NavyFCO

Next, a close up of the 1990 dated photo that I posted in the previous thread. A nice shot of his Chinese medal 35 years later...

I might as well just scan the entire group and put it in the groups section, but here's a few more bits from the Tolkachev group (photo already posted in the Guards Badge thread...) First, a photo from the late 50s of him wearing the Chinese medal.

Here's another from "out of the archives" in the groups I used to own. This scan was made when I didn't believe in big scans...

And the reverse... I have some documents I can post if interested...

These are some that I've had in my collection. I didn't know until now that there were actual different variations of them! Dave

They aren't all THAT rare, but you do have to look for them. I think in 14 years of collecting Soviet awards, I've seen maybe a dozen groups with this type of bar. What's really neat about this bar though is the Polish medal with the custom mount. Never seen that before! Sweeeeeet!!! Dave

Here's a neat photo I just ran across. Soviet, enjoy! This hero is Staradubuev, Georgi Stepanovich. Dave

Here's another one from my collection (well, just got shipped off, but it was in my collection for a long time...) for a general while on active duty... Dave

And finally, the last page. At least the newer one has fancier handwriting.

Here's the inside of the first page. Rick R will be the first to point out the different serial number series.

I just got in my first 1990s General Officer ID booklet today. I was shocked by the poor quality of it. It's not BAD (I'd bet the ones to generals in some Eastern Block countries were worse) but it just ain't like the old school ones. Here are some scans of the new one (top) compared to an old-timer (bottom). Enjoy! Dave

Here are two Red Banners to the same recipient. Why did he convert both to screwback, then unconvert them? Hopefully research will tell us! Dave

One last photo (I have to resist the temptation to scan all of them!) Here he is in the middle of the photo at an awards ceremony in Germany, dated 1947... good chance he's wearing the same Guards badge as in the first scan... Dave

Here's Colonel Tolkachev in Vienna in 1946, presumably wearing the same Guards badge...

The reverse of the photo. I almost tear up every time I read this and think about it. Here he is, a "war hero" and proud grandfather...

Now here's the photo of the original owner! This fellow was Lt Colonel Tolkachev. I love this photo of him, dated 1990. This is one of those groups that I'll go to the grave with. Dave

Now why did I say to note that? Take a look at this photo. Note the same verdigris...

This doesn't really apply to this thread, but in an effort to break the spiral of debating the finer points of Guards colors, here's a neat badge from my collection. Note the green verdigris down on the bottom of the badge...

Yeah, the ones that are worth 10x everything else in the case combined? Are those copies? Or are those his real ones? If the family still has those... WOW. Dave

That is tres cool! I remember being outbid on that one.. . Dave

Thanks Peter! For all: I've gotten in touch with the RMC museum and RAF Herndon and both have been extremely helpful to me in my search. Thanks for all the help thus far! Dave

I'm guessing that sounds like it could be the right guy! According to my search, his initials were W. M. and the "W" when transliterated would normally end up as a "V", but in this case it may well have ended up as a "U". Now that I know that's him, I wonder where his stuff went.... Dave

Gerd: Thanks for the compliments! I could try to get a pic of the reverse, but I don't want to try to take it off the pad it is mounted on... I'm afraid I'll never get it back on right! It is numbered on the reverse - the next time I pull it down I'll get the number for you. Tonight I just returned a phone call from a widow of another Glory 3rd recipient this evening who is taking photos of his medal for me. She told me that such and such was "in a little box." I asked her: Can you PLEASE get me a photo of the box??? She was quite surprised I'd want a photo of the box. After all, who wants that, anyway??? Dave

I'm certain that's it. Thanks! Transliterated into Russian, "Jack" would be "Djak", which when going from Cyrillic back into English would end up as an initial "D" vice "J". Any clue where Jack Tovey's medals might be??? Dave

Nope. Not just a rumor. This particular Glory 3rd was awarded to an American in this very box. His name and rank were typed to a piece of paper that was taped to the top of the lid. I am going to meeting up with some other American recipients of Soviet awards within the next few weeks and I'll see if they got the same boxes (both received the OGPW 2). I know that most awards to the US Army were presented without boxes - they were actually pinned or screwed into the uniform of the receiving officer/NCO, with no boxes or documentation. Dave