Soviet Is the ring on this Combat medal odd?

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Just saw this one and I've got to say I don't ever remember seeing a ring like this. I've checked the Red and Green bibles as well as The Soviet Military Awards Page and can't find one like it. Manufacturers variation? Replaced ring? Any thoughts?

The number is 420522. Pics are the sellers. Guaranteed forever... so guess that's good.

Dan

[Riley1965]

Dan,

i magnifyed the pics 400%. It is a replacement ring soldered to the medal. Otherwise it looks good to me. I'd buy it.

Doc

[Guest Rick Research]

Yes it is VERY odd. So is the finish. I'm glad you can see a serial number on there, because I can't.

BTW, wash outchu mout wit soap, calling the Military Merit Medal "Combat."

[Riley1965]

Rick,

When Magnified the serial number is visible. With the new Windows Explorer 7.0 you can magnify a page up to 400%. It's a big help.

Doc

[Ed_Haynes]

Many strangnesses here. Clearly the ring is diddled. I can't see the serial number either and would want a close look at it before plunking down the cash. Personally, I think I'd give this one a pass. Not like they aren't pretty deep on the ground?

[Hauptmann]

Yes it is VERY odd. So is the finish. I'm glad you can see a serial number on there, because I can't.

BTW, wash outchu mout wit soap, calling the Military Merit Medal "Combat."

Hi Rick,

I agree... just struck me as very odd... and I was tempted to mention the finish as strange as well but felt I'd leave it and see if others picked up on it as well.

On the naming... I've seen these as the MMM as well as the Combat medal and it's counterpart shall we say called both Valor medal and Bravery medal.

So, which are correct on these and why the different to start with? Differences in translation?

On The Soviet Military Awards Page they're called: For Bravery and For Combat Service. Same in the Red Bible.

I have several other basic refs which name them as follows:

Orders and Medals of the USSR (Moscow 1994) - Medal for Valor / Medal for Combat Service.

CCCP 1917-1991 Orders and Medals (Russian Connections 1994) - Same as above.

Orders and Medals of the Soviet Union (Byrne 1984) Medal for Valour / Medal for Battle Distinctions (for Battle Merits)

and last but not least:

Russian and Soviet Military Awards (V.A. Durov 1990) - Medal for Gallantry / Medal for Military Merit.

So needless to say it's rather confusing on these two at times.

So what are the definitive names of these two medals?

Thanks!

Dan

[Ed_Haynes]

Maybe we should just learn Russian and speak only in that language?

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Just wanted to thank you all... Rick, Doc and Ed for getting back with me on this so fast. I'm glad I'm not the only one who thinks it's a bit wonky. It's currently at $19 with $1 shipping out of Central Pennsylvania with just over 2 days to go. I'll be happy to provide the link if anyone is intro'd or you can do a search on Ebay for Soviet Medal for Combat Service.

I think I'd tend to agree that it's been messed with at some point and pass on it. If I'd seen it as a flat out buy for $10 or less I might have considered it. I don't think the medal itself is a fake... don't think they're that desperate yet... but definitely doesn't look totally correct either.

Mucho thanks Gentlemen.

Dan

[Hauptmann]

Maybe we should just learn Russian and speak only in that language?

Hi Ed,

I mean to me, I've just kinda gotten used to it being any or all of the above. But at first it was very confusing to see each of those called by so many different names. Funny as most seem to have the one name that's used all the time and no problem. It's just these two... well and perhaps the Service to the Motherland/Fatherland, etc. Have seen that one several ways but all pretty much the same thing for all intents and purposes.

Just didn't know if there was now a more accepted standard on the names. As again, especially for newer collectors I'm sure it can get their heads spinning after a time. And it is something I've wondered about for some time so glad it came up.

Dan

[Ed_Haynes]

I agree, mate. I tend to prefer to use the English names as used in standard English-language regerence books (well, more accurately, BOOK, singular = Red Bible, flaws and all). But one gets too much abuse for doing that. If I could remember the Russian, I'd use it instead, but there are too many mental Swiss-cheese-holes for that dance, for it is hard enough to remember to refer to the "Algan Gadas Odon" or "Padma Vibhushan" rather than the dumb English names! Frankly, I tend to avoid talking about That Medal, the same one you mentioned, not calling it by ANY name, talking around it, just That One we all know, wink, wink.

[Hauptmann]

I agree, mate. I tend to prefer to use the English names as used in standard English-language regerence books (well, more accurately, BOOK, singular = Red Bible, flaws and all). But one gets too much abuse for doing that. If I could remember the Russian, I'd use it instead, but there are too many mental Swiss-cheese-holes for that dance, for it is hard enough to remember to refer to the "Algan Gadas Odon" or "Padma Vibhushan" rather than the dumb English names! Frankly, I tend to avoid talking about That Medal, the same one you mentioned, not calling it by ANY name, talking around it, just That One we all know, wink, wink.

Hi Ed,

ROTFL!!!! Well, there you go... the "Nudge Nudge, Wink Wink medal" and the "Wink Wink, Nudge Nudge medal". Problem solved. Wink wink!

Oh goodness... I really needed that to lighten up the day!

Dan

[Guest Rick Research]

How about "The Scottish Medal" after... THAT Play by W.S. ?

Igor laughs at me, but he is still WRONG. One can argue until the cows come home as to the relative saneness of calling a medal most of which had NOTHING to do with combat "combat" or "military" or "warrior" or any form of "martial" that suits you-- that word is untranslatable, like the odd-in-English German word "Krieger."

But ZASLUGA is MERIT and NOT NOT NOT NOT "Service," which is SLUZHBA-- and THAT is what the Order for SERVICE to the Homeland blahblahblah is named.

SLUZHBA versus ZASLUGA is exactly the same as the same Anglicized MISTAKE with the German DIENST and VERDIENST.

Just because EVERYBODY except me and Dave and Durov on the entire planet is WRONG...

(your mothers' voices here) would you still jump off a roof if everybody else said you can fly?

Regarding the Big Brother Medal: I can only have ONE linguistic fixation at a time, people.

OTVAGA is "bravery" OR "valour" and yet when you look up those words, Primary Definitions are DOBLEST' and KhRABROST'. Citations often use TWO words, which is why we get translations like "for bravery and courage"-- distinctions so excruciatingly subtle as to be meaningless. "Courage" is MUZHESTVO. If you really wanted to split philological hairs with angels, I supppppppoose one could say that the most fixatedly correct translation of OTVAGA would be "INTREPIDNESS."

INTREPIDITUDE?

INTREPIDITY?

INTREPIDABILITY?

Brain hurts nowwwwwwww.

There is absolutely NO such with ZASLUGA.

MERIT is... MERIT.

Don't MAKE me do this again!!!!!

[Hauptmann]

Eeeep!

Dateline: Sunday February 4th 2007... 1925 hours... seismographs around the world pick up shock waves which when triangulated are tracked to the area of New England. Cause... vibration and overheating of one Rick Research, well known researcher of militaria, genealogy and other areas of historical interest.

Sorry Rick... I take it this subject has come up before. I promise to be good and not ever, ever bring it up again.

To repeat... Eeeeeeeeep!

Dan

[Guest Rick Research]

Mother will be SO pleased.

[Hauptmann]

Err... double EEEEEP!