Soviet 1968 "Operation Danube" Order of the Red Banner

[Guest Rick Research]

After September 1957, Red Banners were dropped as 20 and 30 years long service awards, and once again became--at least supposedly-- valor awards.

This is serial number 552,020

It was authorized 21 February (suspiciously, perhaps, Red Army Day) 1969 in a "Zh" 1967 printed Orders Book issued 25 March 1969, which brought over what was almost certainly a 10 years service award of an unnumbered Military Merit Medal (previously would have been in its own Medals Book) on 26 October 1955:

[Guest Rick Research]

The recipient was Grigory Yakovlevich Gordienko:

His name page faces the usual spot for a photo, which here doesn't bear the usual "Valid Without Photograph" stamp, nor has it any line for the bearer's signature--

The 1955 MMM seems to indicate that he joined in 1944. So in 1969 he would have had 25 years of active duty, and presumably been a Lieutenant Colonel or full Colonel.

Assuming a slight delay in processing the paperwork, this would have been for SOMETHING in...

1968

Needless to say, this is next on my list of To Be Researched!

[NavyFCO]

Well... this would be easier if my scanner worked! Darn it!

Well, this is about as good as we'll get for this evening. WOW though!

Look at his title: Deputy Commander, 108th Guards Parachute Assault Regiment, 7th Guards Airborne Division!

WOWWWWWWWWW!

Dave

Edited January 25, 2006 by NavyFCO

[Ed_Haynes]

You are really enjoying this, aren't you, Dave?

[NavyFCO]

You are really enjoying this, aren't you, Dave?

You bet!

C'mon. It's not too often I get cool stuff. Gotta enjoy it while I can...

Now, back to the scanner... cough cough sputter sputter..........

[NavyFCO]

A rather dashing looking fellow! I really hope Rick doesn't mind me posting his research but I do still technically own it...

[NavyFCO]

Allright guys. Enough of jerking the chain... Here it is!

Unfortunately, I'm REALLY slow at translating Russian words I don't know so we're going to have to wait for some better speakers to make a go at translating, but from what I can pick out.....

I'M IN LOVE!!!

Edited January 26, 2006 by NavyFCO

[NavyFCO]

AND...

Part TWO!!!

[Ed_Haynes]

Translation help for the illiterate, please . . . . .

Just a word or two, please.

Edited January 26, 2006 by Ed_Haynes

[NavyFCO]

Translation help for the illiterate, please . . . . .

Just a word or two, please.

Basically, he led his unit into CZECHOSLOVAKIA in 1968!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Way, way, way toooo cool. This is the first citation my researcher has ever seen for this operation. And to a paratrooper commander at that!!!

[Ed_Haynes]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOh

[Guest Rick Research]

Awwww, I wanted the Chief Proctologist for the Presidum!!!!

Short form because my weak eyes don't do good on Cyrillic in night time light at this keyboard...

Born in 1927, Ukrainian, called up 24 November 1944 from Yagotinsky Raion Military Commissariat but as a cadet for Sniper Readiness and so on no frontline WW2 service. No awards but his 1955 10 years MMM. Lt Col at time of ORB proposal. Address in 1969: Kompisky Ulitsa House 3 Apartment 18, Kaunas, Lithuania.

24.11.44 Cadet at District School for Rifles Sniper Readiness, city of Piryatik

15.9.45 Cadet at Independent Instruction Battalion of the 86th Rifles Division, city of Dnepro...

19.2.46 Cadet with Machinegun Platoon of Independent Instruction Battalion of the 86th Rifles Division, city of Kharkov

20.8.46 Cadet at the Kiev "Order of the Red Banner" Infantry School, city of Kiev

and photo taken of him at that point, 19 or 20 years old.

6.10.49 hmmm trouble with this line... parachute training

16.1.50 Infantry Platoon Commander in 356th Guards Parachute Regiment, 107th Gds Para Division

16.6.53 Deputy Commander of the Instructor Parachute Readiness Rifles Company, 356th/107th as above

21.3.55 Rifle Company Commander in 356th/107th as above

29.5.58 Rifle Company Commander, 114th Gds Para Rgt, 31st Gds Para Div

20.5.59 Rifle Company Commander, 350th Gds Para Rgt, 103rd Gds Para Div

31.3.61 Deputy Parachute Battalion Commander, 350th/103rd

26.4.66 Parachute Battalion Commander, 350th/103rd

9.12.67 Deputy Regimental Commander, 108th Gds para rgt, 7th Gds Para Div

24.2.69 Commander, 350th Parachute Regiment, 103rd Guards Parachute Division

until his retirement 25 September 1974. His promotions will be on the OTHER side of the paperwork.

