Soviet The Spy Who DIDN'T Come In From The Cold

[Guest Rick Research]

Well, when I can't own 'em, at least I get to scan 'em going on by:

Here is an official replacement of the issued screwback exhanged for a post-1943 regulations Order of the Red Banner, number 25,228. When researched, because it was State Security, all that came back was his Award Records Card and the name/rank/position Ukaz for this:

[attachmentid=20857]

Page 1 with his basic personal information (all we've got, at this point)

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Although this was Very Early Days for the Cold War, for those of us old enough to REMEMBER the Bad Old Days of the "hot" Cold War, this sends goosebumps up and down.

"The Spy Who Came In From The Cold," "Funeral In Berlin" and on and on and on.

[Guest Rick Research]

[attachmentid=20859]

Per the Award Records Card and Ukaz (names, ranks, positions only) for Order of the Red banner #25,228 (a M1943 end of WW2 suspension replacement for the issued screwback Order):

Grigory Aleksandrovich Mel?nikov, Major General (State Security), was born 1898 in the city of Senserevo, Tazhchevsky Raion, Yaroslavsky Oblast. Russian ethnicity, primary education, in the Red Army since 1918, and member of the CPSU since 1919.

At the time his award Records Card was filled out by the Administration of MGB (then-name of what became the KGB) in Germany 12 August 1948, Major General Mel?nikov was ?Deputy Attach? of the MGB of the USSR in Germany.? He could be reached at Field Post Address 62076.

Awards shown are:

ORB # 343,025 on 24.11.50 (for 30 years service)

ORB # 25,228 on 10.11.41 (as Major of State Security, Commanding NKVD of 13th Army)

OPW1 # 24,255 on 3.6.44

ORB # 141,246 on 3.11.44 (for 20+ years service)

O Lenin # 22,633 on 21.2.45 (for 25+ years service)

O Kutuzov2 # 1,962 on 6.4.45

O Suvorov2 # 1,442 on 31.5.45

MMM # 61,619 on 26.4.40

ORBL # 61,601 on 24.6.48

Medal for Victory Over Germany

Medal for Capture of Berlin

Medal for Liberation of Warsaw

Medal for XX Years in the WPRA in 1938

(Polish) Order of the Cross of Gr?nwald 2nd Class 24.4.46

(Polish) Order ?Virtuti Militari? Vth Class also on 24.4.46

(Polish) Medal for Warsaw on 27.6.48

(Polish) Medal for Oder, Neisse, Baltic also on 27.6.48

So he was still in the MGB in 1950. I'd bet even money he would have been purged in 1953 after Stalin's death. For somebody who sent who knows how many innocent thousands to THEIR deaths, he probably got off on a pension.

Stories like this can never be more than one chapter out of a life.

[Steen Ammentorp]

Thanks for a very interesting post as I didn't have his year of birth. According to my information he was promoted Major-General on 25th September 1944, so he actually recieved the general's rank before the rain of general ranks being granted to NKVD officers in July 1945. Again according to my information he died in July 1972.

He will be included in the next update of my database.

Kind Regards

Steen Ammentorp

The Generals of World War II

[Guest Rick Research]

You continue to amaze me with all the information you have!

Happy New Year, and we'll keep them coming-- one at a time, anyway!!!

wartime shoulder board for a Major General of State Security:

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on M1943 white summer Kitel tunic:

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[Danny]

Great stuff Guys, simply great. Very informative.

[Mondvor]

Just found this topic, sorry for late reply. But better later than never

Have small piece of information about Melnikov. He received his first Red Banner 25228 in a rank of Major of State Security and in a position of the Head of Special Department (Osobij Otdel) of NKVD of 13th Army.

The rank of Major of State Security was corresponding to Kombrig in 1939-40, later it corresponded to something between Colonel and Major-General. Special ranks for NKVD officers were canceled in 1945.

Edited May 11, 2006 by MONDVOR

[Guest Rick Research]

Is he lisred and a photo shown in the 1999 State Security generals book?

Meльников, Григорий Aлeксaндрович

I just saw a nifty Partisan/Volor photo Ids group to a Ninja Natasha is the Special Special "1st Motor Rifles Brifade." I hadn't realized that "special" meant