Company Commander's Biography

"Award order

1. Name: Rukhladyev, Aleksandr Ignatyevich
2. Rank: Senior Lieutenant
3. Position, unit: T-34 company commander, 1st Tank Battalion, 31st Kirovograd, Twice Order of the Red Banner, Order of Suvorov Tank Brigade
   is nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
4. Year of birth: 1915
5. Nationality: Russian
6. Party affiliation: VKP(b) member since 1942
7. Paritipation in the Civil War and subsequent actions in defence of the USSR: Karelian Front from March 15th, 1942 to June 1st, 1942, then from December 10th, 1942 to February 28th, 1942. Since June 20th, 1944: 3rd Belorussian, 1st Baltic, 2nd Belorussian Fronts.
8. Wounds and concussions in the Patriotic War: died from heavy wound on February 1st, 1945.
9. In the Red Army since: 1937
10. Recruited by: Kirov recruitment office
11. Previous awards: Order of the Red Banner by order #26 to Kaliin Front, July 28th, 1942, Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class by order #088 on August 17th, 1944.

Brief and specific description of heroism: during offensive battles in Poland and East Prussia, comrade Rukhladyev proved himself a brave, courageous, and decisive officer.
He skilfully led his company into battle, ruthlessly destroying enemy forces. As a result of a successful maneuver on January 1st, 1944, he captured the Dzyaldovo railroad station with 3 trains loaded with enemy tanks and cars.
When capturing Dzyaldovo, a burning train loaded with ammunition blocked our units' path. Comrade Rukhladyev personally disconnected the burning train cars, allowing the brigade to move forward.
Comrade Rukhladyev was the first to enter the city of Elbing, causing panic in the enemy garrison and causing significant damage to enemy vehicles and personnel. Skilfully manevuering in difficult street nighttime fighting conditions, his company made it through the city with no losses.
He was one of the first to reach the Baltic Sea, cutting off East Prussia from central Germany.
Between January 1st, 1945 and February 1st, 1945, his tank company destroyed the following: 8 tanks, 24 APCs, 170 vehicles with various military cargo, 400 carts, 17 guns of various calibers, 2 armoured trains, 3 locomotives, 2 steam boats, up to 1000 soldiers and officers, and captured 1 uniform warehouse, 3 supplies warehouse, 9 functional tanks, 45 cars, 120 horses, 10 APCs and tractors.

Comrade Rukhladyev is worthy of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union."

CAMD RF 33-793756-41

Various background data follows the award order. Rukhladyev was a worker, a machinist at a factory. He finished 7 classes of general school in 1931, and then some military courses in 1943. He joined the VKP(b) in April of 1942 and had a crystal clear political record: never left the party, was not a member of any other party, had no complaints filed against him. He (obviously, but it's still in the document) did not serve in the Imperial Army or the White Army in the Russian Civil War, nor did he participate in the war at all. He was also never captured by the enemy, was never encircled, and had no connections abroad. His work is also listed:

Aug 1932-Aug 1937: Machinist at Lumber Mill #1, Kirov.
Aug 1937-Nov 1939: 4th Special Engineering Cops, 4th Regiment, machinist and plant foreman.
Nov 1939-Jan 1940: Machinist at Lumber Mill #1, Kirov.
Jan 1940-Aug 1940: 126th Infantry Division, typist.
Aug 1940-Jul 1941: Foreman and mechanic at the Khalturich factory, Kirov.
Jul 1941-Feb 1942: 30th Tank Training Regiment, cadet.
Feb 1942-Jun 1942: 28th Tank Brigade, gunner, Kalinin Front.
Jun 1942-Sep 1942: Frunze Military Academy, cadet.
Sep 1942-Feb 1943: 65t Tank Brigade, 41st Army, deputy commander of a T-34 tank company.
Mar 1943-May 1943: Lecturer in Magnitogorsk.
May 1943-Apr 1944: 7th Tank Training Brigade, Chelyabisnk, Reserve, T-34 company commander.
Apr 1944-Jun 1944: 3rd Tank Training Brigade, marching T-34 company commander.
Jun 1944-Feb 1945: T-34 tank company commander, 1st tank battalion.
Feb 1st, 1945: Killed at the 2nd Belorussian Front.