Order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief
27 July 1944
[No. 155]

ORDER

OF THE SUPREME COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF

To General of the Army Bagramyan

The troops of the 1st Baltic Front, as a result of a swift blow by tank formations and infantry, today, 27 July, captured the town of Shyaulyai (Shavli) — a large communications centre linking the Baltic region with East Prussia.

In the fighting for the capture of the town of Shyaulyai, distinction was earned by the tankmen of Lieutenant-General of Tank Forces Obukhov, Major-General of Tank Forces Rodionov, Major-General of Tank Forces Aslanov, Major-General of Tank Forces Skornyakov, Colonel Kremer, Colonel Goryachev, Major-General of Tank Forces Yudin, Major-General of Tank Forces Bely; troops of Lieutenant-General Kreyzer, Lieutenant-General Chanchibadze, Major-General Bakunin, Lieutenant-General Missan, Major-General Rozhdestvenny, Major-General Tolstov, Major-General Potapenko, Major-General Bobrakov, Major-General Samokhvalov, Colonel Kulyako; artillerymen of Colonel-General of Artillery Khlebnikov, Major-General of Artillery Telegin, Lieutenant-General of Artillery Strelbitsky, Major-General of Artillery Bazhanov; airmen of Lieutenant-General of Aviation Papivin, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Beletsky, Lieutenant-General of Aviation Ushakov, Major-General of Aviation Ivanov; sappers of Major-General of Engineer Forces Kosarev, Major-General of Engineer Forces Bazhenov, Major-General of Engineer Forces Brynzov; signallers of Major-General of Signal Forces Babkin, Major-General of Signal Forces Kokorin, Colonel Chernov.

In commemoration of the victory won, the formations and units that have most distinguished themselves in the fighting for the capture of the town of Shyaulyai (Shavli) are to be submitted for the conferral of the designation "Shavli" and for decoration with orders.

Today, 27 July, at 24 hours, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, in the name of the Motherland salutes the valiant troops of the 1st Baltic Front, who have captured the town of Shyaulyai, with twenty artillery salvoes from two hundred and twenty-four guns.

For distinguished combat operations I declare my gratitude to the troops under your command who took part in the fighting for the liberation of the town of Shyaulyai.

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

27 July 1944 [No. 155]