Establishment of Anti-Tank Artilery

"Order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR #0528
July 1st, 1942
Moscow

In order to improve the quality of fighting enemy tanks, creation and accumulation of tank destroyer artillerymen, improvement of their skills, and separation from other kinds of artillery, I order that:

1. Light and anti-tank Supreme Command Reserve artillery regiments, anti-tank squadrons of infantry divisions, and 45 mm batteries of infantry regiments will be renamed to destroyer anti-tank artillery regiments, squadrons, and batteries.
2. The commanders of these units will receive 1.5 times the salary, and the junior commanders and privates will receive twice the salary.
3. All commanders of destroyer anti-tank units up to and including the squadron commander will be especially accounted for and only used in the appropriate units.
4. Gun commanders and deputy commanders (gunners) will be awarded the rank of Senior Sergeant and Sergeant respectively. A deputy gunner position will be introduced at the rank of Junior Sergeant.
5. Commanders, junior commanders, and privates from destroyer anti-tank artillery units that are being treated in hospitals must return only to appropriate units after their treatment is complete.
6. Establish a special sleeve insignia designed according to the attached description that will be worn on the left sleeve of coats and shirts for all personnel of destroyer anti-tank artillery units.
7. Establish a reward for each knocked out tank: 500 roubles to the gun commander and the gunner and 200 roubles to all other crew members.
8. In order to use destroyer anti-tank artillery units for infantry support, the personnel of these units must be taught not only to shoot directly at tanks, but directly or indirectly at other targets.
9. Point 2 of this order does not apply to anti-tank artillery units of the Far East, Transbaikal, or Transcaucasian Fronts.