Ferdinand

The regimental decree, first page: The page with comrade Plaksin's citation: The last page of the decree:

Bravery Medal # 1290486 was awarded on 20 May 1944 to the 23- or 24-year-old Master Sergeant Mikhail Moiseyevich Plaksin, a mortar crew commander in the 3rd Rifle Battalion of the 1382nd Rifle Regiment, 87th Rifle Division, 55th Rifle Corps, 2nd Guards Army, 4th Ukrainian Front. The medal is a beautiful piece, missing all enamel in the letters. The ribbon is salty and combat-worn and the reverse pin is broken off. The connecting loop is a nice, bronze replacement. The Award Record Card, obverse: Reverse:

Translation of the citation: 1. Last name, patronymic and first name: Shmatov Nikolai Timofeyevich 2. Rank: Senior Lieutenant of Quartermaster Service 3. Position, unit: Chief of the Quartermaster Service of the 122nd Engineer-Sapper Battalion Recommended for: Governmental award Red Star 4. Year of birth: 1913 5. Nationality: Russian 6. Dedication to the party: Member of the VKP(b) since 1933 [sic?] 7. Participation in the Civil War and other military actions aimed at the defense of the USSR and the Patriotic War (where, when): Since March 1942 on Bryansk, Voronezh, Stalingrad and 4th Ukrainian Front 8. Wounds or contusions received during the Patriotic War: No 9. In the Red Army since: 22 June 1941 10. Drafted by which Regional Military Commissariat: Nizhne-Devichesky, Voronezh Oblast 11. Which previous awards (for which merits): Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad 12. Permanent home address of the awardee and the address of his family: City Voronezh, Petrozavodskaya-Street, house nr. 62 I. Brief description of personal feat or merits: Senior Lieutenant Shmatov is the battalion?s chief of supply. He excelled in his assigned duties of supplying the battalion and foraging during the battalion?s Sivash river crossing. Additionally, Comrade Shmatov made great contributions by supplying construction material to rebuild places destroyed by enemy bombs and artillery, thus permitting timely supply of equipment to the Crimean shore. During the liberation of Crimea Comrade Shmatov displayed exceptional skill and attention in supplying the personnel situation on the front lines, always supplying them with hot meals three times a day and delivering it in a timely manner despite difficult combat conditions. During the assault on the enemy?s fortifications on Sapun Gora, Comrade Shmatov was ordered to feed the forces on the demined, front lines with the enemy prior to dawn. The mission was accomplished. Upon approaching the demined area while among individual soldiers, (illegible) despite the heavy enemy artillery, mortar, and machinegun fire. By his personal example of bravery and courage, Comrade Shmatov motivated the personnel to accomplish their combat mission in a timely manner. Under his personal leadership, in 90 minutes, 75 (obliterated) were removed via two passages, thus supporting the infantry?s advance. For excellent mission accomplishment he is deserving of the Order of the Red Star. 30 May 1944 - Commander of the 122nd Engineer-Sapper Battalion Captain [signed] /Barylnikov/ II. Conclusion of the Higher Command Deserves to be awarded with the Order of the Red Star Commander of the 7th Red Banner Engineer-Sapper Simferopol Brigade of the Supreme Command Reserve Guards-Lieutenant-Colonel [signed] /Bestsenov/ 10 June 1944 per decree of the 7th Engineer-Sapper Simferopol Red Banner Brigade of the Supreme Command Reserve of 12 June 1944 nr. 10/N awarded the Order of the Red Star Chief of the 3rd Section Major [signed] /Martynov/ 12 June 1944

Translation of the Award Record Card: 1. Last name: Shmatov 2. First name and patronymic: Nikolai Timofeyevich 3. Military rank: Senior Lieutenant of Quartermaster Service 4. Gender: Male 5. Year of birth: 1913 6. Place of birth: City Voronezh 7. Dedication to the Party (since which year): Member of the VKP(b) since 1943 8. Education: Secondary 9. Nationality: Russian 10. Since which year in the Red Army: 1941 11. Position at the time of the awarding: 7th Motorized Assault Brigade - Assistent Battalion Commander 12. Current position: Head Warehouse nr. 30, Voronezj 13. Home address of recipient: Voronezh, Petrozavodskaya 62 14. Received awards: Order of the Red Star # 668889, decree of 12 June 1944 Medal for the Defense of Stalingrad, decree of 22 December 1942 Medal for the Victory over Germany, decree of 9 December 1946 [signed Shmatov] Voroshilovsk Regional Military Commissar, Lieutenant-Colonel Ioffe [signed] 18 July 1946

Service Record, obverse: Service Record, reverse:

Red Star citation, obverse: Citation, reverse:

Order of the Red Star # 668889 was awarded on 12 June 1944 to the 30-year-old Senior Lieutenant of Quartermaster Service Nikolai Timofeyevich Shmatov, the Chief of the Quartermaster Service of the 122nd Engineer-Sapper Battalion, 7th Engineer-Sapper Brigade, Independent Coastal Army. First the Award Record Card, obverse: Award Record Card, reverse:

Another beautiful set, an Order of Lenin (# 334428), awarded to Khelena Leonovna Lazdan on 22 Maart 1966: The Order Booklet: Unfortunately, both awards (Friendship and Lenin) are unresearchable...

The order is only 47mm wide, but the eye for detail is simply amazing: And a scan of the Order Booklet:

One of my crown jewels, an Order of Friendship of Peoples with a very high serial number (74267), awarded to Leonid Alekseyevich Kulikov on 23 November 1990: With box and Order Booklet:

I won't bother you with all the OPW type 3's. Here are two Labor Red Banners, a Short Oval and a Ring Reverse, # 249468 and 475928:

And their reverses:

Two Krasnokamsk Mint Flatbacks, # 533651 and 573240, and on the right a Moscow Mint Ring Reverse, # 983897. This Ring Reverse is a very late 2nd Class type 2, produced in 1969, and is only 1800 numbers below the type 2 with the highest number (985700).

The reverses:

Three nice Leningrad Mint Orders of the Patriotic War 2nd Class, type 2 (all concave reverses): from left to right # 281318, 296650 and 411649.

Yep, it definately will, but I love that aspect of collecting Soviet awards Nothing is as interesting as knowing who the person behind the award was. Here are the reverses of the Glory's:

Three Orders of Glory 3rd Class: from left to right # 223004, 530768 and 603709.

An award I had been looking for for quite some time, an Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class, type 2. The serial number is 88496. Research is pending

Here's my Red Banner, probably a May 1945 award. The serial number is 223004. Research is pending - for over a year now...

I realized that, Rick, so I'm thinking about having all my numbered awards researched. Right now I have the results for ten of my awards, and research is pending for eight more awards, including this BM.

Interestingly, MMM # 298909 and BM # 53677 were originally bestowed on rectangular suspension, but were changed to five-sided suspension after the regulation changes of 19 June 1943. BM # 53677 was probably awarded around July 1942 and is my oldest award. MMM # 298909 is researched and was awarded on 14 February 1943. I'll post the research results later. Also, BM # 53677 has one of the lowest observed stamped serial numbers as far as I know. Interestingly, the medal also shows repair to the ribbon, probably done by the veteran, and it has a replacement suspension ring.

Four more Bravery Medals: from left to right # 2987056, 3086881, 53677 and 1290486.

Some valor awards: two Military Merit Medals (# 298909 and 2912630) and two Bravery Medals (# 1033454 and 3397744), the first on a bar with a Victory over Germany Medal.

Close-up of the medals display:

Close-up of the orders display: