Chuck In Oregon

... And the reverses

* * * * * Well, say no more. Here are a few others. Show me yours now.

[quote Baku! Baku! That inky, oily, far-off city of unimaginable wealth and unspeakable horror! Next year in Baku!

* * * * * I have never wanted to go on a cruise. I know that a lot people love 'em but the idea just never appealed to me. Uh oh, can you hear my darlin' wife? That's her, saying "We're going on a cruise." Then she comes up with a St. Pete - Moscow river cruise and what could I say? We're going in the fall of 2007. Our good Georgian-Russian friends there are going to host our stay in Moscow and "provide everything" (according to them) for us in St. Pete. They are already talking about some private museum tours. I guess it could be a lot worse than that.

Last week I had supper with an Azeri family, friends of a friend. The family head man turns out to be a real nice, affable guy my age or so (read ancient) and he asked me to sit next to him at their large table. OK, fine. So how do you strike up a conversation with a stranger who doesn't speak your language and whom you've just met? OK, no problem, right? I can get along in my halting Russian which, of course, he speaks perfectly, and I'm seldom at a loss for words in a social situation. Me: "So, what kind of business are you in?" Him: "I'm retired." Me: "Really?, Me, too. What did you retire from?" Him: "Police." Me: "Police? Really? What did you do with the police?" Him: "Head." Me: "Head of what?" Him: "The nation." I astound myself at my ability to ask dumb questions. Yeah, the guy is the retired head of the Azeri MVD. He asked me to come to Baku last -- what would it be now? -- last Tuesday. He said he'd like to show me around and he would guarantee me an enjoyable stay at his home. Very difficult to turn down an invitation like that, but I had to. Maybe next time. It's an open invitation, or so I am led to believe.

Here are a couple of badges from this series. The one on the left was new to me. The one on the right is a duplicate that I bought at the same time. Who knows, someone might want to trade, one of these days. Didn't we have a thread on these badges once? I did a search and couldn't find one. I've got a half-dozen or so others around here somewhere. If we haven't kicked this topic around before and there is any interest, I can post the others if I ever find them ... as long as you will post yours. Chuck

Here's a badge I added to my shooting awards collection/box o' badges this trip. I also found a couple of decent tsarist shooting awards along the way. I can't account for the pitting on the enamel of this award. I'm not sure I've ever seen the like. Even with that, and the missing enamel, I like it a lot. I'm of the opinion that the hanger must have pulled off at some time. It looks like the connecting loops were just twisted out of ordinary chain links. I can't find it in a reference book, so I don't even know if that's the correct hanger. Chuck

... And the reverse, which is, of course, what makes it interesting.

I know there are some guys out there who collect variations of these service medals. Here's one you don't see very often. It is a 20-Year Service Medal from the Azeri MOOP. It's the only one I've ever come across. Chuck

* * * * * Hi Mike Yes, I had a good trip. We made some progress on some charity work and I found some good collectibles to bring home. I have already started to sell a few, but I haven't even prepared a decent inventory yet. When I do, I'll post a couple in the Classifieds Forum here. One group I'll post here soon is a WW II RR group that includes an OPW-1 and Honored RR Man, with all the correct documents. I think you'll like it. There are a few others that will be worth waiting for, too. Chuck

Here are two other state prizes that I brought back. I think that the first step prize on the left is one of the "exchange" prizes from the period when Stalin prizes were recalled and exchanged for state prizes. However, this is from memory and discussion, so I would be happy to learn differently. The prize on the right is one of the late period state prizes that did not carry a step designation. There are probably better ways to describe these, but that all I know. I'd like to see your state prizes and diplomas, if you please. Chuck

I haven't seen this topic discussed for a while, so I thought I'd post what I brought back with me. First is a state prize complete with its near-leather folder. Unfortunately, the actual certificate is half-missing. That's the half, of course, that would tell you who won it, and when. They said it had come apart after lots of foldings and unfoldings and had been lost. However, I suspect that the family kept the "good" half as a souvenir that someone in the family had actually done something noteworthy, once upon a time.