"In the period of 'Operation Dunai' 21 August 1968, at the head of the foremost (...) of the division, first landed at the Ruzine aerodrome, he siezed/held (...) main parachute forces of the division.

Skillfully led units of the foremost detachments for seizing (objectives?) in the city, which secured the successful realization of objectives of the foremost forces (...) and division.

Personally led and seized the Presidential Palace, diplayed courage during this, military resourcefulness, the highest vigilance and political maturity and (...).

By personal example and the highest exactness secured/guaranteed firmness (....) objectives...

deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Commander of the 7th Guards 'Order of Kutuzov' Parchute Division, Guards Major General Gore(...) 4th December 1968"

Oh, poor Alexander Dubcek!!!!!!!

I remember the shock of this happening after the golden "Prague Spring."

[Ed_Haynes]

I remember the shock of this happening.

So do I. We are old, Rick, we are old.

Rarely does a medal link so directly to history as this one does.

[Guest Rick Research]

From "Inside the Blue Berets: A Combat History of Soviet & Russian Airborne Forces, 1930-1995" by Steven J. Zaloga:

On the night of 20 August 1968 an "Aeroflot" An-24 transport landed at Ruzyne, the Prague airport. It was the control craft for the imminent invasion.

A second "Aeroflot" plane soon landed and the "civilians" were met by Czech State Security loyal to Moscow, also in plain clothes. The airport was ordered closed at 2400 hours to all aircraft.

At 3:37 AM Tuesday 21 August 1968 two An-12 military transports landed (so there was no actual parachuting, these were "air landing" operations)with command staff of the 7th Gds Airborne Division, 7th Gds Aviation Transport Division, and 2nd Paratroop Assault Company of the 108th Guards Parachute Regiment. Said company (this would be Gordienko's personal action command) sealed off the airport in 15 minutes. KGB forces took over the control tower.

An-12 after An-12 of the Transport Division landed troops and armored vehicles.

Special assault groups were formed at 430AM from the 108th. Along with BRDM-2 antitank vehicles they landed with, two civilian tourist buses and four trucks at the airport were seized as sneakier transport through the pre-dawn Prague streets.

One column surrounded the Hradcany Palace and arrested President Ludovic Svoboda. That would be our Gordienko. The SECOND team, whose commander (a mere Lt!) IS named, went to Party Headquarters where THEY bagged Dubcek. By sheer coincidence most of the government was there, and were all arrested by the divisional political commissar as a Lt ripped the Kremlin "hotline" phone out of Dubcek's hand.

By 7 AM word had spread, and enraged Czech civilians were surrounding buildings, filling nearby streets so that the captives could not be brought back to Ruzyne airport. Two Czechs were shot dead by the second 108th group, leading to a standoff into that evening.

Following units of the 108th had set up antiaircraft and other heavy weapons, blocked roads, and seized Czech communications. Street barricades hindered Soviet operations, and when several armored vehicles were surrounded and the crowd attempted to destroy them with Molotov cocktails, the crews opened fire into the crowds. Other Soviet paratroopers now began firing on any moving Czech motor vehicles, since those were being driven in as barricades. Soviet fire into the barricades failed to do anything but start smoky vehicle fires, so eventually ASU-85s rammed through the obstructions.

This finally led to the radio station, which had been broadcasting appeals for help to the world (and who can forget that day, who lived through that news!!!) and shut down the last free Czech voices.

[NavyFCO]

Seeeee?

I toooooldjya that it was good!

[Paul R]

Good is an understatement!!! WOW

[Gerd Becker]

Holy Sh...

Great Stuff

[HuliganRS]

That's awesome!

I can actually relate more to this award since my father was one of the people that was shippied to the border in the anticipation of the invasion...

Rusty.

