Soviet Samantha Smith

[Hauptmann]

Hi all,

This has been nagging at me for a long time. Samantha Smith, the 10 year old girl from Maine who wrote to then (November 1982) Soviet leader Yuri Andropov about the possiblity of nuclear war:

"Dear Mr. Andropov,

My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren't please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight.

Sincerely,

"Samantha Smith" "

He wrote back and invited her and her family to tour the Soviet Union which they did. I remember alot about all this. Seems to me I remember her being awarded a Soviet medal or Order. I've tried looking on the web but so far no mention of it.

Does anyone know if she was perhaps awarded the Order of Friendship? Would have made perfect sense and been well within the rules for awarding one... at least I believe so.

Many thanks!

Dan

[Christophe]

Hi Dan,

Interesting subject...

I have not found any trace of a medal awarded to her.

In her honor, a Statue was erected, Maine has issued a proclamation that every first Monday in June is known as Samantha Smith Day, the Soviet government issued the commemorative stamp you posted, a diamond, a cultivar of tulips, dahlias and of echinopsis, a vessel and a mountain were named in Samantha Smith's honor, and when Soviet astronomer L.I. Chernykh discovered asteroid 3147, she named it 3147 Samantha. No trace of an award... But it would have been logical, I agree...

Look at the hereafter picture. She seesm to wear a small medal, probably a badge...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Ulsterman]

I don't think so. No.

I saw her plane go down in 1985. It flew right over my head as it descended towards the Auburn airport.

A couple of minutes later every siren in the Lewiston-Auburn area went off and the fire trucks headed towards the airport.

Her mother is a financial backer of the "Seeds of Peace" camp in Maine.

[Lapa]

Dan,

I never heard or read anything about her being awarded a State medal or order.

I know that she received a tea service custom made at LFZ as a gift from Andropov.

Marc