GHB

Three LOM Commanders who later became Marshals. For Tolbukin there are also multiple citation signature dates. I chose the later since the wording was the same.

LOM Chief Commander to Bagramyan. Note for this award I found two citations both marked as signed by the President on two different date. On the May date there were a lot of signatures of awards so I cannot tell which one was actually issued to Bagramyan.

LOM Chief Commander for Kuznetsov. The citation only says suggested and is not signed but the recommending memo (Attachment 1 to this post) is marked certificates signed, so it would seem he might be a missing LOM Chief Commander. The Navy forwarded under different rules so for their awards I tended to get "suggested" citations rather than a copy stamped signed by the President.

Belyaev Second award of LOM Commander. I have attached as a second document a memo noting that the regulations Prohibit a second award at the same or lower class. Apparently they ignored that proscription because the citation is marked signed by the President

LOM Chief Commander to Antonov

LOM Chief Commander to Zhukov recommendation and citation

Thanks much on this badge. I have been confused for years. I knew Genghis Khan date was questionable but thought maybe 15 years from 1921 and foundation of Mongolian Peoples Republic. But there were no Mongolian symbols. All is now resolved. But think about the effort to make individually numbered badges. Incredible. Thanks again.

Now for the Bronze/gilt version:

This does not state "MOPR" but the images are the same. This badge is in silver.

What this string needs is a ""regular" MOPR badge. (I was looking for my MORP document but could not find them but will keep looking. I have the document that includes basically the Ukaz as shown by Japan, but I got it 15 years ago and have to dig deeper in the piles in my Man Cave/Den to find it). Regular MOPR follows:

I found more documents! I can confirm with a copy of the citation Legion of Merit Chief Commander to Zhukov (like you were surprised) General of the Army Antonov (not listed in Post No.1 by Slava but he only listed 5 names of 7 recipients). Bagramian and Admiral Kutsnetsov, (who is also not listed). Interestingly Kutnetsov does not show a LOM Chief Commander in his picture in the Marshals and Admirals book. I also found confirmation of an award of the Commander level of LOM to Rokossovsky (which contradicts the picture of him in the Marshals book!) I will have to look further into him to see if I can find a second award or upgrade from the recommendation. (Often on Soviet award research - like a Suvarov CL2 that I saw - you find down graded awards, but an upgraded award is rare.) And finally I was certain that it was true but did not want to say until I found the document but General Belyaev of the Purchasing Committee was also awarded a Commander LOM by Truman! The citation said "Second Award" I will try to post document tomorrow (scanning required) but not too many, GHB

I know this is the Military Interest Club but maybe someone here can help identify this badge that appears political. It has the Kremlin and CCCP/SSSR and is in Silver marked either 875 or 916 the marks are unclear. I cannot read to see what the mark next to the number is at all. As you can see it has a Roman XV, so it is the 15th of something. With the SSSR I thought immediately of 1937 or perhaps a badge of the 15th Congress. But it also has the number 1162. It does not appear to have a dot between the 11 and the 62 indicating November 1962. The number is raised through the enamel as part of the base. I thought maybe it was a year. The only think I can find that happened in 1162 was the birth of Genghis Khan. The circular mark on the reverse appears to be a hammer and sickle, if that helps to date it. Comments are welcome and any help would be appreciated.

I have somewhere the citations for the other Marshals and Generals who received the Chief Commander of LOM but as I stated I got them 20 years ago and have moved 1000 miles since that time and they are likely in my storage unit safely packed away for eternity. But one more set that I really like then no more papers pictures. Major General of the Air Force Alexander Ivanovich Belyaev was apparently chief of the Government Purchasing Commission of the USSR. They were responsible for obtaining and shipping all of the war goods furnished by the US to the USSR. (They were alleged to be a front for the GRU as well.) General Belyaev was awarded the Commander rank of the LOM for his work in coordinating such mutual assistance. His is the (excuse me but I am going to capitalize this because it is that rare) ONLY "Thank you letter" received by Franklin Roosevelt for award of an LOM from a Soviet officer. (I checked with the Roosevelt Museum.) See below:

In Post 1. Slava noted that there was (at that time) no documentation regarding award of the Chief Commander Legion of Merit to anyone by Zhukov. I cannot find my citations for the others but Novikov and Vasilevski can now be considered documented. See below (Note: The document was declassified in the 1950's but I like the fact that the USG considered it to be secret that they were awarding Novikov and Vasilevski):

Twenty Years ago I requested information under "Freedom of Information Act" from various agencies and sources of the USG regarding award of US decorations to Soviet Troops. Attached is a memorandum received from the Presidential Library regarding award to Soviet Troops as recommended by the Military Mission Moscow. These names are likely not on the list that Slava has from OMSA. Note this list includes an additional DFC to a Colonel.

In Post >1 Slava made a comment to the effect that there was no record of DFC to Red Army troops. Attached is a copy of the Award Certificate to a Sergeant who received the DFC.

