ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To Marshal of the Soviet Union Rokossovsky

The troops of the 1st Byelorussian Front, having forced the Rivers Yaselda and Pripyat, today, July 14, with the support of the Dnieper River Military Flotilla, captured by storm the regional centre of Soviet Byelorussia, the city of Pinsk — an important strongpoint of the German defence on the Brest direction.

In the fighting for the capture of the city of Pinsk, the following troops distinguished themselves: the forces of Lieutenant General Belov, Major General Yanovsky, Colonel Shmyglyev, Colonel Basteyev, Colonel Andonyev, Colonel Moshchalkov, Major General Turchinsky; the artillerymen of Major General of Artillery Yegorov, Colonel Voskresensky, Colonel Gordovenko, Colonel Bulatov, Colonel Starostin, Lieutenant Colonel Ivanov, Colonel Ponomarenko; the tankmen of Colonel Voitsik; the airmen of Colonel Grashchenkov, Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov; the units of the Dnieper River Military Flotilla of Captain 1st Rank Grigoryev, Captain 2nd Rank Lyalko, Captain 2nd Rank Mitin, Captain 3rd Rank Peskov, Lieutenant Commander Mikhailov, Lieutenant Commander Selyankin, Lieutenant Commander Lupachev; the sappers of Colonel Afanasyev, Colonel Pavshuk, Major Kozlov; and the signallers of Major General of Signal Forces Litvinenko, Engineer Lieutenant Colonel Pozdnyakov.

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

Today, July 14, at 22:00 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, on behalf of the Motherland, salutes the valiant troops of the 1st Byelorussian Front who have captured the city of Pinsk — with twenty artillery salvoes from two 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 Pinsk.

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 14, 1944 [No. 137]