Soviet Soviet awards for Afghanistan War (1979-1989)

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Let`s make a special thread exclusively devoted to these interesting awards

A good start will be a statistical review

Total number of awards (with the exception of HSS) is 202 292

Including

Order of Lenin 103

Order of the October Revolution 15

Suvorov 1st class 1

Kutuzov 1st class 1

Order of the Red Banner 2004

Order of the Red Banner of Labour 3

Order of Red Star 52 387

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 1st class 1

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 2nd class 118

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 3rd class 20 741

Medal for Courage/Bravery 48 690

Medal for Battle Merit/Military Merit 76 221

Medal for Labour Valour 1188

Medal for Distinguished Labour 819

+

Hero of the Soviet Union 85 (28 posthumous)

Edited October 19, 2013 by JapanX

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Number of awards by year

Order of Lenin

Edited October 19, 2013 by JapanX

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Order of the October Revolution

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Suvorov 1st class

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Kutuzov 1st class

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Order of the Red Banner

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Order of the Red Banner of Labour

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Order of Red Star

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 1st class

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 2nd class

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Order for Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR 3rd class

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Medal for Courage/Bravery

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Medal for Battle Merit/Military Merit

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Medal for Labour Valour

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Medal for Distinguished Labour

JapanX · October 19, 2013

If you have any additional info (or corrections), please don`t be shy

Next stop - individual awards and groups :cheers:

Paul R · October 19, 2013

I cannot wait to see the groupings. I have a uniform with ribbon bar if that counts?

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Me too!

Dear colleagues, if you have Afghan groups or individual awards in your collection, please post them in this thread!

Paul R · October 19, 2013

Here is the uniform. Airborne Medical Officer.

Ferdinand · October 19, 2013

Order of the Red Star nr. 3732590 was awarded by Decree of January 23, 1984 to the 20- or 21-year-old Private Tazhibai Mirzaraimovich Imamberdiyev (Тажибай Мирзараимович Имамбердыев), mechanic / driver of an infantry fighting vehicle in the 37th Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment, 5th Guards Motorized Rifle Division, 40th Army.

He had joined up in May 1982 and was discharged in 1984, being a "disabled veteran of the 2nd category". This was his only award.

He has been serving in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan since November 1982.

During his period of service in the regiment he showed himself from his positive side. He is a disciplined, hard-working, and dutiful soldier. He conscientiously dedicates himself to his military duties. He took part in 19 combat operations aimed at liquidating gangs of insurgents in the provinces of Ghōr and Farah and the city of Herat.

In July 1983 he carried out a mission to escort a group of Afghan elders from the town of Chakcharan. When he was on his way to them, an attack of a gang of insurgents took place. Having properly assessed the situation, he drove his infantry fighting vehicle over rough terrain to the insurgents' flank, enabling the gun layer to strike the enemy firing positions.

On September 15, 1983 two infantry fighting vehicles, including his, were given orders by the battalion commander to inspect locations near the town of Chakcharan where the insurgents were presumably creating diversions. While returning to the battalion's permanent deployment location, one of the vehicles drove onto a mine and the group was fired upon by insurgents. Severely wounded, he continued firing his submachine gun, covering his comrades, who were repairing the damaged vehicle, and displayed bravery, fortitude, and decisiveness. During this battle he personally killed three insurgents.

Conclusion: For bravery and courage, displayed while carrying out missions assigned to him by unit command, he deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Ferdinand · October 19, 2013

Order of the Red Star nr. 3766134 was awarded by Decree of May 26, 1986 to the 19- or 20-year-old Private Valery Semyonovich Lis (Валерий Семенович Лис), a scout / machine gunner in the 177th Motorized Rifle Regiment, 108th Motorized Rifle Division, 40th Army.

Lis joined the Army in 1984 or 1985. By late 1966 he was back at home and started working as a lathe operator in a factory in Leningrad. This Red Star was his only decoration.

He has been serving in the Democratic Republic of Afghanistan since 1985. Since that moment he has repeatedly participated in escorting columns of cargo trucks, he took part in 6 successful ambushes to gather intelligence, and he was part of a reserve group that repaired the damage caused to a pipeline by sabotage. In the process he displayed boldness, decisiveness, bravery and courage.

On December 18, 1985 he and his reconnaissance platoon took part in an intelligence-gathering mission near the town of Takhtasang. With his accurate and effective fire he hit several enemy firing positions. In the course of the fighting he was wounded, but he overcame his pain, noticed an insurgent attempting to take cover in the mountains, and started to pursue him. Under fire by insurgents he displayed bravery and courage, and with his accurate fire he severely wounded the insurgent, subsequently capturing him as well as his gun.

Conclusion: For bravery, fortitude and courage, displayed while carrying out his international duty, he deserves to be awarded the Order of the Red Star.

Edited October 19, 2013 by Ferdinand

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Excellent citation and attractively salty red star Ferdinand! :beer:

JapanX · October 19, 2013

Airborne Medical Officer.

You don't see these every day Paul! :cheers:

Especially with "for courage" on the chest ;)

RedMaestro · October 21, 2013

Thanks, All, for your contributions - Nick for starting the thread and the informative graphics, Paul for the lovely uniform, and Auke for the outstanding Red Stars! :beer:

Nick or Auke, do you have statistics for posthumous Afghanistan awards and/or awards (all) by rank? I remember reading somewhere about award distributions in these terms. In particular, I recall a claim that half of all Red Stars were awarded posthumously, of which most were to privates; the other half went primarily to (living) officers. Any response to that?

For the record, there are a few Afghan awards posted here from way back...