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    U.S. Army Decorations Awarded to Red Army Personnel in World War II


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    Navy time ;)

    I believe this is the very first cavalier of Navy Distinguished Service Medal in this thread.

    Unfortunately unidentified ...

    Only the year is known - 1943

    Gents,

    Ref post #168 this thread, JapanX answered his own question in posts #236 and #237. The Navy DSM winner depicted in post #168 is Michman Sergei Dmitrievich Kukushkin.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

    Edited by slava1stclass
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    Posts 275-277 above re Captain Stepan Nochnoy, his LOM appears to be the early silver version. The medals were made of silver/gilt early and changed to bronze/gilt later during the war. Admittedly his appears to be awarded after the war but at the division level rather than going to the President. SO maybe they had the old versions on the front.

    On the reverse picture the hanging devise appears black rather than dirty brown/gilt.

    GBH

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    Gents,

    The LM citation to Lt Col P. M. Bordekov (Degree of Officer) was offered at auction in June 2000. It did not sell at that time. The auction house's estimated value was $1,000.00 - $1,500.00. Lt Col Bordekov's Legion of Merit certificate dated April 9, 1946 signed by Robert P. Patterson, Truman's Secretary of War, was included.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Gents,

    Although we've seen a LM citation to a Red Army officer bearing President Roosevelt's signature (post #265 this thread), this is the first example I've come across of a LM certificate issued to a Red Army officer during his presidency.

    There are a couple of noteworthy points:

    1) Unlike the bevy of 1946 post-war catch-up LM certificates seen in this thread, this Roosevelt wartime certificate is a different version. Note the signature blocks: Secretary of War to the lower left and Commander-in-Chief (Roosevelt) to the lower right. On the post-war LM certificates, the signature blocks are: Adjutant General to the lower left and Secretary of War to the lower right.

    2) Unlike DSC, Silver Star and DFC certificates to Red Army personnel issued within two weeks of this LM certificate's date (see posts #37, #246 and #262 this thread), this LM certificate was typewritten in the font common to post-war LM certificates and was not executed in handwritten calligraphy.

    That said, a thought crossed my mind. It may be possible the handwritten calligraphy seen on the June 1944-dated DSC, Silver Star and DFC certificates was accomplished once the signed, but otherwise blank certificates, were received at U.S. Military Mission to Moscow. The three examples cited above were all presented at the August 22nd, 1944 ceremony at AMEMBASSY Moscow.

    Without further ado, the President Roosevelt-executed LM certificate (Degree of Officer) to Guards Major N. Z. Burchik.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Now that`s a nice citation

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    His Legion

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    Stepan Stepanovich

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    Posts 275-277 above re Captain Stepan Nochnoy, his LOM appears to be the early silver version. The medals were made of silver/gilt early and changed to bronze/gilt later during the war. Admittedly his appears to be awarded after the war but at the division level rather than going to the President. SO maybe they had the old versions on the front.

    On the reverse picture the hanging devise appears black rather than dirty brown/gilt.

    GBH

    Gents,

    Captain S. S. Nochnoy's LM certificate and citation.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Gents,

    LM certificate to Colonel D. M. Vescikov. The citation for his LM reads, "Colonel Dimitri M. Vescikov, Red Army, displayed exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services as Commanding Officer, 928th Infantry Regiment. His personal courage and skillful tactical employment of his forces contributed to the defeat of the enemy in Europe in May 1945."

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Gents,

    Ref post #168 this thread, JapanX answered his own question in posts #236 and #237. The Navy DSM winner depicted in post #168 is Michman Sergei Dmitrievich Kukushkin.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

    Keen observation ...

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    Gents,

    LM certificate to Guards Colonel N. N. Gladkoff. The citation for his LM reads, "Colonel Nickolai Nickolovitch Gladkoff, 20th Budapest Guards Infantry Corps, Red Army, displayed exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services, contributing materially to the success of combined operations in Europe."

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Gents,

    LM set to Guards Colonel A. M. Bondurenko. It sold for $976.00 (including premium) at a Bonham's auction on June 23rd, 2010.

