Kononov, Colonel Sokolov, Colonel Yurenkov, Lieutenant-Colonel Arshinevsky, Lieutenant-Colonel Terentyev, Lieutenant-Colonel Suchkov, Lieutenant-Colonel Torchilin; sappers of Lieutenant-General of Engineer Troops Khrenov, Colonel Leichik, Lieutenant-Colonel Arshba, Lieutenant-Colonel Zakharov; signallers of Lieutenant-General of Signal Troops Dobykin, Colonel Yekimov, Captain 2nd Rank Polozok, Major of State Security Gavrilov.

To commemorate the victory achieved, the troop formations, ships, and fleet units which particularly distinguished themselves in the battles for Petsamo (Pechenga) shall be recommended for conferment of the designation "Pechenga" and for the award of orders.

Today, October 15, at 21:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland salutes the valiant troops of the Karelian Front, the ships and units of the Northern Fleet who captured Petsamo, with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent combat operations I express my thanks to the troops, ships, and units under your command who took part in the battles for the liberation of Petsamo.

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

October 15, 1944 [No. 197]