Soviet Is it or isn't it . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

Part 2.

[Ed_Haynes]

Reverse, part 3.

[Ed_Haynes]

And, finally, part 4.

[Ed_Haynes]

Pending translations (I should live so long),

Thanks in advance!

Edited October 2, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Bryan]

Unfortunately it seems to be a medal bar that was "put together".

Alexandr Fedorovitch Tuzov

Award list :

Bravery medal # 2279019

Defense of the Soviet Polar Region

Victory over Germany

Victory over Japan

Sorry I can't help you more than that. My Russian is not good enough.

Edited October 2, 2007 by Soviet

[Ed_Haynes]

Unfortunately it seems to be a medal bar that was "put together".

Alexandr Fedorovitch Tuzov

Award list :

Bravery medal # 2279017

Medal Defense of the Soviet Polar Reg

Victory over Germany

Victory over Japan

Thanks!

That is pretty much what I and the very honest forumite from whom I got it expected. No real disappointment.

As details emerge, it may be a nice enough tale anyway.

Edited October 2, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Guest Rick Research]

Oh not THAT bad, Ed!

ARC =

Born 1911 in the village of Zapas'ye, Ustlozhenski Raion, Vologodskaya Oblast. Russian. (Citation adds not Party member)

In Red Army IX/33-XI/36 (citation notes something about XI/39-XI/40) and VI/41-I/46.

Military duty (combining briefer ARC data with citation)--

Machine Gun section leader in 348th Artillery-Machine Gun (= ?) Battalion of Naval Infantry, Northern Front.

When ARC filled aout at Kirovsky RVK, Murmansk on 13.2.48 he was a driver for the Oblast Planning Commission, living on Pr(ospekt?) Lenina, Apt 16, House 39.

Valor was by UKAZ of 6.11.47

Citation

adds that he was on the Karelian Front 1941-44, on the Japanese front XI/44 (!) to 1945.

Severe shell splinter wound 29 May 1943 (note citation )

Called up 16 (!) June 1941 at Kirovsky RVK, Murmansk.

Citation text:

"On 28 May 2 machine gun sections of 3rd Machine Gun Company were given the order to destroy machine gun positions of the enemy. Junior Sergeant TUZOV, together with fighters of his section crossed No Man's Land and crossed to the enemy's forward defensive sector. ..." (to be continued)

[Bryan]

Ed are you going to put back the medals individually since you are 100% sure that these medals didn?t belong together? I think it gives more respect to the one that earned the Bravery medal to separate his medal from other medals that didn?t belong to him. What do you think?

I personally think that in this case it is ok to do so. I know you always prefer to let things the way you received them.

[Ed_Haynes]

Absolutely, these will be split (when I can "score" the mounts). And I am doing this for PRECISELY the sorts of reasons you suggest. So long as there was a 1% (OK, 0.5%) chance they were kosher, they stayed together. No more.

[Guest Rick Research]

OK, here's the whole text. Note the SLOPPY discrepancy with the DAYS, with severe wound described as 29 May, action as 28 May, yet hospital report 23 May. All are obviously... ONE of these days!!!!

?On 28 May 2 machine gun sections of 3rd Machine Gun Company were given the order to destroy machine gun positions of the enemy. Junior Sergeant TUZOV, together with fighters of his section crossed No Man's Land and crossed to the enemy's forward defensive sector.

Under cover of the attacking fighters, Junior Sergeant Tuzov flung grenades at the enemy machine gun positions. At the moment of withdrawal, the enemy opened intense art. fire on him. At that moment, Jr. Sergeant Tuzov was severely wounded by a shell splinter in the left leg.

Comrades nursed their commander on the field of battle, after which he was sent to Hospital No. 74, where he found himself for 3 months. After which Comr. TUZOV was returned to his unit.

Diagnosis: firearms wound with fracture to the shank of his left leg.

Relative to error with this word. Fact of wound proven to be true, Certificate No. 348(0?), issued by Hospital No. 74, 23 May 1943.

For fulfillment of his duty before the homeland and as a result of the heavy wound, deserves to be decorated with a government decoration, with the Medal ?For Valor.?

Kirovsky LocalVetCom, Murmansk, Major A. Grigoriev 3 December 1946

Recommend to award Junior Sergeant Tuzov, Aleksandr Fedorovich the Medal ?For Valor.?

Murmansk Oblast VetCom Colonel Kulikov 16 December 1946

Awarded Medal ?For Valor? by decree of the Presidium of the USSR 6.11.47"

Soooooooo, while vague and awkward, what this suggests to me is that SOMEBODY screwed up and got the initial report back from the hospital with an incorrect wound CODE and took that to indicate a

sel-inflicted

wound.

Why he wasn't then shot by mistake, is a miracle.

But the "confusion" seems to account for the dealy in his award.

I'm happy-- are you happy?

