Ed_Haynes

None were made in Kuwait. The medal was out-sourced (as were and are most things in Kuwait) to Italian and British makers. Those made in the US are quite unofficial. While the US was one of the few foreign participants to allow the wearing of the medal, it was also among the few to blissfully ignore the multi-class structure of the award and force all recipients to accept the lowest class. I did a short piece in JOMSA on these some time back.

I will ask Battushig if he minds me stealing his image and posting it here. To me, it is a pretty ugly thing.

The order is covered in Battushig's book. To date, it has been awarded only twice in first class; the second and third classes have been authorised, but have neither been maunfactured nor awarded.

Await the KGB? Oh, FSB, same-same. (Actually, worse.)

Should we then add it to all the other countries that participated in that conflict? In the multiple classes in which it was awarded (that the US did not allow to be accepted)? However most countries did not allow the medal (or the Saudi, or Bahraini, or Emirati medals to be worn). Please do rememeber that this is an INTERNATIONAL forum, and one must strive to think internationally and outside one's own narrow partiotic life experience.

It is a Kuwaiti award, given to all participants in Gulf War II. The US government knows that.

This is, of course, a Kuwaiti award (and not a US one). It is discussed in some detail over at http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=14642 Unfortunately, I don't have the power to merge this mis-posting into that thread.

Rick is right about the missing clasp, but unattributable miniature bars that can easily be made up are hard to deal with. Could be anyone's bar, any rank, almost any regiment (though Africa/Burma is not a super-common combination).

Service record (translated section, original not posted).

A very nice SMERSH result. A shame the group is so badly broken.

Another good reason (as if we need MORE) why people should post normal on-site images?

Thank you for helping to preserve these, Richard! History is saved.

Nice. Though the white ants have dined well.

Very similar to mine to a fairly senior Tunisian. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=19819 I'd agree that your fellow was probably from the DDR.

I just looked again. Do you have his Raksha Medal too?? Even nicer. What else?? I was just going to check him as a possible 1962 casualty, but with a Raksha Medal . . . not needed.

Most colonies' uniforms are patterned after the ruler's, both before and after independence.

Let me ask Those Who Know . . .

Some nice document groups there Bob!! Makes me homesick for UB (but too damned cold there just now!).

You do have to be careful with Solzhenitsyn as he is, after all, a novelist and not a historian. His religious and essentially "tsarist" biases also have to be taken into account. Still, a fine enough novel (not up to the standard of Bulgakov's The Master and Margarita), but NOT history. But this is ???

A pretty uncommon clasp, for some very nasty service. Next to Korea, the most uncommon, and very nice to a JCO. The Army List will list all officers (Lieutenant+) and some army lists (not as many as we'd like) would list the junior commissioned officer ranks (Jemadar, Subadar, Subadar-Major -- to simplify). AEC tended to be everywhere, doing whatever educational good workls they do. A very nice one indeed.

A nice medal. The General Service Medal, 1947. Rank is Subadar (!). Research is possible, but the requisite Army Lists are in New Delhi and I'm not. Unit is the Army Educational Corps. The Ladakh clasp is scarce and desirable for some very nasty service (but as AEC?!) in the 1962 Sino-Indian war.

Lovely it just SCREAMS "history". A shame these recommendations are so brief, makes you wonder what teh full take was. Thanks.

Excellent! Reminds us that killing Hitlerites wasn't just about guns. It is always fascinating to unravel the history that lies in these things. Thanks!!

MMM: DECREE OF THE USSR SUPREME COUNCIL PRESIDIUM On awarding generals, officers, and sergeants of an additional service with orders and medals for a long service in the Soviet Army For a long and blameless service in the Soviet Army award with: MILITARY MERITS MEDAL 4117. Major REZNIKOV ILYA GRIGORYEVICH Chairman of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR N.SHVERNIK Secretary of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR (signed) A. Gorkin Moscow, the Kremlin, November 15, 1950 Personal file No 191 (signed)

MMM: All lines to be mandatory completed AWARD CITATION 1. First, middle and last names Ryzhkov Grigory Mikhailovich 2. Rank Soldier 3. Position, unit Shoemaker of the 77th detached intercommunication company, of the 227th Berdichevsk, holding the Order of the Red Banner assault aircraft division Is recommended for Military Merits medal 4. Year of birth 1904 5. Nationality Russian 6. Party membership Non-party 7. Participation in the civil war and other military actions aimed at the defense of the USSR (where and when) July, 1943, the battle of Kursk; October,1943, on the right-bank of the Dnepr 8. Wounds or contusions received during the Patriotic War July, 1943, in the battle of Kursk, left thigh wound; October,1943, foot wound; Certificate № 3808A 9. In the Red Army since February,1942 10. Drafted by what district military commissariat Uzgensky district military commissariat, Osh region 11. Previous awards None 12. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee or his/her family) Uzgensky district, Kirghiz SSR, Merzajaki village; I. Brief description of personal feat or merits In July 1943, numbering the 86th rifle regiment he participated in the battles on Kurskaya Duga where he was wounded in the left thigh. Next time he was wounded in the left foot on the right-bank of the Dnepr. Later he was treated at an evacuation hospital. In the duration of stay in the 77th detached intercommunication company since December 1943 he proved himself as a perfectly disciplined and industrious soldier. He works well as a shoemaker having time to repair up to 10 pairs of shoes a day, being very busy. He shows much initiative in manufacturing tools and searching for the materials. In spring 1944 in the absence of materials for soles he used old branch pipes of the rubbered fabrics. This method of manufacturing entirely justified itself. The shoes repaired by the comrade Ryzhkov is used by the soldiers for a long time. Conclusion: Comrade Ryzhkov deserves the government award, Military Merits medal ? for his active participation in battles defending our Motherland and his great and selfless work in our military unit. Commander of the 77th detached intercommunication Company of the 227th Berdichevsk assault aircraft division holding the Order of the Red Banner Senior Lieutenant (signed) /Gubin/ ??, 1944 II. Conclusion of the Higher Command Agree. Reward with the Military Merits medal. Temporarily acting for the commander of the 227th Berdichevsk assault, holding the Order of the Red Banner aircraft division Lieutenant Colonel (signed) /Zhidkov/ September 30, 1944. By the order to the 227th Berdichevsk assault, holding the Order of the Red Banner aircraft division No 019/N of October 2, 1944 is awarded with Military Merits medal. Head of the personnel department of the 227th Berdichevsk assault, holding the Order of the Red Banner aircraft division Major (signed) /Pasechny/