Pravda Posted January 3, 2014 Posted January 3, 2014 Does anyone know how many Friendship Medals went to Soviet military personnel, specifically veterans of the GPW? Thank you in advance! Pravda
JapanX Posted January 4, 2014 Author Posted January 4, 2014 Does anyone know how many Friendship Medals went to Soviet military personnel... In a nutshell - the lion's share. But no exact number is known to me. 18 000 were manufactured in toto. Maximum number that is known to me is 11 852 (I guess medals within 12000-18000 range are still in the vaults of Central Bank of Mongolia ... at least theoretically ) We know that only 60 Mongolians were awarded with this medal + approximately 260 medals went to Bulgaria, DDR and Vietnam.
JapanX Posted January 4, 2014 Author Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) ...specifically veterans of the GPW? Since this medal was issued to organizations and individuals "for outstanding contributions and merits in strengthening brotherly friendship" - there were no special large-scale after war awardings specifically for veterans of GPW. Usually we find this medal on the chest of officer that served in 60s-80s with 39th Soviet Army that was located on the territory of Mongolia. Naturally some of these officers were veterans of GPW. Edited January 4, 2014 by JapanX
JapanX Posted January 4, 2014 Author Posted January 4, 2014 (edited) By the way, guys who served in 39th Army have their own forum (quite interesting threads can be found there) http://mongol.su/forum/index.php?board=2.0 And they even issued their own badge in commemoration of this service! http://mongol.su/forum/index.php?topic=316.0 Edited January 4, 2014 by JapanX
Bob Posted January 4, 2014 Posted January 4, 2014 By the way, guys who served in 39th Army have their own forum (quite interesting threads can be found there) http://mongol.su/forum/index.php?board=2.0 And they even issued their own badge in commemoration of this service! http://mongol.su/forum/index.php?topic=316.0 Thanks for the link! Will do some exploring there on a rainy sunday!
Pravda Posted January 5, 2014 Posted January 5, 2014 Japan X, Thank you for the in-depth responses. I had not thought of the Soviet troops actually based in Mongolia. That might explain it the ones I have been seeing whose names don't come up on podvignaroda. I wish there was a way to search names in the 39th. Do we know if these officers were also issued other anniversary and jubilee medals as well? Thanks, Will
Tsend Posted January 5, 2014 Posted January 5, 2014 (edited) Japan X, Thank you for the in-depth responses. I had not thought of the Soviet troops actually based in Mongolia. That might explain it the ones I have been seeing whose names don't come up on podvignaroda. I wish there was a way to search names in the 39th. Do we know if these officers were also issued other anniversary and jubilee medals as well? Thanks, Will Yes, the officers of the 39th army were awarded with the Mongolian People's Army and People's revolution anniversary medals. But compared to the total number of the officers that used to serve, a fraction was ever awarded. Since People's and Army revolution medals were instituted on a decade by decade basis, only those who happened to be serving and also working closely with the Mongolian counterparts were awarded. Those who happened to be serving in the "mid-term" period usually were not awarded as they were posted for 2-3 years. Edited January 5, 2014 by Tsend
Tsend Posted January 5, 2014 Posted January 5, 2014 Yes, the officers of the 39th army were awarded with the Mongolian People's Army and People's revolution anniversary medals. As for the GPW veterans, the veterans of the "Revolutionary Mongolia" tank brigade and "Mongolian arat-people" air squad have been awarded with the Nairamdal medal. These two combat units received tanks and fighter planes made on the donations of the Mongolian people during the GPW. The Mongolian Government had a very special relations with these two units and a number of Mongolian pins marking the anniversary of these two units were also issued. Both units were also awarded with the Mongolian Combat awards. Not to mention many officers and soldiers awarded with the combat awards during the GPW.
JapanX Posted January 9, 2014 Author Posted January 9, 2014 I wonder what number this medal has on its reverse Mrs. Courtney Engelke and her Nairamdal (issued on 29th September of 2011)
JapanX Posted January 9, 2014 Author Posted January 9, 2014 Full story can be found here http://english.news.mn/content/81979.shtml
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