Soviet Slava 3s for the 2 ID

[slava1stclass]

To all:

Yet further proof of Allied solidarity during World War II/the Great Patriotic War.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[NavyFCO]

Very nice photo! Where did you find it?

[Christian Zulus]

Great photograph - thanks for sharing .

Is there a list of all the foreigners, who got a Glory 3cl - anyone, who got a Glory 2cl ?

Best regards

Christian

[NavyFCO]

Is there a list of all the foreigners, who got a Glory 3cl - anyone, who got a Glory 2cl ?

No. On both counts...

[slava1stclass]

Gents,

Reenergizing this long-dormant thread.

I just happened upon this image (it dates to November 10th, 2004) of WW II veteran Walter R. Bieder who was then 83. He passed away in July, 2008 at age 87. He finished the war with the rank of Technical Sergeant. He was a platoon sergeant in E Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division - the Big Red One.

He was awarded two Silver Stars; two Bronze Stars with "V" device for valor; three Distinguished (later Presidential) Unit Citations; the Combat Infantryman's Badge; seven campaign credits (with credit for two assault landings - Sicily and Normandy); the French and Belgian fourragerres; and the Soviet Order of Glory Third Class - "a medal from the Russians apparently for not missing a day in combat from Sicily to the war's end."

Here is TSgt Bieder's recollection of the circumstances surrounding his OGIII award: "When the fighting was over, I got decorated by the Russians. I didn’t even know it was coming. I didn’t know a thing about it. But one day I was told I was going to Pilsen (Czechoslovakia) to receive a decoration from the Russians. My Lt. heard that I was going to get a decoration and he couldn’t understand. He told the other sergeants, “What the hell did he do to deserve that? He don’t deserve it. I deserve it.” The guys told me all this when I come back from the decoration the next morning and at chowline for breakfast. He was standing up with the other officers and I had that medal on my shirt. I walked up to him and I took the medal, “I understand you deserve this medal more than me. Here, goddammit.” I stuck it on his shirt, and walked. Hutch was standing up there trying to keep from laughing. The Lt. took the medal and he was so mad he threw it on the ground. Him and I, we just didn’t get along. I wouldn’t have minded so much if the man knew what he was doing. I mean, you get some arrogant guys but they know what they’re doing. This guy didn’t know nothing."

A really great story.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[Rogi]

Great story and very little known history of US serviceman and USSR :D

[NavyFCO]

Here's a great article about him: http://www.defense.gov/news/newsarticle.aspx?id=24868

[NavyFCO]

I've known of this photo for probably close to 20 years now...but only found out about the recipient in this thread today. I was able to get in touch with a long time friend of Walter's this morning and supposedly, the family gave away the medals when Walter passed on. I was so trying to get the serial number from the Glory 3rd for my database! Darn!

[slava1stclass]

NavyFCO,

Are you referring to TSgt Bieder's picture (holding his awards case)?

Sorry, I didn't mean to infer that TSgt Bieder is one of the GIs seen in post #1 this thread. As best I know, those OGIII-decorated GIs are all 2nd ID soldiers; TSgt Bieder was in the 1st ID. I simply wanted to add Bieder as another U.S. Army OGIII awardee.

That said, since posting the image seen in post #1, I may now have an I.D. on the OGIII-decorated black soldier. I still need to run a few trap lines.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited October 31, 2014 by slava1stclass

[NavyFCO]

NavyFCO.

Are you referring to TSgt Bieder's picture (holding his awards case)?

Sorry, I didn't mean to infer that TSgt Bieder is one of the GIs seen in post #1 this thread. As best I know, those OGIII-decorated GIs are all 2nd ID soldiers; TSgt Bieder was in the 1st ID. I simply wanted to add Bieder as another U.S. Army OGIII awardee.

That said, since posting the image seen in post #1, I may now have an I.D. on the OGIII-decorated black soldier. I still need to run a few trap lines.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Aha...Sorry...I thought he was the guy next to the black fellow in the photo. My bad. Still, it would have been curious to get the number off Bieder's Glory 3rd...I don't have any prikazes to members of the 1st ID, and that would have helped.

I would absolutely LOVE to find out who the guys are in that photo and track down the black recipient. That would make an awesome JOMSA article, in my opinion. As far as I know, he's the only black recipient of a Soviet medal.

[slava1stclass]

NavyFCO,

Here are two wartime photos of TSgt Bieder from his hometown newspaper. The first was used in an article announcing his first Silver Star award (June, 1944). The second was used in an article announcing his first Bronze Star Medal with "V" device awarded for action in Belgium in September, 1944.

Returning to the possibility Bieder may be depicted in post #1 above, while Soviet field award presentations to U.S. soldiers may have involved mixed U.S. units, I think it more likely they were done with homogenous units. That said, the OGIII-decorated U.S. soldier furthest to the right appears to be wearing just a CIB - with a possible single service ribbon below it. At that point in time Bieder would have had two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star with "V", possibly an AGCM and a service ribbon to his credit.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited November 1, 2014 by slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

On ‎10‎/‎30‎/‎2014 at 21:20, slava1stclass said:

Gents,

Reenergizing this long-dormant thread.

I just happened upon this image (it dates to November 10th, 2004) of WW II veteran Walter R. Bieder who was then 83. He passed away in July, 2008 at age 87. He finished the war with the rank of Technical Sergeant. He was a platoon sergeant in E Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division - the Big Red One.

He was awarded two Silver Stars; two Bronze Stars with "V" device for valor; three Distinguished (later Presidential) Unit Citations; the Combat Infantryman's Badge; seven campaign credits (with credit for two assault landings - Sicily and Normandy); the French and Belgian fourragerres; and the Soviet Order of Glory Third Class - "a medal from the Russians apparently for not missing a day in combat from Sicily to the war's end."

Here is TSgt Bieder's recollection of the circumstances surrounding his OGIII award: "When the fighting was over, I got decorated by the Russians. I didn’t even know it was coming. I didn’t know a thing about it. But one day I was told I was going to Pilsen (Czechoslovakia) to receive a decoration from the Russians. My Lt. heard that I was going to get a decoration and he couldn’t understand. He told the other sergeants, “What the hell did he do to deserve that? He don’t deserve it. I deserve it.” The guys told me all this when I come back from the decoration the next morning and at chowline for breakfast. He was standing up with the other officers and I had that medal on my shirt. I walked up to him and I took the medal, “I understand you deserve this medal more than me. Here, goddammit.” I stuck it on his shirt, and walked. Hutch was standing up there trying to keep from laughing. The Lt. took the medal and he was so mad he threw it on the ground. Him and I, we just didn’t get along. I wouldn’t have minded so much if the man knew what he was doing. I mean, you get some arrogant guys but they know what they’re doing. This guy didn’t know nothing."

A really great story.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Gents,

  Here is an extract from the PSS decree that awarded TSgt Bieder his OGIII.  He is entry number 2.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited May 5, 2017 by slava1stclass