RedMaestro

Thanks, Auke! Semi-related question: what does this serial number look like to you and does it look authentic? -Alex

Thanks anyway, Rick. The list was the first place I looked. I also posted this question on another forum, but so far no one has an answer there either. If it turns out someone does know there, I will share the info here. -Alex

I have a few questions about serial number ranges for the Order of theRed Banner. I've tried finding this info on my own with the searchfunction, but I couldn't locate anything (this new search function doesn't seem to work for me). 1. What is the highest serial number ORB ever produced? 2. What is the highest serial number ORB ever awarded? Is there an unissued award range, as there is with the ORS and OSH3's? 3. Is there any data concerning the serial numbers of ORB's awarded forpost-WW2 actions (in other words, not long-service), especially forAfghanistan? I know Rick has one for 1968 and I can think of one other for Egypt, but I don't know the serial number for that one. Any and all help is greatly appreciated! Thanks very much! -Alex

Thanks a bunch, Rick! It's interesting that even though he spent 1,000 hours more in the air than Major Didusenko he only received a Merit Medal whereas the Major was awarded an Order of Lenin (1955) for his flying time. I wonder how that happened. Is that another example of award devaluation or proof that Didusenko did something special? How does this award/citation compare with others for flight time? Thanks again -Alex

Thanks so much, Rick! I looked up Marshall Astakhov. Steen's site actually did have a little bit about him: http://www.generals.dk/general/Astakhov/Fedor_Alekseevich/Soviet_Union.html From 1942-1943 he was deputy commander in chief of the air force and commanding officer of civil aviation. So "GVF" is indeed the Civil Air Fleet (thanks Auke! ). I'll work on getting the service record and maybe the citation for the ORB. Thanks again -Alex

Closeup Thanks in advance! -Alex

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Hi All, Now presenting research for MMM #292,895 to Lev Gerasimovich Sedin (thanks Marco ). Any commentary or help translating is very much appreciated! Thanks! -Alex first, the medal

Last page. Again, any and all help is greatly appreciated Thanks! -Alex

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I just noticed that in the topic title and in my first post I misnumbered the ORS as 955,661 instead of 935,661. I can't fix it because the editor isn't cooperating ARC:

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Hi All, I just got a new set of research (thanks Marco ). ORS #955,661 to Yakov Antonovich Sviridovich. Any help translating is very much appreciated, as always! Thanks! -Alex First, the medal.

Emmanuel, Try the Panjiayuan market. I went there when I was in Beijing. You can find details about its location online. For medals, look on the second floor of the large building in the center ofthe market. There are lots of antique and militaria dealers there. Most of the medals are North Korean, with scatterings of Soviet, Chinese,and Mongolian. Be warned though! This is probably the one place in the whole market (maybe even all of China) where the sellers do not like to negotiate. And many of the items are fake. I didn't buy anything when I was there because I didn't want to take a risk. You can also try the Bao Guo Si market. I don't know much about it, but one Chinese collector said they have some medals there. Good luck! -Alex

Here is my only one. -Alex

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Here are the three in my collection.

Excellent find! Congrats! Last time I thought I had a general's medal, it turned out I had researched the wrong serial number. :speechless:

I am not sure what Department 6 is and whether she worked for it or not, as I will explain in detail below. Originally, I took that bit about working of Department 6 from the seller's description. I attached little significance to it, since the description was written in broken english, and thought I would just add it as an incidental bit of info. However, I am glad you asked, Rick, because if you hadn't, I never would have bothered to look and wouldn't have noticed quite a bit! Here are links about Department 6 of the MSW (Ministry of the Interior) and the MSW itself on Polish wikipedia: http://pl.wikipedia....wn%C4%99trznych http://pl.wikipedia....4%99trznych_PRL They were in charge of protecting farms, food supplies, natural resources, and the environment. When I started researching Department 6, this seemed to answer your question, Rick. However, I am now convinced that this is not the right department. The only stamp having anything to do with a "6" appears on the document for the 20 year police badge, issued in 1970 on a 1960 document (see closeup below). The words on the stamp don't appear to say "Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych". It is difficult to tell, since the stamp is almost illegible. There is the possibility that the last word may be an abbreviation for "Wewetrznych." But in any case, Department 6 of the MSW was created in 1984, long after this document was issued. Clearly not the same. Teodor Mikus (whose stamp is also on the 20 year badge document over that for Department 6) was a Brigadier General in the MO (the Militia) and in 1970 was Director of the Department of Staff and Instruction of the MSW. His stamp confirms this ("Dyrektor Departamentu kadr i szkolenia"). However, I found no relation between him and a Department 6. http://pl.wikipedia....odor_Miku%C5%9B In conlcusion, while Zofia was clearly in the MO and worked for the MSW, her involvement with a "Department 6" is unclear. So, any help figuring out what the stamp with the "6" is for, or any clarifications or corrections on my interpretation, would be greatly appreciated! About her rank, she actually began as a senior sergeant and ("st. sierz") and finished as a lieutenant ("ppor."). http://pl.wikipedia....%C5%84_wojskowy -Alex

Doc for badge and 10 years of service

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