Lieutenant Colonel Roman Vladimirovich Kozirev was as much as a hero as one could find in the War. His tenacity and persistence were earmarks of his strong character.

Colonel Kozirev enlisted in the Red Army in October 1928, initially being sent to the 3rd Artillery Regiment, 3rd Krimskoi Rifle Division.  In December 1930, he was sent to become an inspector at military materiel factory number 82 in the town of Kharkov. 

After this tour, in April 1932, he was sent the Saratovskaya Tank School.  Upon his completion of this school in October 1934, he was commissioned as a Tankist Officer, and was sent to the city of Kharkov as a tank commander in the military unit '1515'.

From April 1936 to June 1938, he served in various positions with the Independant Tank Battalion of the 75th Rifle Division in the city of Lubnii, rising to the position of tank company commander. In June 1938, he was transferred to the 2nd Mechanized Battalion, still as a tank company commander.

Here he served until his transfer in April 1939 to the 131st Independent Tank Battalion, 42nd Tank Brigade.  Seven months later, he was again transferred, this time to Leningrad, as an instructor at the Tankist School of the Red Army.

In June 1940, he was sent back out to the field, returning to the 42nd Tank Brigade. At the start of the German attack in June 1941, they were sent to the Front, and saw their first combat in August.  

He was once again transferred, in October 1941, to the Tank Company of the newly-formed 239th Rifle Division.  They were thrown to the Front in late December 1941, fighting under both the 10th and 50th Armies on the southern flank of the Western Front.  

That month, he was also placed in charge of the Reconnaissance Battalion of the 239th Division, a job he held until March 1942.  

At that time, he became the Commander of the Tank Training Battalion for the 206th Rifle Regiment, 99th Rifle Division. Here, he trained up the new tankists in combat tactics and sent them directly into the Battle of Karkhov!  The Division barely escaped total destruction in the battle (in  fact, one book of mine lists them as 'Destroyed' at Karkhov!)  and was sent to the reserves to be re-enforced and re-equipped.  

In September 1942, they were sent to the Don Front, and were then sent to Stalingrad, to fight the German 6th Army.   After the surrender of the Germans at Stalingrad, the unit was given the honorary title of Guards and was made the '271st Guards Rifle Regiment, 88th Guards Rifle Division' for their valor displayed in the bloody fighting.

It was here, in February 1943, that Lieutenant Colonel Kozirev was awarded his first award, the Order of the Red Star: 

"He participated in the battles against the German fascists from August 1941 to February 1942 while serving as the Commander of the Independent Tank Company, 239th Rifle Division. He has demonstrated courage and determination in the defense of the Motherland.

"The Company under the command of Comrade Kozirev attacked the enemy thirteen times.  It destroyed nine anti-tank cannon, seven machine gun emplacements, and exterminated over 300 fascists.  

"During one battle, Comrade Kozirev's tank began to burn. Even though he was badly burned, he continued to lead the battle from the burning tank.

"He has been the Commander of the Tank Training Battalion of the 206th Rifle Regiment since March 1942.  During this period of time, he has trained five complete tank battalions, and has developed brave, faithful sons of our Motherland, who are ready to sacrifice their lives for our Socialist Motherland.  

"Comrade Kozirev can be proud of the crew of the tank "Merciless" under the command of Senior Sergeant Khoroshilov, whose heroic deeds are well known to all.  Comrade Kozirev personally trained the crew of this tank.

"Comrade Kozirev is a disciplined, energetic commander.   He is faithful to the Party of Lenin-Stalin and the Socialist Motherland.

"For his heroic deeds and his work, he deserves the Governmental Award: Order of the Red Star."

In July and August 1943, the 88th Guards Rifle Division spearheaded the assault which smashed the German positions around Orel.  Following these battles, Lieutenant Colonel Kozirev was transferred to Moscow, where he learned how to employ a new weapon- the flamethrower tank.  