[Ed_Haynes]

Research in. Record card:

Certificate Б No 602941

1. Last name: TUZOV

2. First, middle names: Alexander Fedorovich

3. Military rank: Junior sergeant

4. Sex: Male

5. Year of birth: 1911

6. Place of birth: Vologd region, Ustyuzhensky district, Zalesye village

7. Party membership since: Non-party man

8. Education: Elementary

9. Nationality: Russian

10. In the Red Army since: September 1933 to November 1936; June 1941 to January 1946

11. Place of service (name of the unit) and position occupied when awarded: 348th marines artillery battalion of the Northern fleet ? squad commander

12. Current place of service and position: Murmansk, Regional planning commission - driver

13. Home address of the awardee: Murmansk, 39 Lenin Avenue, apt. 16

14. Record of previous awards

Names of orders, medals Their numbers Document numbers Ground for award

Checked

For Courage - 2279019 Perm. cert. Б-602941 - Decree of November 6, 1947

For the Defense of Soviet Zapolyarye - Perm. cert.-E043936 - Decree of December 5, 1944

For the Victory Over Germany - Perm. cert.- Ф0398319 - Decree of May 9, 1945

For the Victory Over Japan - Perm. cert.- Г132466 - Decree of September 30, 1945

Signature of awardee (signed) ________________________

Data correctness

and signature of awardee Kirovsky district Military Commissariat of Murmansk

attested by: Lieutenant Colonel (signed) /Grigoryev/

February 13, 1948

[Ed_Haynes]

Recommendation:

AWARD CITATION

1. First, middle and last names Tuzov Alexander Fedorovich

2. Rank Junior Sergeant

3. Position, unit Commander of machine-gun section, 348th artillery machine-gun battalion, Marines, Northern Fleet.

Is recommended for the medal For Courage

4. Year of birth 1911

5. Nationality Russian

6. In the Red Army since Since November 1933 to December 1936, since May 1941 to August 1946 and since November, 1939 to November, 1940

7. Party membership Non-party

8. Participation in the civil war and other military actions aimed at the defense of the USSR and in the Patriotic War Karelia front since May, 1941 to February, 1944 Battles with Japan since September, 1944 to 1945

9. Wounds or contusions received during the Patriotic War Heavy missile wound on May 29, 1943

10. Previous awards Medal for Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 and medal for Victory Over Japan

11. Drafted by what district military commissariat Kirovsky district military commissariat, Murmansk, June 16, 1941

12. Permanent home address (of the prospective awardee and his family) Murmansk, 39 Lenina avenue, apt. 16

Place of birth Vologda region, Ustuzhinsky district, Zalesye village

I. Brief description of personal feat or merits

On May 28, 1943, the 2d machine-gun section of the 3d machine-gun company received an order to destroy an enemy?s machine-gun emplacement. Junior Sergeant Tuzov together with soldiers of his section crossed a neutral zone and approached the front line of enemy?s defensive position. Under cover of coming darkness soldiers of Junior Sergeant Tuzov bombarded the enemy?s machine-gun emplacement with grenades. When they were falling back the enemy brought down heavy gun-fire. At this moment Junior Sergeant Tuzov was heavily wounded in the left leg with bomb splinters. Comrades carried their commander from the battle-field. Afterwards he was directed to Hospital №74 where he stayed for 3 months. Then comrade Tuzov was directed to his unit.

Diagnosis: missile wound accompanied with fracture of the left shin.

The report is made up according to narration. The wound is confirmed by certificate №3486 of May 28, 1943 issued by Hospital №74.

For fulfilling his duty to the Motherland and heavy wound received, Tuzov deserves to be recommended for the government award, the medal For Courage.

Kirovsky district military commissariat, Murmansk.

Major (signed) /A.Grigoryev/

December 3, 1946

II. Conclusion of the Higher Command

I intercede for awarding Junior Sergeant Tuzov Alexander Fedorovich with the medal For Courage

Murmansk district Military commissariat

Colonel (signed) /Kulikov/

December 16, 194

III. Conclusion of the Army Military Council

Awarded with the medal For Courage

under decree of the Presidium of Supreme Council of the USSR of November 6, 1947

IV. Conclusion of the Front Military Council

Deserves the government award, the medal For Courage

Commander-in-Chief

Belomorsky military district

Lieutenant-General (signed)

Military Council Member

Belomorsky military district

Major-General (signed)

January 16, 1947

V. Conclusion of the Award Commission of the People?s Commissariat of Defense

VI. Award Record

[kimj]

Too bad it didn't turn out to be what it claimed to be. But then again it turned out to be a pretty sweet citation to a man in what the Germans called Black Death, the soviet marines. Plus it's a "polar" group, which is rare. In fact I had two bars I was thinking of selling. One had the Polar defence medal so I decided to keep it just because of that. (WW2 action close to Sweden is one of my collecting interests.) Wouldn't that be ironic if that bar is a put-together bar to a guy fighting in southern Europe... Well, research will follow on that one.

You also got some nice citations on the Glories. Congratulations!

/Kim

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Kim. And, again, thanks for letting me adopt these.

[Ed_Haynes]

As "restored", to find an early (I hope) place on the wall for display.

[new world]

Ed,

the bar had Partisan medal.

To my understanding partisans are not researchable, as they were part of NKVD system, which is different archive than Podolsk and remains closed at the moment.

The fact that you've got your research back - was sure indicator that bar wasn't legit, even before looking at transaltion.

William

[Ed_Haynes]

Absolutely, William.

My gamble on the research was:

1- If it doesn't come back, I'll know the chances of it being good increase.

2a- If it does come back, at least I'll know what it was awarded for.

2b- And I'll know that the group was bad.

2c- But I'll know.

3- And now I know and I am not at all unhappy.

The initial "group" has been disassembled (something that gnaws at me, but it this case was an ethical and historical necessity).

[new world]

That's one constructive line of thought.

Congrats on nice citation for Bravery medal!

William