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The Researchers' Corner Research; the mysterious process which slowly sweeps away the passage of time to reveal the unique history within every award and unit.

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Old 08-12-2002, 06:37 PM   #21
new world
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The most unusual HSU story

I came accross a story of a hero ace-fighter, which is the most unusual I've ever heard. I do not know how much fiction is in this story, so it's for you to judge.

Ace fighter Bayda received his first Hero of SU title for Khalhin-Gol. In August 1941 he received second Hero SU title for night bombing of Berlin operation.

Eventually he ran out of luck and was shut down by Germans in October of 1941. While in German captivity, he was facing tough choice: to die in a prison cell or to fight on the German side against England. Bayda decided to live and was sent to the Western front as a German fighter. Several months later he escaped and surrendered to Brits.

After being under the investigation for half a year, Bayda was sent to Asia to fight Japanese. He must have been doing good job there and was decorated with two British Orders. However, in 1944 he again ran out of luck, his plane was burnt by the Japanese and he ended up in the Japanese POW camp.

Together with others POWs he was sent to dig fortifications where he became friends with an American pilot. These two managed to capture a plane, escaped and safely arrived to the US base on Phillipines.

For almost a year Bayda fought in the US AirForce, earned Purple Heart medal and decided to stay in the Phillipines after the end of WWII. He married a black woman (she was a nurse in the hospital) and they had 2 children together. Bayda stayed on the Phillipines till the beginning of the Korean war, when he was given an airforce wing under his command (not sure what his rank was, probably Colonel).

By the irony of the Faith, two times Hero of SU was fighting Soviet MIG pilots in Korea near Pussan! This was too much for him to bear, so he took off in American plane and escaped to the North Koreans, who handed him right into the hands of KGB.

I do not know what was the end of his story, most likely Bayda did not survive GULAG, even if he did not get death penalty.

I checked Hero of SU books and not surprisingly there is nothing about Bayda.

I think this story is mind-blowing. If anyone know more - please share with us.

Best regards,
New World
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Old 08-12-2002, 09:11 PM   #22
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Wow..that has got to be one of the strangest stories I've ever heard. One thing is for sure. This guy had flying in his blood..
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Old 08-13-2002, 05:19 AM   #23
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A very interesting story. I wonder if those who had their titles removed, as may be the case with this chap, are listed in the book. Were there any other HSUs who suffered a similar fate?

Kind Regards,
Shane Cook.
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Old 08-13-2002, 04:00 PM   #24
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Good question Shane, how would we ever know if a Hero was "de-Heroed" unless there is some sort of record somewhere. There has to be some sort of record somewhere.

Art
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Old 08-13-2002, 04:28 PM   #25
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Art and Shane,

"Kavaler" magazine has a section on SU Heroes who were stripped off their titles.

I imagine there are plenty of delisted Heroes, but with the going rate of 1 person per issue (they had 6 issues so far) - it will take them forever to tell us about all former Heroes of SU.
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Old 08-13-2002, 04:29 PM   #26
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And, if this story is true (I must admit that it has a certain flavor of "phaleristic urban mythology"), could he wear his HSU stars in British or US uniform?

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Old 08-13-2002, 07:53 PM   #27
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New World,

Do you have these names? Is Bayda in one of them?

Ed, good question..I don't see why not, any U.S. or U.K. military vets here that would be able to answer this?

Art
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Old 08-14-2002, 09:42 AM   #28
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Foreign Awards to Brits and wear

With regard to wearing foreign awards on british uniform, it is very difficult.

Usually the answer is a Big No.

Permission is very difficult to obtain. It all goes back to the days were Queen Victoria said you dont allow another man to put his dog collar on your dog.

Quite ungenerous considering the royal family has a rather Breznev attitude to medals itself.

Regards chris
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Old 08-14-2002, 09:54 AM   #29
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Art,

I have only first 3 issues of Kavaler magazine and Bayda's story is not one covered.

Former Heroes from Kavaler tend to belog to the group who commited some sort of disciplinary or criminal offense, which led to Soviet Government taking their awards away.

Bayda's sitation is different, as his deeds fall into traitor category.
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Old 08-14-2002, 01:10 PM   #30
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US policy on foreign awards would be different -- and much more flexible -- he could have worn his UK awards, though probably not his Soviet awards.

I still recall a university professor of mine who had served in the US Army in the 1950s telling the tale of his colonel who complained that one rather elderly sergeant never wore his National Defense Medal and that he ought to wear "all his medals". The next parade, he did: Iron Cross RK, 1st, and 2nd, Ostvolk 1st class, and a chestfull of others. As they were all de-Nazified varieties and BRD was a friendly country, he was allowed to wear them, though the colonel never again was so insistent about medals (as he had served in the Battle of the Bulge).

Ed Haynes

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