Returning to combat in May 1944, he was sent to the 3rd Belorussian Front, as Deputy Commander of the 517th Flamethrower Tank Regiment, reporting directly to the 11th Guards Army.  The 11th Army became the main assault army for the Vitebsk-Orsha Operation in June 1944, and later fought at Vikavishkis in August 1944.  Here, Kozirev was awarded his second award, the Order of the Great Patriotic War, First Class:

"In the battles against the German invaders, the Deputy Commander of the Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel Kozirev, R. V. has demonstrated himself as a courageous and decisive man. He took part in the battle near the Meshin River, and in the storming of the fortified post called Budozen in Litovskaya SSR.  

"After taking the position, he made an independent decision to defend the post.  In spite of numerous heavy attacks by the enemy, he managed to hold his position. 

"Conclusion: He deserves the Governmental Award: Order of the Great Patriotic War, Second Class."

Unusual in this citation is the presence of an added paragraph, by the Commander of Flame-Thrower Units of the 11th Army:

"Comrade Kozirev's unit broke through a heavily fortified enemy line in the direction of Kumene-Mankutse at Height 154.4.  Comrade Kozirev personally led the battle, and twice defeated desperate counterattacks of enemy tanks and infantry.  This allowed our units to take the predominant height.  

"He deserves the Governmental Award: Order of the Red Banner."

In November 1944, he was transferred to the newly-reformed 350th Guards Self-Propelled Artillery Regiment, directly attached to the Headquarters of the 3rd Belorussian Front. Here, he also served as the Deputy Commander of the Regiment.

Armed with ISU-122S guns, the Regiment served under the various Armies of the Front, as well as served directly for the Headquarters of the Front.  

Serving under the 39th Army in January 1945, they supported their initial operations in Eastern Prussia.  On 22 January, they liberated Insterburg with the 11th Guards Army, and starting in February, it was attached to the Zemland Group, clearing the Baltic Coast near Koeningsburg.

On 9 April 1945, they were in the front of the attacking units, leading the way into the city of Koeningsburg.  

Clearing the coast of the German forces, in late April/early May 1945, Lieutenant Colonel Kozirev was awarded his third award, the Order of the Red Banner:

"Since the beginning of the Koeningsburg operation, Comrade Kozirev has been the Commander of two batteries of heavy self-propelled artillery.  Comrade Kozirev personally explains the missions to the crews of the artillery, and personally leads them on reconnaissance of the area.  When carrying out the missions, he can always be found among the soldiers, inspiring them with his courage and fearlessness.  He has good personal interaction with the commanders of the rifle subdivisions.

"With the 41st Rifle Division, the batteries under the command of Comrade Kozirev participated in the occupation of the inhabited location of Vilki.  

"Pursuing the retreating enemy, Comrade Kozirev and his batteries approached the Land-Graben canal.  The bridge over the canal had been destroyed by the enemy.  Knowing that a delay would give the enemy the opportunity to organize a defense, Comrade Kozirev used the German prisoners of war to rebuild the bridge.  Forty minutes later, the passage had been rebuilt and they continued pursing the enemy.

"Meeting elements of the 31st Rifle Division, Comrade Kozirev lead the 3rd Battery through a densely forested swampland, which had been mined, out to the sea.  In the darkness, Comrade Kozirev organized the clearing of obstacles and mines.

"The self-propelled guns advanced meter by meter, leading the infantry.  By 0430, Comrade Kozirev's battery arrived at the coast.  Throughout the night, they had taken many prisoners and enemy trophies.  Kozirev's battery greatly helped the infantry in carrying out their mission.

"For leadership and courage demonstrated in the battles against the German fascist invaders, Comrade Kozirev deserves the Governmental Award: Order of the Red Banner."

In August 1945, Lieutenant Colonel Kozirev left the 350th Regiment, and took a job as an instructor of flame-throwing tank tactics at the tankist academy in Moscow. 

He was promoted to the job of Battalion Commander of the 252nd Independent Guards Tank Battalion, 97th Mechanized Regiment, 27th Cherkassi, Order of Lenin, Red Banner, Order of Suvorov, Order of Kutuzov, Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky Mechanized Division in the city of Drogobich in November 1945.  

Ending his tour there in September 1947, he took command of the 91st Independent Tank Training Battalion of the 27th Division.  

He was transferred to the Northern Command of the Soviet Army in January 1950.   

Additional photos of Kozirev's Group