If you go to Alibris they have a couple copies at $60 and some at $90 or so and one at $100. On Amazon it was $150 new and $60 used. FYI

Your welcome. In fact this topic came up on the OMSA (Orders and Medals Society of America ) web page in 2012 and the former owner of Graco gave explanations there about manufacture date, acceptance date etc. It may help here. They had lots of pictures of boxes and you will recognize at least one contract number (to HLP). Here is a link to their page: http://www.omsa.org/forum/viewtopic.php?f=6&t=593 On that page they show boxes with number 100-4410 and 100-4411 to Simon and HLP respectively. So both of those contracts appear to date to FY 66. I'll fill them in with the information as above here (but I use a different name there). I will try to help Ebay correct their guide. Their information through FY 67 appears correct but information for FY 69 and beyond appears incorrect. I used to work at DSA (before 1/1/77) and DLA (after 1/1/77) and wrote contracts, purchase orders etc. for them

As Doc says DSA is Defense Supply Agency. 100 means the Defense Personnel Support Center in Philadelphia. 69 is the fiscal year of the Contract. The Letter "C" means Contract. (A "D" would mean a delivery order type of contract.) The final 4 digits are the serial contract number which in this case means that your medal was awarded under the 2,506th contract for that fiscal year (or something like that). That system was in use from the late 60's to 1977 when DSA became DLA (the Defense Logistics Agency). DLA followed the same contract numbering system just substituting DLA for DSA. In fact SPO contract numbers still appear to follow that system on my GWOT box for 2003 (03). The number beginning with 8455 is the Federal Stock Number (Later revised to National Stock Number). It represents the stock number of the item in the box. The HLP contract still has a 100 so it is still DSA but I cannot identify the year. It could be as explained on Ebay that it was during FY 66 when they first used the 100 without date suffix. So then 4411 would be the serial number in the contract sequence. I have medal boxes that predate DSA that have a different numbering system altogether without the 100.

Sorry about the last photo only being a medal and not a recipient, but I don't know who he is, but further he apparently survived the purges. Can the researchers identify recipients (if civilian) from this early an era? If so, who do I need to contact? Meanwhile to show actual recipients, you may have seen this recipient of Lenin No. 93 six or seven years ago in the New York Auction. I can't find my copy to verify.

JapanX/Nick thanks for the prompt reply. I have reviewed the web link that you provided and all of my known Lenin recipients match except 616-618. It appears likely that Durov jumped to conclusions that the posthumous Lenin Cavaliers actually received their medals. That very question was asked on another web page that I browse and was left unanswered. I need at least two sources or one document to answer there. But, regarding the other numbers, 308; that was really reference to the documentation you provided to No 380 which I did not have. (THANKS) Re. No 615 I have a great copy. If they had not made one mistake it would be a fake. Real Silver, Real Gold Hammer and Sickle, and so on. But the ring around the profile was laid on a millimeter off so it was a failure that I got to buy for $100 US instead of who knows what price if they had succeeded in a fake. Re No. 403. Who was awarded a Lenin order BEFORE Tukhashevsky (Lenin No. 434), my hero! (Or Gamarnik - No 433) I would like to know, Farmer or whatever, I would like to know who beat out Tukhashevsky. Impressive! He was an early cavalier.

Question about badge No 617. I have a database of Lenin recipients with about a thousand named. For badge 617 I have listed A.B. Vasenko, builder of an aerostat that set an altitude record. He and the pilot and another physicist on the flight died and were supposedly the first three posthumous recipient of the Order of Lenin. (Durov: Order of Lenin, Order (Project) of Stalin, page 24) But I did not have badge No. 380 in my database. Also, would you know recipients of badge Nos. 403 or 615. I have all around Mr. 615 but who got the badge just before the posthumous awards? Thanks for the great pictures.

I am surprised nobody has answered in the long time that has passed. The Imperial St. Alexander Nevsky ribbon was just red no stripe.

A couple unknowns with presumed reasons. I researched two WWII Lenins on two separate occasions two years apart. No luck. But separately I did find on the first, 12 numbers away was Kovpak, twice hero, and Partisan leader. Apparently partisans are also not re searchable. On the other Lenin 30 away was a tax collector. Weren't they in the MVD or some similar domestic element related to the NKVD? At any rate if he and 30 buddies all got there Lenin awards together none of the rest will be re searchable, I am satisfied with those likely answers, but I might just try again in a couple of years.

I almost bought the full set of three in the early 90's (500 each all for 1,500) but I decided that they were all mules, . . . . Sterile. No bravery had been expended in the issuance of the medal only in the award with citation and naming on the reverse which did not exist. So I ultimately declined. If you collect types this looks as good as you/'ll get. But it really doesn't matter. Jonsey said Really cool. Well maybe but no bravery entailed so he is right it doesn't matter real or super fake this is as close to the real (awarded) thing that you can find if that is what you want.. EW raised questions about the ribbon bar. With the pin catch to the left do the stars make an "M" or a "W"? If "W" it is my understanding that you have a problem with the ribbon bar. Should be an M. KNAR questioned the case. I think there should be indentations on the sides of the pad where the ribbon goes underneath. There don't seem to me. Maybe he has other questions. Just some late random comments. GHB-1886