Digger Doug

The gramota or award document would have looked something like this: [attachmentid=21243]

Here's the portion of the award list detailing Wieprich's award from Kutsenko p. 206. Wieprich (in Russian) is #18. [attachmentid=21241]

If I remember correctly, the anxious buyer had to wait for the better part of a year to finally buy it because the seller was off on some kind of boat trip!!! To this day, the buyer considers it one of his favorite groups.

According to Orders of Soviet Republics by Kutsenko (p206), Wieprich received the Khorezm Red Banner on 24.04.1924. The book lists him as a Voenny letchik which translates to military pilot. Do you have the award doc among his paperwork? As for the order, it appears there were less than 100 awarded of which only a handfull are known today. Thanks for sharing such a rare item. Doug

Rick, Does this book include post war admirals too? I'm looking for information on Admiral Sergei Stepanovich Vorkov. His record card say he bacame a rear admiral in 1953. During the GPW, he commanded the destroyer Soobrazitelny. After the war, he took command of the German cruiser Nurnberg in Copenhagen as a war reparation. It was later renamed the Admiral Makarov. I have one of his red banners but, unfortunately, no detailed citation came back on it.

That's a good looking "Nagan". I believe the square with a line through it mark indicates it was refurbished by a military arsenal sometime during it's service history. I've seen it on M-44 and SKS carbines too. Doug

Spasibo Rick and Dudeman! I need all the help I can get with my translations. I'm working on a couple more right now including a Glory 2nd Class to a Jr. Lt. pilot for shooting down a German fighter. So far, it's looking pretty interesting. I just finished up a translation on some research I got back on a beat up valor medal that I just knew was going to be great. Turns out he got it for delivering hot food to the front. No doubt a dangerous occupation but not too exciting. With research, you win some and you lose some. Besten, Doug

Here's my cut at the OSH3 citation. Note that there is no explanation why this award was changed from a Red Star. Again, I welcome any advice with my translation. Serving in the DRA (Democratic Republic of Afghanistan) since August 20, 1983 comrade Tretyak N.N. again carried out his international duty to protect the gains of the April Revolution. He has achieved the qualification MASTER. He has flown 2340 hours. In the DRA, he has flown 510 hours and has executed 550 combat sorties. He is proficient in aviation technics and competently maintains the aircraft on the ground and in the air. In combat sorties, he was daring, resolute and composed. During operations in the areas of KANDAHAR, HIRISHK, SHINDANA, ----KABU, PANDZHSHER, he personnaly destroyed 1 DSHK, 2 motor vehicles, and suppressed rebel firing positions. On May 12, 1984 during the performance of a combat sortie he opportunely utilized his onboard weapon to suppress 2 rebel firing positions. On July 21, 1984 during an air reconnaissance mission, he observed and utilizing his onboard weapon destroyed a motor vehicle and a rebel firing position. In doing so, he demonstrated his courage and high professional mastery, skilled completely in the combat use of the onboard weapon. Conclusion: For valor and courage shown during the performance of international duty in the DRA, deserves to be awarded governmental order "Red Star". 280th Independent Helicopter Regiment Colonel V. Gorshkov

Here's my amature translation of the Red Star citation. Native speakers, please let me know if I made errors. As some words were incomplete in my copy, I had to guess in a couple areas. Senior Lieutenant of Technical Services Tretyak N.N., has carried out his international duty in the protection of the gains of the April Revolution since 10 March 1980. He has made 622 combat sorties destroying gangs of rebels, their strong points, warehouses containing weapons and ammunition, has provided covering escort to our columns, airborne reconnaissance, and transported troops and supplies. He has destroyed 128 members of the enemy forces, 12 strong points, 7 firing positions, and 8 storage areas containing weapons and ammunition. During this period of service, he has flown 1810 hours of which 800 were flown in the DRA (Peoples Republic of Afghanistan). On 26 June 1981, while performing the combat task of evacuating wounded men from a combat area, while making a landing approach on an exposed helicopter pad, rebels engaged them with heavy small arms fire. Returning fire from his weapon, Senior Lieutenant of Technical Services Tretyak N.N. provided for the protection of the helicopter. After landing, still under fire from the rebels, his accurate fire destroyed 1 firing position allowing the helicopter to take off. Conclusion: For courage and courage shown during the execution of military duty, deserves to be awarded governmental order "Red Star". 50th Independent Mixed Aviation Regiment Colonel V. Pavlov

