Soviet Sergeant Oleg Alexandrovich Baklan

[Ed_Haynes]

Not much to show in these dark, hungry days, but a researched (but undocumented) group. Just in. Happy holidays to me!

Ukrainian, born 1965, in the Soviet Army since 1983.

Sapper, assistant platoon commander, 181st Motorized Infantry Regiment, 108th Motorized Division, 40th Army, Turkestan Military District.

Red Star #3774119, MMM unnumbered.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Award record card 1, obverse.

[Ed_Haynes]

The reverse.

[Ed_Haynes]

The MMM recommendation.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Part 2.

With translation:

Military Merit Medal w/o #, by order of Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 23 April 1985

Military Merit Medal Recommendation

In Democratic Republic of Afghanistan since March 1984. During this time he took part in four large-scale and eighteen small-scale combat missions (aimed mainly at intelligence data verification and escorting of various convoys), where he proved to be courageous and stirring soldier.

On November 11, 1984 while being a member of the advance squad Junior Sergeant Baklan despite great risk to his life under enemy fire cleared a part of the road by disabling one large IED and four anti-tank mines. As a result of that the convoy was able to proceed, escaping the area of strong enemy fire.

For bravery and courage shown while on the international friendship mission helping brotherly Afghani people Jr. Sgt Baklan deserves to be awarded with Military Merit medal.

November 12, 1984 Regimental Commander, Lt. Col. Rozhkov

[Ed_Haynes]

Up the chain of command.

[Ed_Haynes]

And.

[Ed_Haynes]

And award record card 2.

[Ed_Haynes]

The reverse.

[Ed_Haynes]

And the recommendation, part 1.

Edited December 16, 2008 by Ed_Haynes

[Ed_Haynes]

Part 2, with translation.

Red Star # 3774119, by order of Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from 21 March 1986

Red Star Recommendation

In Democratic Republic of Afghanistan since March 1984. During this time he took part in ten large-scale mission aimed at destruction of rebel bands. Personally cleared and destroyed 238 of enemy IEDs. While doing that he showed personal courage, bravery and sensible initiative.

On October 4, 1985 while being the head of weapon hideout search group Sgt. Baklan was working on area demining and found a sizeable enemy weapon depot with large amount of munitions and medical supplies. The most valuable trophies captured in that hideout were two anti-aircraft guns and one recoilless rifle.

For personal bravery and courage well beyond the call of duty Sgt Baklan deserves to be awarded with order of the Red Star.

[Ed_Haynes]

The papers and shuffled.

[Ed_Haynes]

And, finally . . . .

[Ed_Haynes]

As always, all wisdom and comments appreciated. The (very) limited translations I gave above are all I have, but they sketch out the big picture.

[Guest Rick Research]

EXCELLENT! Glad to see that all hope is NOT lost!

He was screwed with the MMM-- should have been a Valor Medal-- but they seemed to have averaged things out with the Red Star.

Again as with other Afghan War groups, there seems to be a systematic pattern of UNDER decorating-- at least at the levels of soldiers we have seen.

If I'm reading the Red Star Award Record Card correctly, he was a "roughener" (?) at a tire repair (?) factory in Nikolaev back in civilian life.

[Chuck In Oregon]

That's a terrific group. Thanks for sharing it with us. I'm going to show it to an Afghan War vet friend in Tbilisi next month. I know he'll be interested. Clearing IEDs is not for the faint of heart.

As always, fine soldiers can and do bravely serve lesser masters.

Chuck

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Rick and Chuck. And it all sounds very familiar . . . .

Plus ?a change, plus c'est la m?me chose.

[Paul R]

This is the first soley Afghan grouping I have ever seen. Another amazing set Ed! I am envious of this one...

:cheers:

[Ed_Haynes]

Thanks, Paul. Though, actually, I have been able to get several groups (and singles). They're scattered around in this sub-forum.

For example:

-- Colonel Leon Aleksandrovich Gaylish. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=26265

-- Senior Ensign Anatoli Zakharovich Basovich. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11060

-- Private Nikolai Aleksandrovich Popovskii. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11063

[Paul R]

Thanks, Paul. Though, actually, I have been able to get several groups (and singles). They're scattered around in this sub-forum.

For example:

-- Colonel Leon Aleksandrovich Gaylish. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=26265

-- Senior Ensign Anatoli Zakharovich Basovich. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11060

-- Private Nikolai Aleksandrovich Popovskii. See: http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=11063

Yes, but this one is a conscript who's entire service time(outside of training) was in Afghanistan. I had forgotten about the grouping for Private Nikolai Aleksandrovich Popovskii though... That is another great one. Do groupings with Afghan service go for a higher premium these days?

[Guest Rick Research]

Yup. Disvisional commander Vozhachenko who SHOULD have gotten a Red Banner or Lenin (an early playing down of awards)--

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=1937...;hl=Vozhachenko

and a COMBAT Service to the Homeland to Lt Tretyak:

http://gmic.co.uk/index.php?showtopic=2940

[Ed_Haynes]

Do groupings with Afghan service go for a higher premium these days?

Absolutely. And as most veterans are still alive, they are especially hard to come by. And I have no clue how it is that THIS research is possible, while most research for still-living-in-1991 GPW veterans never came to the central archives.

[Paul R]

Absolutely. And as most veterans are still alive, they are especially hard to come by. And I have no clue how it is that THIS research is possible, while most research for still-living-in-1991 GPW veterans never came to the central archives.

That thought crossed my mind as well. Maybe those men you were able to research were KIA?

[Ed_Haynes]

Maybe those men you were able to research were KIA?

No evidence for that. In some cases, I know the medals came from the veterans direct to My Source.

[Gordon Craig]

Ed,

Really interesting to see this Afghanistan award grouping. For some reason it never occured to me to look for groupings for this time frame. Flights helmets and uniforms yes. Now I have to start on a new search pattern.

Regards,

Gordon