[Guest Rick Research]

Now, simply as an exercise before Dave sends along all the research and I type out my usual Full Length Epic and neaten up this thread to just the narrative:

bearing in mind that I do not and never have collected for "investment' and will never sell this while I am alive (and would like to be the first to try doing so after I am dead ), what would you guys "up" on the current retail Soviet market say

Paratrooper Colonel (I assume he made that grade afterwards) Gordienko's at the head of all Soviet forces, arresting the President of Czechoslovakia Red Banner set here is "worth?" if Your Favorite Dealer had it up for sale TODAY?

I haven't got a "big" Soviet group since January 2001, just odds and ends and medals partials. I am, frankly, horrified at what current asking prices are these days.

I need to Mentally readjust to Current Realities.

So what's the documented Gordienko pair with research "worth?" (THEN I will tell you what it cost me, heh heh heh. )

PS To again make clear, I am not and never will SELL. I just have no clear idea of what anybody else theoretically would PAY for such a thing in TODAY'S market.

[NavyFCO]

PS To again make clear, I am not and never will SELL. I just have no clear idea of what anybody else theoretically would PAY for such a thing in TODAY'S market.

Rick:

I know you'll never sell, so it's nice that you're leaving it to me in your will.

The value on this is extremely subjective. I think the market price would be whatever someone would be willing to pay for it.

For example, I'm willing to pay up to $1000 each for posthumous OGPW 1sts. Other folks might not pay $500 for them, if that. Those just happen to be what I collect, and I'm willing to pay a lot to get them as I don't plan on ever selling them. Same goes for Soviet awards to Americans... I'll pay stupid amounts to get them to ensure that I do.

For this Red Banner, there is probably a majority of collectors that wouldn't give you anything more than market value for it as it is, which is about $150-$175. One major dealer (who is a friend of mine) asked me to actually stop researching groups that I sell to him because his buyers don't like the research and refuse to pay extra for it!

With that said, because of the historical aspect of this Red Banner, were it on eBay, I'd bid well over $1000 for it. I'd probably stop bidding somewhere around $1200.... but you never know depending on my finances at the time. There may be others who appreciate it who might be willing to go more depending on the depth of their pockets.

My two cents (almost literally....)

Dave

P.S. He did retire as a Colonel. You should have the research Saturday or Monday.

[NavyFCO]

Just one thing to add... The price I'd be willing to pay is in no way connected with the price of the award in today's market. Were this two years ago and the Red Banner worth $50 with the document, I'd still give you the same amount. If Red Banners ever become excessively expensive and break the $300-$400 barrier, I would probably raise my "value" on it simply because of the relative value of it to "average" ones.

Dave

Edited January 26, 2006 by NavyFCO

[Guest Rick Research]

NOT do research????

That is what floors me about Magpie "Collectors." There are 580,000 Red Banners, give or take. There was ONE for the guy who grabbed the President of Czechoslovakia in the bitter summer of 1968.

I have NEVER understood the Who Cares It's Sparkly And Twinkly types.

If there is ONE item that shows what a difference there IS in research, it would be THIS>

one of my VERY few eBay purchases, BTW.

What say you other guys?

(Bearing in mind that, sadly for YOU no runner up prize guys, the Bequest is already accounted for. )

[NavyFCO]

I have NEVER understood the Who Cares It's Sparkly And Twinkly types.

If there is ONE item that shows what a difference there IS in research, it would be THIS>

That's why I'm on this forum... I enjoy like-minded people that actually appreciate the research rather than the fact that this is a "previously unseen Type X Variation X and the person it was awarded to doesn't matter." That's the reason I collect Soviet awards... you can actually KNOW how much the person sacrificed to earn the award they did.

Dave

[Gerd Becker]

This is a special case of an ORB in my opinion. I would be willing to pay up to 5 or 6 times, what another Type 4 Red Banner would go for (~100 Dollar)

Absolutely mindblowing research

[Digger Doug]

I'm with you guys when it comes to paying more for a researched piece that has important history attached to it. I once paid $240 for a common Red Star and OK back when a Red Star was $12 because it was awarded to the guy who destroyed that 88 you see in all those post battle pictures of the Reichstag. Friends who were with me at the OMSA convention where it came on the market thought I was a nut at the time - some of them who are strictly type collectors, still do.

I used to have in my collection a Suvorov 3rd awarded to an officer who's unit captured a Hungarian tank regiment and tanker school during the 1956 uprising. I still have the research if you guys ever want to see it. Man, I regret selling that one!