Order of the Red Banner

The single-class Order of the Red Banner was among the first established in the USSR (1 August 1924) following the abolution of Czarist honors in 1918 by the Bol- shevik government. It was created specifically for recognition of courage and out- standingly distinguished service in defense of the homeland. Although the Presid- ium of the USSR subsequently instituted many other orders and decorations, the Or- der of the Red Banner remained one of the most prestigous and sought after Soviet decorations. According to Putnikov (1990) some 238,000 awards were made to general officers, commissioned and noncommissioned officers and enlisted person- nel of the military and partisan forces during the Great Patriotic War.

Beautifully executed in enamel, silver and gold, the number, oval, 36 x 41 mm pen- dant of the Order is suspended from a pentagonal ribbon of equal red-white-red stripes. The center carries an enwreathed hammer and sickle emblem in gold on a white enamel background superimposed on the lower limbs of a 5-pointed star. Be- neath the latter are stylized representations of a plowshare, hammer, gun barrel and bayonet in oxidized silver. Covering the upper arms of the star is a red enamelled banner on which is inscribed "WORKERS OF ALL NATIONS UNITE". Enclosing much of the pendant are the arms of a laurel wreath.

Order of Glory

The three-class , established 8 November 1943, was conferred upon enlisted men, noncommissioned officers and in some instances, junior subaltern, for outstanding courage in defence of the . Awards in the 1st Class were very rare, for to receive the Order in this Class, prior awards in the 3rd and 2nd Classes had to be earned. Indeed, fewer awards of the 1st Class of the Order of Glory were made than of the Gold Star Medal conferring the title "" (2,582 versus 12,700). In the case of the 2nd and 3rd Classes of the Order, 46,363 and 948,260 awards respectively were made (Putnikov, 1990)

The Order of Glory is among the larger and more impressive of Soviet decorations, taking the form of a 45 mm diameter 5-pointed star suspended from the ribbon of the Cross of St. George. The 1st Class pendant is constructed of solid gold and carries a {aurel spray-enwreathed central medallion, also in gold, picturing the Kremlin and the Spassky Tower. The latter is surmounted by a red enamel star. Covering the bottom portion of the wreath is a red enamel banner inscribed "GLORY". The upper periphery of the medal is bounded by the arms of a laurel wreath terminating in the emblem.

The 2nd Class consists of a gold medallion superimposed on a silver star, while the 3rd Class award is executed entirely in silver.

Order of the Patriotic War

The Order of the Patriotic War is a two-class award established on 20 May 1942 by Presidial Decree. Putnikov (1990) hotes that, including posthumous awards, ap- proximately 344,000 1st Class awards and over one million in the 2nd Class were made to officers and men of the regular Soviet and partisan forces for bravery and distinguished service. Institutional, unit and foreign awards of the Order were also made. The obverse of the medal carries the initials "CCCP", below which is the inscription "FOR DISTINGUISHED SERVICE IN BATTLE". At the bottom are a crossed saber and bayonetted rifle. The ribbon is again pale grey, bordered with thin gold stripes.

Partisan Medal

The two-class partisan Medal was authorized on 2 February 1943 as a means for the recognition of heroism and distinguished service on the part of members of the parti- san forces engaging the Germans and their allies. About 56,000 awards of the 1st Class silver medals were made, largely for valor. Approximately 71,000 of the 2nd Class (brass) were awarded for distinguished service.

The obverse of the medal carries left-facing busts of Lenin and Stalin. Around the periphery is the inscription "PARTISAN OF THE WAR OF THE FATHERLAND". At the bottom on the left are the initials "CC", a small 5-pointed star on which the ham- mer and sickle emblem is centered, and on the right the initials "CP". The reverse carries the inscription "FOR OUR SOVIET FATH ERLAND" surmounted by the ham- mer and sickle emblem. For both classes the ribbon is pale green, with the 1st Class having a narrow central red stripe and the 2nd Class a central stripe of blue.

An interesting aspect of the award of these decorations was brought to my attention by Professor Odov. Apparently many of the junior and company grade officers join- ing the toward the end of 1944 and in 1945 experienced a good deal of combat during the final battles of the War, but had received no decorations by ~t’s end. This was particularly true of officers hospitalized as a result of wounds. During 1945-1947 the Military Commissariat responsible for demobilization was directed to ascertain the identities of these officers. Subsequently, the Department of Defense directed that those who had been wounded receive either the 2nd Class or the 2nd Class of the Order of the Patriotic War. Those not wounded received lesser decorations and medals for distinguished service or bravery.

REFERENCES

Lifka, T. 1992. Collecting Soviet Awards. Part L Medals for Military Merit and De- fense of the Homeland. Journal of the Orders and Medals Society of America, 43)3): 10-19.

Collecting Soviet Awards. Part IlL Orders for Revolution and Merit in Labor, Defense of the Motherland, Development of Friendship and Strengthening of Peace; Medals for Merit in Labor in Economic Achievements. Ibid. 43(7): 19-30.

Collecting Soviet Awards. Part IV. Orders for the Defense of the Country and Military Merit; Commemorative and Jubilee Medals. Ibid. 43(8): 5-18.

Collecting Soviet Awards. Part V. Orders for the Defense of the Country and Military Merit; and for Mothers; Commemorative, Civil- ian and Motherhood Medals, and Good Conduct and Long Service Medals. Ibid. 43(10): 22-38.

32 REFERENCES - Continued

Putnikov, G. 1990. "Orders and Medals of the USSR". Hippocrene Books, New York.

Werlich, R. 1981. "Russian Orders, Decorations and Medals". 2nd Edition. Quaker Press, Washington, DC.

Zabarylo, J. M. 1988. "Wound Medals, Badges and Next-of-Kin Awards of the World". Eagle Enterprises, Winnipeg.

(Arthur H. Houston is Professor of Biological Sciences, Brock University, St. Catharines, Canada. His principal collecting interests center on wound medals and insignia, next-of-kin awards and related documentation.)

MEDAL COMMEMORATING THE 50TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE GUADAL- CANAL LANDING

BY IGOR VICTOROV-ORLOV, OMSA #2815

A medal was recently authorized by the Solomon Islands government. It is awarded to men who were involved in the Battle of Guadalcanal, August 7 1942 - February 9, 1943, the turning point in the Pacific War. It is rather an unusual item, an official decoration awarded a half-century later.

The medal (36.5 mm in diameter) is of white metal (cupro-nickel?). On the obverse is the coat-of-arms of the Solomon Islands and the name of the country. On the re- verse in the center is a soldier with a rifle standing on the map of the island. Over the soldier is the emblem of the US Marine Corps. The circular inscription reads "50TH ANNIVERSARY-GUADALCANAL LANDtNG-7th AUGUST 1992".

The ribbon is 31.5 mm wide of 7 stripes: green/yellow/red/white/blue/yellow/green. My friend Russell Rulau of Iola, Wisconsin assists in distributing the medals for an Australian uniform maker, Christie’s Proprietary, Ltd.

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