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

[slava1stclass]

As the editor of the OMSA publication on US Army awards to foreigners, let me reiterate what that publication is. It's a reformatting of a study the Army did in 1947 counting up awards made by Army and Army Air Forces commands. The object of the study was to determine the pattern of awards to try to adjust the peacetime awards system, so they weren't really looking to know where every Bronze Star went.

The problem with awards to foreign recipients is that such awards were often made on short notice and with little preparation. If the senior general to be decorated with an LoM shows up with his G-3 in tow, somebody was likely to dig into their bag of tricks and come with an LoM/Bronze Star/something to give to the staffer so that nobody's feelings got hurt. That award may never have had any real paperwork, although Truman made every effort, after the war, to get documents out to wartime Allied recipients.

Good, bad or simply ugly, it's a base line from which to work.

JB,

Thank you for the clarification. I couldn't agree more. Unlike the Germans and Russians who were particularly fastidious about their record keeping, I fully support the conclusion you draw. I've personally reviewed all the U.S. War Department General Orders for the war and immediate post-war years. As I've previously stated, awards made to foreigners at the Army/Corps level and below, while possibly noted in orders published at those levels, are not the easiest to recover for research/analytical purposes. While the breakout in Post 1 above is by no means all-inclusive, it serves to provide a sense of the general pattern of awards to the Soviets (from which larger assumptions may be drawn). Thanks again.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

Just out of curiosity, anyone have a clue what an LOM certificate and citation to a Soviet NCO might be worth? Still negotiating on the one I was offered, but I haven't a CLUE what these are worth!

Thanks!

Dave

Dave,

While I cannot put a current dollar figure on it, suffice it to say that during World War II award certificates/citations for the DSC, SS, LM, DFC, SM, BSM and AM were not issued to American servicemembers. This practice came into being sometime after the war.

That said, a WW II period certificate/citation for one of these decorations (irrespective of the fact it was awarded to a foreigner) would command top dollar. It follows that the higher the precedence of the decoration/rarer the award, the higher the price.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

Just out of curiosity, anyone have a clue what an LOM certificate and citation to a Soviet NCO might be worth? Still negotiating on the one I was offered, but I haven't a CLUE what these are worth!

Thanks!

Dave

As a follow up, the well-known auction site had/has two such certificates with citations listed. Each was awarded to a Red Army Lt Col and dated 1946. First one just went unsold (with an asking price of $499.99). The second is currently available with an opening asking price of $995.00.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited May 19, 2006 by slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

This is the unsold grouping.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

Gentlemen,

Below is a photo from Victory Parade by G. Drozdov and E. Ryabko showing a double winner (Distinguished Service Cross and Legion of Merit) in formation with the 1st Ukrainian Front at the 1945 parade. To his right is 3x HSU Pokryshkin who is shown more clearly in another picture to be wearing a U.S. Distinguished Service medal.

To all:

As Wild Card mentions above, here's another shot that provides a better look. Note Pokryshkin's DSM (to the very right on the third row of his decorations).

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited May 23, 2006 by slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

To all:

Of the 5,089 American DSCs awarded during World War II, 258 (5%) were awarded to foreigners. Of that number, 53 (or slightly over 20%), were awarded to Red Army personnel.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited June 1, 2006 by slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

For the Soviets, the distinction was less between bravery and meritorious service than it was that the DSC was higher than the DSM.

Dave,

I ran the numbers.

Three of the 20 Red Army personnel who received the DSM were also HSUs (including one triple HSU) - a 15% rate.

17 of the 53 Red Army personnel who received the DSC were also HSUs (including two Double HSUs) - a 32% rate.

At some point therefore, the distinction for valor did come into play - likely more at our, rather than the Soviets', choosing.

