Soviet Party On, Comrade Dude!

[Guest Rick Research]

First up, Comrade Parade Attender on active duty between 1975 (jubilee) and 1978 (no jubilee).

Our recent convert will notice Mongolian: Polar Star Order, Military Merit Medal, 1969 Khalkin Gol jubilee, 1971 Republic and Army jubilees, 1975 Victory Over Japan jubilee, and just for a little different catered lunch, Bulgarian 1974 army jubilee at the bottom.

As a 20 years long service medal holder, one of his Soviet MMMs and ORSs are for 10 and 15 years respectively. Notice that there are THREE Red Stars on this one, along with an early OSH3.

This was worn on his summer gray dress tunic:

(24 ribbons... and counting )

[Guest Rick Research]

Next up, still on active duty between 1982 (last jubilee I can identify) and 1985 (no WW2 jubilees of that year)

I know, I know... that THIRD Red Star has been REPLACED here by a Red Banner of Labor. I can't explain it either. Unlike the tidal wave of fraudulent parts bars out there, these are originals, removed from tunics-- and I can't imagine that there were TWO World War Two veterans with the same Soviet wartime awards and only a Capture of K?nigsberg Medal, who joined the Red Army between 1937 and 1941... and crisscrossed the same Bolshevik Buffet circuit.

Here he has added the Soviet Brotherhood in Arms Medal (for valor during catered ceremonial lunches in friendly socialist nations with uncertain kitchen hygiene), Mongolian 1981 army jubilee, Bulgaria's 1982 Georgy Dmitrov Centennial Medal, the DDR's Brotherhood in Arms Medal 1st Class, and a final Bulgarian ribbon unknown to me which does NOT appear on the excellent Ribbons of the World website:

http://www.medals.lava.pl/index.htm

54 ribbons... and counting

[Guest Rick Research]

And the last installment. Our Travelling Party Attendee is now officially retired (Veteran of the Armed Forces), dating between 1985 (victory jubilee and jubilee OPW1 added to his real one) and 1988 (no jubilee).

His Soviet decorations are the same. But last in the third row from the bottom now appears a Mongolian 1981 Republic jubilee rather than the Army jubilee from ribbon bar two. Eh! All those clinky thingies look alike... and usually can't tell what ribbon goes with what anyway, Comrade Voentorg Tailor! Here his Bulgarians (I am still wondering about the bizarre Sofia-to-Ulan Bator flight "loop" ) are nicely consolidated and...

what's THAT we see in last place?

can it be...

the North Vietnamese Ho Chi Minh Order????????

88 ribbons: 1 Comrade.

[Guest Rick Research]

Omigawurd!!! Zee brain, he is turn to MOOSH---

here at my house since June 9, 2003:

slightly larger for service tunic, falls between the also 24 ribbons 1975-78 set (only that summer gray dress having THREE Red Stars) and the 30 ribbons from THIS same time period, 1978-85, all to the same well travelled Comrade!

112 and... counting??????

because I missed OUT on this one, back in June 2003-- ALSO on gray summer tunic backing, adding the 1978 jubilee to mine above but removing the 20 years-- for a tidy BLOCK with no danglies? Where oh where is THIS one now?

[Guest Rick Research]

MANY thanks are always due to Lukasz Gaszewski, whose ever helpful world ribbons website

http://www.medals.lava.pl/index.htm

just now turned up the last ribbon in post #2 above/3rd from last in post #3 above.

=

(tadaaaahhhhh!!!)

The CUBAN version of the Brotherhood in Arms medals:

? Lukasz Gaszewski: