Mel'konjan, Keram Mamikonovich, Pilot, 106th Guards Storm Regiment, Victory Parade

[CtahhR]

Here is a somewhat rebuilt, yet far from complete group to Guards Senior Lieutenant Keram Mominonovich Mel'konjan. A dive-bomber pilot and participant in the Moscow Victory Parade of 1945. This selection covers 1945 to 2005.

Firstly we have his red covered Document for the Medal "For Victory Over Germany In The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" #00011589 issued on 15th June 1945 by Guards Major-General Komarov as Commander of the 5th Battalion of the Combined Regiment of the 1st Belorussian Front - Although the stamp used is for a heavy artillery section (The Combined Regiments were created just for the Parade so there may not have been time for a new stamp).

There is the myth (one of many) that these red covered Documents were only awarded to participants of the parade but 100,000 were printed and only 16,011 paraded. So the reality is you have a 16% chance of the Red Cover being awarded to a parader.

As a Pilot, Mel'konjan marched with his sidearm.

This entire grouping cost considerably less than most would pay for a red cover - let alone one that was actually to a parade participant, it also contains a Document of a Variation I've been after for a while too so it was win-win.

I've been trying to locate him in the Parade but I've only been able to find very abridged coverage of the Parade so far.

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The act gives the date of 23rd June 1945 and states that 207 Medals were issued by Komarov as commander of the 2nd Guards Storm Aviation Division.

It lists Mel'konjan as a Pilot in the 106th Storm Aviation Regiment.

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Next is his Order Booklet and Coupon Booklet (of which only one coupon was used).

Awarded;
Patriotic War II Class 502817
Red Star 1844047
Red Banner 242799
For Combat Merits U/N


Maybe these will turn up, maybe not.....

[CtahhR]

His Patriotic War II Class #502817 was awarded 2nd April 1945 by the 9th Storm Aviation Corps for his role as an IL-2 Pilot of the 106th Storm Aviation Regiment. He did 17 combat sorties (five of which was on 14th January alone) during the liberation of Radom, Lodz, Tomaszów, Kalisz, Stargard and Küstrin.

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His next proposed (but not awarded) award was Red Banner #242799. Awarded 26th June 1945 by the 16th Air Army for performing a further 20 combat sorties aimed at Küstrin and Müncheberg.

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His Red Star #1844047 was awarded 26th May 1945 by the 300th Storm Aviation Division for a further 13 combat sorties (totalling 50 for the period of the war) aimed at Müllrose and Berlin.

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A bilingual Mandate for him as a delegate of the IV Conference of the Trade Union of workers of Power Stations and Electrical Industry of the Arm SSR.

A one-sided bilingual Mandate as a Delegate of the XVI Party Conference of the Stalin Region of Erevan Organisation of the Communist Party Of Armenia.

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His Volunteer People's Squad Badge was issued by the Stalin Region of Erevan on 15th November 1960.

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His Jubilee Medal "For Valiant Labour In Commemoration Of The 100th Anniversary Since The Birth Of Vladimir Il'ich Lenin" was awarded by Spandarjan Region on 31st March 1970.

His Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years Of Victory In The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945" B#1513866 was issued by Spandarjan Region on 12th November 1971.

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12th November 1971 was a hat-trick as he was also issued the Badge "25 Years Of Victory In The Great Patriotic War" and Jubilee Medal "50 Years Of The Armed Forces Of The USSR".