Claudius,
Thanks for reply.
I'll try to get photos.
There is little additional information except what exists in my memory of conversations with Grampa.
He said he'd received the medal for saving the life of his CO in combat. Where? When? I don't know. He served in China for a time and could speak some chinese. He taught me a little chinese as a child but I don't recall any. I am now 75.
He was an orphan, raised by an uncle, and a conscript from a little town named Balzar near the Volga river.
Shortly after completing military service, he foresaw the coming Russian revolution and decided to seek a better life elsewhere (USA). He was recruited along with other young men by a Burlington Railroad touring headhunter seeking laborers. He left his new bride on Christmas Eve. He arrived in Lincoln Nebraska, lived as a boarder with a family until after about a year, he'd saved enough to pay passage for my Grandmother. He became a steam locomotive engineer in the roundhouse and yards. In the early 1930's they moved to Chicago where he worked for The Northwestern Railroad. They never visited Russia. He became a naturalized citizen. She did not. He was heart and soul an American taking every opportunity to praise the US.
He passed away at age 93. Before he died, he gave me the medal. It had no ribbon. I was instructed to get some orange and black ribbon for the medal and have the undertaker put the medal on his jacket for the funeral service and remove it before the casket was closed..
That's as much as I know and how I came to have the medal. I have little doubt that it is authentic since its been closely held, to my certain knowledge.
I'd like to know if records exist that would verify what I know.
I intend to eventually pass the medal to my daughter.
Bob
