Mikhail Sergeyevich Ropatsky

Mikhail Sergeyevich Ropatsky

Order of the Red Banner nr. 75503 was awarded by Order of the 63rd Army of August 8, 1943 to 19-year-old Lieutenant Mikhail Sergeyevich Ropatsky, commander of an SU-152 self-propelled gun of the 1535th Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment of the Reserve of the High Command, 63rd Army, Bryansk Front.


Promotions	Date
Lieutenant	March 1, 1943
Senior Lieutenant	August 11, 1943
Captain	February 26, 1946
Major	February 28, 1951
Lieutenant Colonel	August 18, 1955

Award citation

All fields to be filled out fully

1. Last name, first name, and patronymic: Ropatsky, Mikhail Sergeyevich
2. Rank: Lieutenant
3. Position and unit: Commander of a self-propelled gun of the 1535th Heavy Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment of the Reserve of the High Command

Nominated for: Order of the Red Banner

4. Year of birth: 1923
5. Nationality: Belarusian
6. Party affiliation: Komsomol member
7. Participation in the Civil War, the subsequent combat actions to defend the USSR, and the Patriotic War (where and when): On the Bryansk Front since May 25, 1943
8. Wounds and contusions received during the Patriotic War:
9. Since when in the Red Army: Since 1941
10. Drafted by which military commissariat:
11. Previous awards (for which achievements): No
12. Permanent home address of the prospective awardee and his family's address: _______________

Brief, concrete description of his feat of arms or achievements:

Comrade Lieutenant Ropatsky, serving in combat with the German invaders for the first time, showed himself an audacious commander who possesses a thorough understanding of his craft and is capable of taking initiative.

During the fighting for the motherland comrade Ropatsky's gun killed approximately one platoon of infantry and destroyed 3 wooden bunkers and 1 antitank gun.

During the operations to breach the main enemy line of defense and during the capture of the villages of Progress, Setukha, Chornaya Gryaz, and Gusli between July 12 and July 17, 1943, Lieutenant Ropatsky's gun did not sustain any damage in combat, owing to his skillful and tactically proficient leadership. He exhibited excellent organizational skills while carrying out combat orders.

He deserves the Order of the Red Banner.

Commanding officer
Lieutenant Colonel [signed]
July 22, 1943

Mikhail Sergeyevich Ropatsky

Order of the Red Banner nr. 75503, reverse

Order of the Red Banner nr. 75503, obverse and reverse

Click on the thumbnail to enlarge the image.

An SU-152, the heavy self-propelled gun the 1535th regiment was equipped with	An SU-152 in the field
Drawing of the SU-152	Soviet forces in the liberated city of Oryol, early August 1943