Republic of Cuba Medalla "Por la Defensa de Cuito Cuanavale"

[Guest Rick Research]

Ribbon image ? Lukasz Gaszewski at his fantastic world ribbons website

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

[attachmentid=42745]

What and when was it issued for? I have this inbound on a Soviet ribbon bar with at least 2 and probably 3 and possibly 4 (one defying identification and one "close enough for gubamint work") Cuban awards. Will post when it arrives.

The other matching Cuban ribbons, following the Cuito Cuanivale ribbon are their Brotherhood In Arms Medal and the Medal for Distinguished Service in(? for, in this case) the R.A.F. I suspect there is an Ernesto Che Guevara Order 3rd Class ahead of these 3, and a presumably Cuban award which does not match anything on the world ribbons website.

[JBFloyd]

Rick,

Cuito Cuanavale was one of those actions in Angola where the Cubans claimed a smashing victory and retreated from the front. If you read the Cuban claims of the time, they apparently killed most of the South African Defense Force and destroyed all of their equipment and aircraft. However, shortly afterward, the Cuban were looking for a quiet way out as the Russians figured out what a morass Angola was.

Check this web site for a fairly good synopsis: http://www.rhodesia.nl/cuito.htm

A Google search on "Cuito Cunavale" will bring up some rather bizarre articles from the Cuban side as well as the South Africans.

[Guest Rick Research]

EXCELLENT! Thanks! There is also the possibilty that the ribbon in question MIGHT be an upside down 30th Anniversary of the R.A.F. (1986), since it is made out of multiple bits folded into a semblance of an obviously unobtainable Cuban original on the Soviet ribbon bar I have seen. But there are two others in the set, I am told, and may have better clues by their arrival at mid-week.

It's all enough to get me into the Soon To Be Ex-Fidelista stuff, it is.

[CUSSONNEAU]

Hello,

Here is a scan of the medal in question from my collection

Regards

Michel

[Stogieman]

Greetings Michel & Welcome to the forum! Please feel free to add any examples you'd like to share to all the different threads! or, feel free to start threads on ones we have not started! Best Wishes & Welcome!

[Riley1965]

Michel,

WELCOME to the forum!!! I think you will find it a very useful tool and I'm sure that you will have plenty to share and educate. Again, WELCOME

Doc

Edited January 14, 2007 by Riley1965

[CUSSONNEAU]

Hello,

Thanks,

My English is so bad that I don't dare to send a message ; fortunatly I have some pictures to compensate (I don't think that ''compensate'' is very British )

Regards

Michel

[Ed_Haynes]

Hello,

Thanks,

My English is so bad that I don't dare to send a message ; fortunatly I have some pictures to compensate (I don't think that ''compensate'' is very British )

Regards

Michel

No worries about language, Michel. we are global and have so much fun sharing that language doesn't matter! Welcome. We need wisdom!!

Aucune inqui?tude de la langue, Michel nous sommes globaux et nous amusons tellement en partageant cette langue n'a pas d'importance! Accueillir. Nous avons besoin du bon sens!!

(How bad is that? Comment est mal cela?)

Edited January 14, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Riley1965]

Michel,

We have members from around the world. Your English is just fine!!! Language is never a problem! In fact it adds to our international flavor. PLEASE, DON'T hesitate to post because of language concerns. We are one big family of medal collectors and researchers.

Doc

Edited January 14, 2007 by Riley1965

[Guest Rick Research]

Nous avons certains ... emp?chements bureaucratiques ... au courant gr?ce de Le Vieux Barb?

ainsi beuacoup d' autres encore, nous vous en prie!

[CUSSONNEAU]

Many thanks,

Now I know exactly how weak is my English .

I'm effondred.

[Guest Rick Research]

[Christophe]

Michel,

Bienvenue sur ce Forum. Le langage ne doit pas ?tre un pb car ce qui nous anime tous ici, c'est la passion commune des ordres et d?corations, de l'histoire, etc... Nous autres, qui ne sommes pas langue maternelle anglo-saxonne, devons certes ici parler un langage qui ne nous est pas familier, mais cela n'a pas d'importance ? partir du moment o? nous parvenons ? faire passer notre message. Le Forum est une association de membres qui manifestent tous beaucoup d'indulgence les uns envers les autres... de vrais gentilhommes . Donc, ne pas h?siter ? "poster"...

Welcome in this Forum. The spoken language doesn't have to be an issue, as our main driver here is the shared passion of awards, history... We, as non native english speakers, have to use a language we are not familiar with, but the most important is to convey our message. This Forum gathers members indulgent with these issues... real Gentlemen. So, please, don't refrain you to post...

Cheers.

Ch;

[Christophe]

Hello,

Thanks,

My English is so bad that I don't dare to send a message ; fortunatly I have some pictures to compensate (I don't think that ''compensate'' is very British )

Regards

Michel

Michel,

"Compensate" is fully acceptable. You also could have used "balance"... What do you think, you english native speakers ?

Ch.

[Ed_Haynes]

Michel,

"Compensate" is fully acceptable. You also could have used "balance"... What do you think, you english native speakers ?

Ch.

Jo aap ki merzi ho, Chrisopheji, un men se to koi farq nahin ho!

Sorry, that was Hindi!

Malesh. (Egyptian Arabic is is so much easier = Not to worry.)

Same-same, mate, no worries. (If OK in Ozzie?)

Itz okay wifff me. (In Akerkin.)

Edited January 14, 2007 by Ed_Haynes

[Riley1965]

Guys,

I had 2 1/2 years of French and can still understand most of it. How are you able to write in French with the proprt accent marks?

Doc

[Christophe]

Jo aap ki merzi ho, Chrisopheji, un men se to koi farq nahin ho!

Sorry, that was Hindi!

Melesh. (Egyptian Arabic is is so much easier = No worries.)

Same-same, mate, no worries. (If OK in Ozzie?)

Itz okay wifff me. (In Akerkin.)

Wouldn't be able to answer, but fully share the meaning...

Cheers.

Ch.

[Christophe]

Guys,

I had 2 1/2 years of French and can still understand most of it. How are you able to write in French with the proprt accent marks?

Doc

Doc,

Ed and Rick live in another dimesnion than ours...

Ch.

[Stogieman]

Je suis un homme fran?ais aussi. Mais mes capacit?s linguistiques ne sont pas pratiqu?es beaucoup! Bienvenue au forum Michel!

[Christophe]

Je suis un homme fran?ais aussi. Mais mes capacit?s linguistiques ne sont pas pratiqu?es beaucoup! Bienvenue au forum Michel!

Hi Rick,

I was quite sure to see you "appear" there!!! Encore, bravo pour la qualit? du fran?ais !! F?licitations.

Ch.

[Riley1965]

Guys,

Please continue the conversation in French!!! It's helping me shake off the rust from my French.

Doc

[Ed_Haynes]

Hmmmm . . . taking about Cuban medals in French . . . guess we'll talk about Mongolian awards in Swahili next?

[Christophe]

Excellent!!! (Is it in French or English?).

Ch.

[Ed_Haynes]

Excellent!!! (Is it in French or English?).

Ch.

Talk about French awards in French, if you must. Otherwise mai to sirf Bharatai medaylon be bare me bol kar dunga.

My problem is I'd actually like to LEARN something about post-Liberation Cuban medals. (Silly me.)

[Riley1965]

Ed,

I was just kiddin'. I want to learn about Cuban awards. I'm just enjoying the fact that I am remembering French 20 years after I learned it.

Doc

Edited January 14, 2007 by Riley1965