Help to ID Soviet Shoulderboard

[Prometheus]

Hi, :)

new here, but I have been collecting bits and pieces of Soviet Militaria, shoulderboards, patches, medals etc... the only complete uniforms I have in my collection is a Sr. Sergeants paratrooper uniform from the 70s, complete with the badges, and a Enlisted Soviet field uniform from the Soviet-Afgan war. being that I was a Sergeant First Class in the U.S Army, I like to collect enlisted uniforms, and attachments rather then officers. Recently I bought a set of shoulderboards that has me stumped as to what it is. The color is royal Blue to denote state security, but the lettering is what is stumping me. I know that it isn't the Kermlin Guards. that would have ГБ with gold strips on the edges. so what shoulderboard is this, and what troops wore it? thanks.

[Dzerzhinsky]

Hi, I believe it represents KGB Cavalry or special service/transport troops. I could be wrong, but it sounds good!:thumbsup

[willie777]

First of all, Welcome to the forum, Prometheus!

The lettering on your shoulder boards can be latinized as OKP.
ГБ is latinized as GB.

This is from fellow forum member olitchnik's site:

"The KGB's Special Guards: The Separate Kremlin Regiment & Lenin's Tomb

The guard personnel of the KGB's Seperate Kremlin Regiment and guard personnel posted to Guard Post #1 (Lenin's Tomb) used slightly modified uniforms. Personnel with the Separate Kremlin Regiment used normal KGB state security uniforms as outlined above, however, enlisted personnel had slightly different shoulder boards. The royal blue parade and service boards had the cyrillic letters "OKP" on them in stead of the usual "GB". This stood for "Otdelenie Kremlinskoi Polk" or Separate Kremlin Regiment. (Some sources say "Osobiye Kremlinskoi Polk" or Special Kremlin Regiment.)"

"I know that it isn't the Kermlin Guards. that would have ГБ with gold strips on the edges."

Also from olitchnik's site:
"On the other hand the enlisted personnel assigned to guards Lenin's Tomb in Red Square used very different uniforms. The enlisted uniform was based on the KGB state security officer's parade uniform (in formation variation). Thus they wore the regular officer's sea green peaked hat, tunic, and breeches with gold officer's parade belt, black boots, and white gloves. This officer's uniform was then modified in a few ways:

-royal blue enlisted parade shoulder boards were used. These had "GB" (not "OKP") in yellow letters and were piped along the edges in yellow.

-royal blue enlisted sleeve patches were worn on both sleeves of the tunic.

-gold braid aglets (sleeve cords) were worn over the right shoulder."

Thus, one can conclude that these pogoni (shoulder boards) are of a private in the Seperate Kremlin Regiment. Also, GB boards are not used by the kremlin regiment, but lenin's tomb guards.

Also, a relevant thread from long ago:
http://www.soviet-awards.com/forum/s...html#post51611

[Prometheus]

thanks! :)

[Synthesis]

Actually, I purchased two of the same OKP Shoulder Boards! What are the bottoms of yours made of, if you mind me asking?

In any case, I think their Kremlin Regiment boards, dating back to before the 80s (afterwards, I think regulations were changed so that the they had yellow trimming along the edges of the boards, and went back to the use of 'ГБ').

[Prometheus]

mine has a green rubberized backing to it. with the word "РАЭМЕР 16CM" in a box, on one of the boards. 16CM is the length of it, that I gather by using a ruler. but I don't know what РАЭМЕР means, I tried using one of those on-line translators and it didn't translate it.

[Prometheus]

just to check if I got this right.............

[willie777]

Originally Posted by Prometheus

just to check if I got this right.............

Its right.
РАЭМЕР is most likely the factory

[Sergei]

РАЭМЕР means Size, I think.
Sergei

[willie777]

No, PA3MEP means size.