    His citation reads, "Colonel of the Guards Alexander Dmitrovitch Bondurenko, 39th Guard Infantry Corps, Red Army, performed outstanding services with military efficiency, complete understanding and willing cooperation, contributing materially to the success of combined operations in Europe."

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Gents,

    Another example of a Roosevelt-executed LM set (Degree of Officer) to Lt Col P. M. Sidorchuk. Like the Roosevelt-approved LM to Guards Major Burchik (post #284 this thread), this one was also signed on June 26th, 1944.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

    Edited by slava1stclass
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    After detailed re-research I have found that the Presidential Library apparently failed to send me those other Marshals and General of the Army. So today I called and they have promised to forward the missing Chief Commander citations. When received I will post.

    Keep up the good work Slava.

    GBH

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    GHB/GBH,

    Thank you for your kind words and thank you, too, for your outstanding contributions to this thread. The LM Chief Commander and Commander citations, as well as DFC certificate, are all first-seen examples for this thread. They are truly great additions.


    Regards,

    slava1stclass

    Edited by slava1stclass
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    Gents,

    Although we've seen a LM citation to a Red Army officer bearing President Roosevelt's signature (post #265 this thread), this is the first example I've come across of a LM certificate issued to a Red Army officer during his presidency.

    There are a couple of noteworthy points:

    1) Unlike the bevy of 1946 post-war catch-up LM certificates seen in this thread, this Roosevelt wartime certificate is a different version. Note the signature blocks: Secretary of War to the lower left and Commander-in-Chief (Roosevelt) to the lower right. On the post-war LM certificates, the signature blocks are: Adjutant General to the lower left and Secretary of War to the lower right.

    2) Unlike DSC, Silver Star and DFC certificates to Red Army personnel issued within two weeks of this LM certificate's date (see posts #37, #246 and #262 this thread), this LM certificate was typewritten in the font common to post-war LM certificates and was not executed in handwritten calligraphy.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

    Gents,

    Although not awarded to Red Army personnel, I've come upon two LM certificates (each in the Degree of Officer) that bear President Truman's signature like the President Roosevelt example seen in post #284 this thread. The first was to a Royal Air Force Wing Commander and was dated August 4th, 1945. The second example attached herein was to the Surgeon General of the First French Army and is dated August 17th, 1945.

    These discoveries raise the likelihood that similarly-signed Truman LM certificates may have been issued to Red Army personnel - although we have yet to encounter any. Furthermore, we can also confirm the "first version" LM certificates bearing the Commander-in-Chief's signature were issued as late as August 17th, 1945.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Gents,

    Although not awarded by the U.S. Army, this group to Petty Officer 1st Class Petr Korneevich Kochetkov deserves inclusion in this thread. He was among the 10 Soviet naval personnel to be awarded the U.S. Navy Distinguished Service Medal at the June 22nd, 1943 presentation ceremony at AMEMBASSY Moscow. Kochetkov was a section crewmember on mine-sweeper 808, Order of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet.

    Although a DSM award to a petty officer in the U.S. Navy would be largely unheard of, Kochetkov's Soviet-awarded ORB (October 1942) served as the basis for his USN DSM. He would earn his Ushakov medal and OPWII thereafter.

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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    Gents,

    Some insight into how the U.S. Army award quota system for Red Army personnel operated in at least one U.S. Army combat organization.

    The following excerpt is from the book, "Last Shots for Patton's Third Army" by Robert Paul Fuller, New England Transportation Research, 2003 - pp. 186-187:

    "As of 1500 hours, May 6th, V Corps issued a "Letter of Instructions" to its five divisions. (Among other things) It stated that: "The American regimental commander would obtain name, rank and serial number, as well as organization with duties of 12 persons within the Russian division to receive United States Army medals. Russian officer recipients would receive the Legion of Merit (Degree of Legionnaire). Six Russian enlisted men would get the Bronze Star Medal, at the divisional level. In addition, if possible, the American regimental commander would get the same information for six Russian officers and equal number of enlisted men on the corps level. One Russian officer would be awarded the Legion of Merit (Degree of Commander), another Legion of Merit (Degree of Officer) and four Legion of Merit (Degree of Legionnaire). Six Soviet enlisted men would each receive the Bronze Star Medal."

    Regards,

    slava1stclass

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