One thing is clear, however, we Jesuit-trained men share a common eye for detail.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited June 2, 2006 by slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

To all:

Col Gen Dmitri Svyatayev, CG, 33rd Soviet Army gets ready to lay a wet one on LTG William M. Simpson, CG, 9th U.S. Army after Simpson awarded him the Legion of Merit at Simpson's HQ in the vicinity of Braunschweig, Germany on May 28th, 1945.

Now that's the spirit of Allied cooperation!

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited October 3, 2006 by slava1stclass

[Wild Card]

Gentlemen,

I would like to offer some more documents for the database and your evaluation. First, Col. Sergey Makarovich Bychek.

Edited October 6, 2006 by Wild Card

[Wild Card]

Col. Sergey Makarovich Bychek

[Wild Card]

Close up

[Wild Card]

To Sgt. Ivan Fedorovitch Smirnov

[slava1stclass]

To all:

It appears as if LTG William M. Simpson, CG, U.S. IX Army, decorated more Soviet general officers than many of his fellow American G.O.s. Here are two more shots.

The first is a shot of him with HSU Col Gen Dmitri Svyatayev, CG, 33rd Soviet Army whom he decorated with the U.S. Legion of Merit in the degree of Commander (see post #33 above for another picture of the two).

The second shows him awarding the Legion of Merit (in either the degree of Legionnaire or Officer) to Maj Gen Nicholas N. Amasov, Chief of the Political Section, 3rd Soviet Army in Braunschweig, Germany on 28 May 1945.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited October 27, 2006 by slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

Photo two.

[slava1stclass]

To all:

Not to be outdone (although he was likely very loathe to have done so judging from his expression), GEN George S. Patton, is seen with an unidentified Soviet general officer after having decorated him with the Legion of Merit in the degree of Commander and presenting him with a 3rd U.S. Army flag.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited October 27, 2006 by slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

To all:

A very nice shot of Colonel I.I. Shumilin seen wearing the U.S. Army Legion of Merit in the degree of Legionnaire. As this photo was taken during the height of the Cold War in 1961, it's ironic to note that he wears the American decoration as well as a decoration that appears to be from the People's Republic of China (on the very bottom of the same row).

Regards,

slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

To all:

Another very nice photograph of an unidentified Soviet Guards Tank Colonel who was awarded the American Legion of Merit in the degree of Legionnaire.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[slava1stclass]

To all:

I have since identified the officer wearing the U.S. Distinguished Flying Cross in post #22 above. He is HSU Captain P. G. Yakubovskiy.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[Gunner 1]

Senior Lieutenant Petr Grigorievich Iakubovskii (#22) received his DFC "For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight. Lieutenant Iakubovskii made 366 flights, including 148 reconnaissance flights over enemy armies, and 58 air battles. He shot down 14 enemy planes and one in a group battle. In a strafing flight over the enemy, Lieutenant Iakubovskii personally set fire to 42 motor vehicles, blew up 3 warehouses with military supplies an one fuel dump, and dispersed and partially destroyed 250 enemy officers and men." (General Orders Number 7, US Military Mission, Moscow, USSR, dated 15 June 1944.) Regards, Gunner 1

[slava1stclass]

To all:

A very nice double award to a Guards Major General - the Legion of Merit and Bronze Star Medal.

Regards,

slava1stclass

Edited August 13, 2008 by slava1stclass

[Ferdinand]

Very nice! Can we see the entire photo?

[slava1stclass]

To all:

While not a Soviet, an ally nonetheless. A very nice photograph of Polish General of the Army S. G. Poplawski shown wearing the U.S. Army Distinguished Service Cross.

Regards,

slava1stclass

[Ed_Haynes]

While it won't quite fit on the scanner, another certificate.

[Ed_Haynes]

And, ignoring white space, the citation.

[slava1stclass]

While it won't quite fit on the scanner, another certificate.

Ed,

Looking at the pencil notation at the top right corner of his award certificate, his name is: Kterin, Ilya Yudovich. The transliteration to English was a bit off.

Regards,

slava1stclass