Acts of Bravery

[mabadesc]

Thanks, Denes.

Regards.

[aerialls]

That's it. Thanks. An corporal and an sergeant seems to me...

[Victor]

Inerestingly the Romanian NCOs in the photo haven't removed the frontplates on their helmets.

[dragos03]

my grandfather was an engineer leutenent (transmissions), assigned to the romanian 3rd army.
after crossing the Bug, he was ordered to establish a forward transmission post in a village reported to be evacuated by russian troops. he went there with a truck and around 20 soldiers. when they approached the village, he saw that the russians were there, they had around 30 men. but only one of his men had a rifle and he had his officer pistol (because they weren't considered combat troops). he waited until nightfall and then ordered his men to start screaming and firing their 2 weapons. the russians thought they are under attack by a strong force and surrendered.
he received a romanian medal for that.
his name is Virgil Baldescu

[mabadesc]

Thanks for sharing your interesting story, Dragos03. That was definitely an act of bravery and courage (very clever, too).

Do you know what medal he received?

[dragos03]

no, but i will ask

[Victor]

Maybe you can get him to share more of his stories. We would be more than happy to host them them on the website.

[dragos03]

I will try, but he only fought in the first year of the war, then he was sent back to country. So i don't think he's got that much to tell.
I know that after the first months of the war he was commander of a newly-formed demining unit. After the death of german general Von Schobert (his plane landed in a minefield), this unit was formed to check all newly-conquered airfields for mines. He was the leader of the unit.
I will ask more, anyway.

Dragos

[dragos03]

I forgot to tell you that my grandfather's uncle (Radu Baldescu) was a general. He commanded a division (18th Infantry) in Crimeea and in the Kalmuc steppes, and he received the "Mihai Viteazul" order. He died in a communist prison, but maybe grandpa can tell me more about him.

Dragos

[Victor]

Brig. gen. Radu Baldescu was the CO of the 18th Infantry/Mountain Division from January 1942 to April 44. Hedied in December 1953 at Jilava.

Regarding his memories: anything would be interesting. Here is something similar: http://www.worldwar2.ro/memorii/?article=4&language=ro

[dragos03]

Thank you, i knew that. I have also read all the memoirs on the site, except the one about Odessa, because my browser crashes at that page.
I have some family photos with gen. Baldescu, my grandfather and other relatives (like gen. Macici), if you are intersted.

Dragos

[Victor]

Getting back on topic, on 28 September, during the fierce fights north of the Azov Sea, where the 3rd Army was facing the offensive of the Soviet 9th and 18th Armies, Stefan Ciorbagiu, an NCO of the 1st Company/7th Mountain Battalion of the 2nd Mountain Brigade, took out an enemy tank that had entered the Romanian positions, using only grenades. He also captured the Soviet crew. For his actions he was awarded the Virtutea Militara Medal war version 2nd class.