Soviet How Many OPWs CAN You Wear, Comrade?

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

Here are some photos that were sent to me by a seller I'm dealing with (Zozlo) who thought our members might enjoy them.

I actually just realized there are only two pics... the "third" being a closeup of the group shot. If a moderator could please correct the title I'd appreciate it.

The first is an individual officer in greatcoat, the other being a group showing alot of gongs:

I particularly like this one from the group shot which shows a five time OGPW awardee! Being one who loves and has an ever breeding collection of OGPW's I thought this one was the best.

Many thanks Zozlo!

Dan :cheers:

Edited July 15, 2008 by Hauptman

[Guest Rick Research]

:Cat-Scratch:

:cheers:

[Paul R]

Is this the highest number known awarded to an individual?

[Hauptmann]

Is this the highest number known awarded to an individual?

Hi Paul,

Zozlo had sent me over this additional information. Was hoping he'd post it as I suggested same but I think he hit the bed before he got my next email. Here's what he said in reference to this:

"The Only Information That We Can Mention That 5 Orders Of GPW Is The Maximum Number For One Person Ever, Also Second That For Nowadays Only 2 Such Knights Known With 5 GPW... Mamonov Ivan Ivanovich & Our Unkown Officer And The Third That This Guy Had All 5 "War" Orders, Not 1985 Anniversary..."

I'm assuming that's either all 2nds, or a combination of 1sts and 2nds. Interesting that he refers to these two individuals as Knights... assuming he means Cavaliers although I think "officially" in the Soviet awards system that those with all three classes of the Order of Glory and the Order of Labor Glory are referred to by that name/title.

Also, not sure if more could be worn if say either or both of these gents survived the war and made it to 1985 and were awarded one of the 85 issues... if that's a possibility then assuming a total of six including the 1985 issue.

But please, if any of our more learned members knows better please correct me on this.

I did manage to find this over at SAF by Alexscl, one of their Russian members:

"Patriotic War ? 5 orders ? 3 of 1st class and 2 of 2nd class ? HSU Fiodorov I.E.

Patriotic War 3 of 1st class ? General Major Jzilin A.N., HSU Colonel Goriachkin T.S."

Hoping someone can give us the answer to this.

Dan

[Ferdinand]

Interesting that he refers to these two individuals as Knights... assuming he means Cavaliers although I think "officially" in the Soviet awards system that those with all three classes of the Order of Glory and the Order of Labor Glory are referred to by that name/title.

'Kavaler' (Cavalier / Knight) is simply the Russian word for recipient / awardee.

[Paul R]

Thanks for the information, Dan. I bet that these two men had a ton of other orders to keep the five(or six) OPW company! Their uniforms must have weighed a ton with their awards!

[Ed_Haynes]

No record here, but this (rather spooky-looking) guy's photo just joined my files:

[Ed_Haynes]

Reverse:

[Guest Rick Research]

Actually, rather puts one in mind of the English actor Robert Shaw in his younger days. Construction troops Colonel Vasily Gavrilovich Novannik/Novanik Zhovannik/Zhovanik (take your pick--on there both ways), attested by Kiev Military District 28.7.60-- wearing the M1955 parade uniform superceded--by regulations--in 1958.

Now MY Triple OPW IS scary looking--

naval administrative Captain 1st Rank Leonid Pavelovich Pankratov on 13 December 1958:

My name is Drakkala. I vant to drink your bluuuud....

:speechless1:

Edited August 4, 2008 by Rick Research

[Noor]

And I sold the group what belonged to the one person, where was three Red Stars and two OPW-s (+ all his medals) just for few hundreds of euros in the end of 90-s! :speechless:

[Ed_Haynes]

You want 2 OPWs? See:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=5053

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=29980

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=23128

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=19797

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3222

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=6207

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3728

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=3938

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=4150

Some with multiple RBs. And, I am sure, there are others here? What is the threshold?

[Guest Rick Research]

NOT counting the 1985 jubilees-- REAL ones--

I'd say 2 "real" OPWs were fairly common for mid level officers but

3 seems levels of magnitude less common.

How about anybody with 3 or more? I've only got the Comrade Captain 1st Rank out of all the tossed out RVK file photos I pawed through in the 1990s. :rolleyes:

[ANZAC]

Try these couple. I have no idea what the reverse says on these three pics though.

Brendan

[ANZAC]

and the back....

[ANZAC]

number 2....

[ANZAC]

and the back of number 2...

[ANZAC]

and the last one.....

[ANZAC]

and the back of number three...

[Lapa]

...Construction troops Colonel Vasily Gavrilovich Novannik/Novannik (take your pick--on there both ways), attested by Kiev Military District 28.7.60-- wearing the M1955 parade uniform superceded--by regulations--in 1958...

Rick,

I believe that it is Zhovanik, Vasily Gavrilovich.

Marc

[Guest Rick Research]

Marc-- of course!

Absolutely correct!

This is what happens with having one eye and eeverrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrybody posts alllllllllllllllllll their Cyrillic when it is night time where I am, sitting here in the dark because this is the only room in the house all my computer clutter fits into.

Brendan (iut being daylight here in the swamp )--

1) Guards Cpatian Krasov, attested 17.12.45 by 276th Artillery Brigade.

2) artillery Colonel Aleksandr Matveevich Yarov attested by 689th Howitzer Artillery Regiment (pre 1948)

3) very same fellow (and congratulations on two to the same person at different times ), same rank, attested July 1952 by 10th Guards Mechanized Division.

Notice that Colonel Yarov has NOT updated his screwback Red Banner-- he has "hidden" it in second place under an EMPTY ribbon on his medal bar.

[Wild Card]

...but where is his Red Star?

[Guest Rick Research]

Broken and embarassed to wear it?

Didn't like to disturb the feng shui arrangement?

[ANZAC]

Thanks Ricks. Nice pick up on the Red Banner as well! I was unsure about the pics being of the same person, but now I know

Brendan

[ANZAC]

Another one you maybe interested in. A photo of the same person 12 months apart along with his 3 OGPWs

Brendan

[ANZAC]

and the back....