Ed_Haynes

Very nice, Bob. Many thanks! As Owain has said, almost all post-unification, items on which scant information has been published. Much to digest here!!

Frankly, I find this to be an especially interesting one. You never know what research will divulge even for a familiar little Red Star. Again, public thanks to Marco and Alexei. And, as always, comments and observatiosn are welcomed.

And the translation AWARD LIST 1. Last Name, name and patronymic Muravjov Nikolaj Vasilievich 2. Rank Captain 3. Position, unit Chief of the Mine Sapper Service of the 628th Aerodrome Service Battalion IS RECCOMENDED for the award, order of the Red Star 4. Year of birth 1905 5. Nationality Russian 6. Party membership Member of the BKP(b) (All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks)) since 1932 7. In the Red Army since 1945, 9th August in the War with Japan in Manchuria, Pinanchen, Langan 8. Participation in the civil war and other military actions aimed at the defense of the USSR (where and when) 1929 ? 1931 and from 1941 9. Wounds or contusions received during the Patriotic War Doesn?t have 10. Previous awards was not awarded 11. Drafted by what district military commissariat in 1924 by Smolensk District Military Commissariats and in 1941 by Chkalovsk District Military Commissariat, Primorsk Province 12. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his/her family) Primorsk Province, Khorol? District, Village Popovka I. Brief description of personal feat For the entire period of the military actions against Japan, Muravjov manifested himself as an organizer of the battle against Japanese soldiers. In August in Pechian he lead the battle against the attacking group of Japanese soldiers during which he himself killed six samurais, thus gaining victory in the battle despite having inferior forces. On the same date in Banzahe during an aerodrome reconnaissance he detected and neutralized 18 mines. On 21 August on the Lagan aerodrome he discovered and neutralized 24 air bombs. Acting in all aspects of the combat he demonstrated knowledge and mastery of skills. Prior to war he was a top-ranking student in the military and political training. He is a commander who is devoted to the Party of Lenin and Stalin. Conclusion: as a disciplined, brave and determined in combat commander he deserves the governmental award, order of the RED STAR. Commander of 628th Aerodrome Service Battalion Major (Signature) / Veretennikov / 29 August 1945 II. Conclusion of the Higher Command Captain Muravjov Nikolaj Vasilievich deserves the awarding of the order of the ?Red Star?. Commander of 53th District Aviation Base Colonel (Signature) / Podezhp? / 1 September 1945

And up the chain of comnmand

And

The recommendation

Translation

Back side

Record card 1

283rd Technical Aviation Regiment, 9th Air Army ? Chief of the Mine Sapper Service Single Red Star 2270048

Even a simple Red Star can be interesting? Thanks to Marco and Alexei for off-forum help. As always, comments welcomed.

Translation: AWARD LIST Last Name, name and patronymic Zhuravlev Boris Nikolaevich Rank Guards Private Position, unit Driver of the Radio Company, 152nd Guards Separate Orders of ?Bogdan Khmelnitskij and of the Red Star? Communication Battalion, 10th Guards Ural, Lvov Red Banner Volunteer Tanks Corps Is recommended for the Order of the ?RED STAR? 1. Year of birth 1913 2. Nationality Ukrainian 3. In the Red Army since 1944 4. Party membership n/a 5. Participation in the civil war and other military actions aimed at the defense of the USSR (where and when) since 1944 ? 1st Ukrainian Front 6. Wounds or contusions received during the Patriotic War Doesn?t have 7. Previous awards Was not awarded 8. Drafted by what district military commissariat Kamenez-Podolsk Municipal Military Commissariat 9. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his/her family) City Kamenez-Podolsk, Street Kirova, House № 48. Wife: Korcheva Nadezhda Makarovna I. Brief description of personal feat Comrade ZHURAVLEV works as a driver of a radio transmitter vehicle; for the period of the Corps? military operation he demonstrated himself as a brave and courageous skillful soldier. On April 19th, 1945 during an attack of the enemy?s Air forces on the village KAZER?, the storage facility where an armored car was located ignited from the direct hit of a bomb. Comrade ZHURAVLEV, despite the extreme conditions, drove the vehicle out of the storage, thus saving the radio station and providing the command of the troops with the radio. While returning from the combat mission, Comrade ZHURAVLEV encountered a group of Germans and during the uneven battle his vehicle was hit. Under the fire of enemy submachine guns, Comrade ZHURAVLEV repaired the car and delivered the radio to its place undamaged. For the manifested courage and bravery in the battles with German Invaders, Comrade ZHURAVLEV DESERVES THE GOVERNAMENTAL AWARD, ORDER of the ?RED STAR?. Commander of the Radio Company Guards Lieutenant (Signature) / Ukhov / Deserves the governmental award, order of the ?RED STAR?. Commander of 152nd Guards Separate Orders of Bodan Khmelnitsky and of the Red Star Communication Battalion Guards Capitan (Signature) / Kovalenko / 14 May 1945 Awarded the order of the ?RED STAR?. Commander of the 10th Guards Ural, Lvov Volunteer Red Banner Tank Corps Guards General Lieutenant of Tank Troops (Signed) / Belov / 19 May 1945

And

And

And the recommendation

And translation

And back

Record card front

10th Guards Tank Corps ? Driver A solo Red Star, 2692532

Very VERY nice!!

Very interesting. So often, I guess, these temporary certificates carried a good bit of information. Almost worth trying to get this one researched, merely on the basis of the document? Not sure it would work, though?

Thanks, Dick. I had distantly remembered that piece, but (between a nasty divorce where some JOMSA back issues were lost and a current-house flood where many back issues were lost) I couldn't find it. The "varying in shade" (as you suggest) may be the key? And the Peterson and Mohler work was first-rate; a shame it didn't proceed. Interesting. The British 2nd Afghan War medal ribbon (per BB&M, mine are in off-site storage just now ) is "32 mm, green with crimson edge stripes". But just what does "crimson" mean?? Such descriptions are alwaya an issue! Can we really expect too much consistency from these ribbons, especially after all these years of vairaible fading??

Sorry. 1290 (!) AH = 1873/74 CE. Makes me even more certain regarding Afghan origin. I once saw a volume with some nice Afghan uniform plates. Which was it???? To work at lower legend .....

A shame. It is common in India too. And 'tis equally sad. Colonels and their ilk, I guess, are all easily distracted by sparkly things? First lesson I ever learned regarding museum preservation: Do nothing that cannot be reversed. Desecration. Says something (I had always suspectected) about Alexander . . .

An interesting group (though 'tis a shame it has been dipped). Thanks for posting. The BEM is always an interesting and, I think, underrated award. While Alexander was tall, Mercier surely seems to have been SHORT.