Here's the second award card from posts 3 & 4: Award Card August 16, 1985 Unit pp 25687 Date and place of delivery of an awarded medal Republic, Krai, Oblast, City, Area 1) Tretyak 2) Nikolay Nikitovich 3) Ukrainian 4) Male 5) Born 1944 6) City of Babaykovka, Tsarichanskogo R-H Dnepropetrovskoy Oblast 7) Member of Communist Party since 1965 8) Mid level ? education 9) Senior Lieutenant 10) In the Red Army since 1962 11) Service at time of award :Onboard aviation technician - aerial gunner assigned to a helicopter squadron Unit pp 84242 12) Present service: Onboard aviation technician - aerial gunner assigned to a helicopter squadron Unit pp 84242 13) Home address: Unit pp 84242 14) Order For Service to the Homeland 3rd Class # 58651 Award Document: On account of wounds Basis: Ukaz February 18, 1985 Signed by "Temporarily executing the duties of Chief of Staff of Unit pp25687 (perhaps a hospital since it wasn't his duty unit at that time???) Lt. Colonel V. Davydov August 16, 1985

Sorry for the delay in getting to these translations. I had some business out of town and got sick when I got back. Then I had my deer hunt, and then....... Anyway, here are the award cards from posts 1 &2: Award Card KVO (Kiev Military District) Date and place of delivery of an awarded medal Republic, Krai, Oblast, City, Area 1) Tretyak / listed (or filed as) Tret'yak 2) Nikolay Nikitovich 3) Ukrainian 4) Male 5) Born 1944 6) City of Babaykovka, Tsarichanskogo R-H Dnepropetrovskoy Oblast 7) Member of Communist Party 8) Mid level ? education 9) Senior Lieutenant Technical Services 10) In the Red Army since August 1, 1962 11) Service at time of award :Onboard aviation technician assigned to a helicopter squadron flying MI-8T & MI-9's Unit pp 97978, A 014803 12) Present service: Onboard aviation technician - aerial gunner on a MI 8T helicopter uniy 01094 13) Home address: City of Aleksandriya, Kirovogradskoy Oblast Kremenchugskaya St. 23 Apt. 9 14) Order of the Red Star #3741353 Award Document: 015361 Basis: Ukaz February 4, 1982 Signed by Chief of Staff of Unit 01094 (his unit at that time) Guards Lt. Colonel V. Skryabin June 2, 1983

Finally, the bottom half of the back of the OSH 3 citation. Not quite clear how it was changed from a Red Star to an OSH 3. I'll try to get my translations for these typed in sometime this weekend. [attachmentid=13970]

Here's the top of the back side of the OSH 3 Citation: [attachmentid=13969]

Darker but now not as crisp. I've got a lot to learn about posting images. Here's the bottom half of the front of the OSH 3 Citation: [attachmentid=13967]

OK, I've tried scanning it as a photo this time in order to darken it up a bit. Here's the top half of the front page of the citation for the OSH 3: [attachmentid=13968]

Here's a couple of award booklets for Lake Khasan badges. The printing appears to be the same - the order of the pages has just been switched. Gotta love the early tanker helmet on Comrade Vasil'ev. [attachmentid=13804]

Here's a picture of the group. According to the citation for the OSH 3, as of 1984, besides the Red Star and OSH 3, he also received the medal "for rendering international aid in the DRA", 3 length of service medals (I assume the irreproachable service medals for 20, 15, and 10 years), and three jubilee medals (I assume 3 of four of the following: the 50 Years Armed Forces 1968, 60 Years Armed Forces 1978, 20th Anniversary of Victory in the GPW 1965, or the 30th Anniversary of Victory in the GPW 1975). I'm still working on putting up the citation for the OSH 3. It is a bit light and doesn't show up too well in my earlier scanning attempts. [attachmentid=13803]

I'll scan the citation for the crab tomorrow and add my draft translations.

Here's the bottom half of the back of his Red Star citation: [attachmentid=13525]

Here's the top of the back side of the Red Star citation: [attachmentid=13524]

Here's the bottom half of the first page of his Red Star citation: [attachmentid=13523]

Here's the top half of the front of the citation for his Red Star: [attachmentid=13522]

Here's the back of his second award card for the "Crab": [attachmentid=13521]

Here's the front of the second award: [attachmentid=13520]

Here's the back of the first award card. Note the award of the Red Star. [attachmentid=13519]