Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
31 July 1944
[No. 160]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Army General Chernyakhovsky

The troops of the 3rd Byelorussian Front, going over to the offensive, forced the River Niemen, broke through the enemy's strongly fortified defences on the western bank of the Niemen, and in three days of offensive fighting advanced up to 50 kilometres in depth, widening the breakthrough along the front to 230 kilometres.

In the course of the offensive, the front's troops captured the city and major railway station of Mariampol, the important communications junctions of Pilviskai, Shostakow, and Seiny, and seized over 1,500 other populated places.

In the fighting during the forcing of the Niemen and the breakthrough of the German defences, distinction was won by the troops of Colonel-General Galitsky, Colonel-General Glagolev, Lieutenant-General Morozov, Colonel-General Krylov, Major-General Guryev, Major-General Shafranov, Lieutenant-General Zavadovsky, Lieutenant-General Koshevoy, Major-General Oleshev, Major-General Provalov, Major-General Poplavsky, Colonel Tolstikov, Major-General Burmakov, Major-General Tsyganov, Major-General Chernov, Colonel Volkov, Major-General Peters, Colonel Kovtunov, Major-General Berestov, Colonel Katyushin, Major-General Yenshin, Colonel Yurin, Major-General Kalinin; artillerymen of Colonel-General of Artillery Barsukov, Major-General of Artillery Fedorov, Major-General of Artillery Starostin, Lieutenant-General of Artillery Semyonov, Major-General of Artillery Semin, Major-General of Artillery Sazonov, Lieutenant-General of Artillery Bodrov, Colonel Sokolov, Colonel Sedov, Colonel Tovbis, Colonel Glushkov, Colonel Kobzev, Colonel Rusetsky, Colonel Fedotov, Lieutenant-Colonel Barsky, Colonel Shulga, Colonel Kulikov; tankmen of Colonel-General of Tank Troops Rodin, Major-General of Tank Troops Burdeyny, Major-General of Tank Troops Netsvetailo, Colonel Burlyga; airmen of Colonel-General of Aviation Khryukin, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Blagoveshchensky, Major-General of Aviation Zakharov, Colonel Prutkov, Colonel Vasilyev, Colonel Puyad; sappers of Lieutenant-General of Engineering Troops Baranov, Major-General of Engineering Troops Bordziilovsky, Major-General of Engineering Troops Zverev, Major-General of Engineering Troops Maryin, Colonel Nemirovsky, Colonel Shilo, Major Semyonov, Colonel Leiman, Lieutenant-Colonel Poplavsky, Colonel Soldatenko, Colonel Lukashenko; signallers of Major-General of Signal Troops Burov, Colonel Prikhodai, Lieutenant-Colonel Shtelman, Colonel Davidenko, Colonel Belyshev.

To commemorate the victory won, the formations and units which have distinguished themselves most in the fighting during the forcing of the Niemen and the breakthrough of the German defences will be recommended for conferment of the honorary designation "Niemen" and for award of orders.

Today, 31 July, at 24.00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland, will salute the valiant troops of the 3rd Byelorussian Front which forced the Niemen and broke through the enemy's defences with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For excellent military operations I express my thanks to the troops under your command who took part in the fighting during the forcing of the Niemen and the breakthrough of the German defences.

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

Death to the German invaders!

Supreme Commander-in-Chief

Marshal of the Soviet Union I. STALIN

31 July 1944 [No. 160]