... And here's the document.

I've got one or two of these that might be worth sharing as being a little bit out of the ordinary. Here's one. It has some missing enamel on the left side of the flag and a couple of chips on the banner. It doesn't come with an order book, either, but the document it does come with is kind of interesting. This is the same NKVD general whose five documents I shared previously and offered up on The Bay. Quite unexpectedly, the family came up with this order and document after thinking that they had already sold every other item related to his career. Not only this ORB, but I also bought his very nicely engraved, with a fine Red Star, port-cigar inscribed "Tov. K. P. Vziava from ChK SSRG 1923 g". I sold the documents not that long ago. I 'd like to re-unite this group and I have written to the buyer but he has yet to respond. We never expected to hear from this family again, but no. Sigh. Enjoy. Chuck

A question for you guys. I saw a 2-hour program on Russian TV that was, basically, a TV record of the 2005 WW II Victory Day Jubilee celebration in Red Square? Then I watched a second 2-hour jubilee celebration that was done in a large Russian TV studio. Both of these shows were outstanding and I'd like to buy copies of them. A friend is looking for them in Moscow for me right now. My question is, does anyone know if either of these is available either in the US or anywhere else? If any group ought to know, I figure it's you. Thanks in advance. Chuck

You guys are good. But ... does he know Alla Pugachova? If not, how good can he be? I mean, really? I brought back two of her concert DVDs and a friend is looking for more in Moscow. I also brought back the DVD set of the recent TV production of Master & Margarita. We're reading it in my Russian class and I guess we're going to watch parts of it. Well, I'm going to, at any rate. Life is good.

Regarding that DOSAAF Naval School pin/badge, I don't think that one's all that common. Not rare, mind you, but not that commonly encountered in my limited experience. I have a modest DOSAAF collection/group/box full of/heap o' badges and I don't think there is one of these in it. Nope, just checked. Got 15-20 of the little critters, but not that one. Got the junior sailor, got the driver, got the glider pilot, got the activist, got the ... well, you get the idea, but no Naval School. That will go nicely in a navy or DOSAAF collection. For your gee-whiz file, DOSAAF navy was preceded by DOSFLOT. At least, so I have been lead to believe. I've never found a DOSFLOT badge and I have begun to wonder if they ever existed. I do have one document, so I know that the organization existed. I have the Soviet DOSAAF reference book and I can't find it in there either. Anyone happen to have any insight about this?

I guess he was Ingush, or at least he was recognized by the Ingush Partisans Commission (?). Does that seem right?

... And two more pages

* * * * * Who could refuse a request like that? Here you are. Enjoy.

* * * * * Well, I don't know about that, Doc, but I really do think that this is a good one. Talk about some real history ... and tragedy. I wonder what he saw in his day and I wonder what he was thinking at the end. Those thoughts occur to me a lot. Glad you guys like it as much as I do. I'm still unwrapping things I brought back, but none of the other documents are this good. This is my premier paper item of the trip. Chuck

* * * * * Aw, shucks, Ed.

... and the final entry

Here's something I brought back this trip that interests me. The cover of the folder says "Civil War Participant" under the gerb, and in larger letters, "Red Partisan". The second image is of the first pages and the third image is of the last page, those being the only two pages with entries. All the pages are present and the folder is pretty tight, if rather faded and worn. As for the red X on the first page, a friend thinks that it means the individual was executed. Indeed, this man is said to have been shot in 1937 or 1938 but whether that relates to the red X, who knows? Well, my friend thinks he does, I guess, but there is no corroborating information or evidence. This is the only record of this individual that I have and it is quite likely the only record of him in existence.

What a great photo to add to this thread! Thank you. It sure does help date the badge, doesn't it? Yeah, 12 ... maybe. Barely old enough to shoot people.