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Old 02-15-2004, 01:22 PM   #41
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The Amur Flotilla

Quote:
Originally Posted by otlichnik
Dave,

1 KhKBRK KAF = 1st Khabarovsk Red-Banner Brigade of River Patrol-Boats of the Red-Banner Amur Flotilla.

But no details on the ships it had.

Interestingly the flotilla's acronym is KAF in the hand writting but AKF on the stamp.

Shawn
AT WAR WITH JAPAN

The Amur Flotilla

At the outset of hostilities August 9, 1945, the Amur Flotilla, a component of the Pacific Fleet, had 8 monitors, 11 gunboats,52 armored launches, 12 minesweepers and some other warships.

The river flotilla was awarded the Order of the Red Banner for it,s heroism.

Eddie.
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Old 02-27-2004, 05:22 AM   #42
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David

The best book about the Red Navy is probably:

Flot, Vojna, Pobeda 1941-1945; printed 1995 in St Petersburg.

It has commanders, boats and of course all navy HSU etc. If my Russian isn't fooling me I think that the monitor Sun-Yat-Sen was awarded guards title the 30 aug. 1945. Anyway it's great reference!

/Kim
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Old 03-15-2004, 03:03 PM   #43
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Latvia 2x2 Divisions Part 1

Dave,

I found this article on Nazi and "Red" Latvian Units maybe it's of interest
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
Latvia
2x2 Divisions

In 1944 a peculiar symmetry prevailed along the northern part of the German-Soviet front. On each side there were two Latvian divisions, forming respective army corps. A lot of blood was shed by these "2x2" divisions, as they could be called, figuratively if not literally fighting brother against brother. Some fought voluntarily, but most, on both sides, had been drafted and forced to fight.

On the German side corps and division commanders were Germans, but the so-called "Inspector-General of the Latvian Legion," most of the officers, and all of the soldiers were Latvians. On the Soviet side corps and division commanders were Latvians, the rest -- officers and soldiers -- were mainly Latvians, but also Jews and Russians.

On the one side, as part of the German armed forces, taking part in the war were the Latvian Second Brigade, later the Nineteenth Division and Fifteenth Division, that is, the so-called Latvian Legion of the Waffen-SS Sixth Army Corps, as well as six border guard regiments, air force helpers, and pilots, part of the Luftwaffenlegion Lettland.

On the other side, as part of the armed forces of the USSR, taking part in the war were the remnants of the Twenty-fourth Territorial Corps, the First Independent Latvian Riflemen's Regiment, the Second (Seventy-sixth) Independent Latvian Riflemen's Regiment, later the 201st Latvian Riflemen's Regiment (renamed the Forty-third Latvian Guard Riflemen's Division), and the 308th Latvian Riflemen's Division (both of these divisions were combined into the 130th Latvians Riflemen's Corps), as well as pilots, who formed the First Latvian Night Bomber Aviation Regiment.

One can contrast the two Latvian Waffen-SS divisions, the Nineteenth and the Fifteenth, with the two "Red" Latvian Riflemen's divisions, the Forty-third Guard and the 308th. One side was the Latvian Legion, the other -- the Latvian Corps. The Legion was sent into battle by those whose flag had a swastika, the Corps by those whose flag had a five-pointed star. The Legion's enemy was "Bolshevism," the Corps' enemy was "Fascism." Thousands of Latvians fell in battle, on the one side, and on the other. On several occasions Latvians fought against Latvians, especially in Kurland, by Dzukste, in December 1944. The total number of Latvians on the German side was about 140,000; on the Russian side -- about 65,000, plus 15,000 Latvian Jews, Russians from Latgale, Poles, and others.

I had the opportunity to acquaint myself with rather extensive source materials about these 2x2 divisions and to talk with veterans from both sides, who often talked very openly and freely. I became convinced that these Latvian warriors (and Latvians have been known as brave warriors throughout history), fighting in front line trenches, were not responsible for the crimes committed by the two totalitarian regimes in the rear. There were, of course, exceptions, but the majority were typical front line soldiers, who do not have to be ashamed of fighting in war, having been conscripted under foreign flags -- one with a swastika, one with a five-pointed star.

In the West, people who are not well informed are frequently suspicious and mistrustful of veterans who admit they fought on the German side in the ranks of the Waffen-SS. A full analysis of these armed formations is beyond the scope of this book. I can only point out that Hitler and Himmler decided to form Latvian divisions, which were organized as the Latvian Legion in the Waffen-SS Sixth Army Corps because otherwise it would have been logistically impossible to send over a hundred thousand Latvians to the front. It must be emphasized that Latvia was in the Reichskommissariat Ostland, a territory not annexed to Germany but in a legal sense considered to be occupied enemy territory. The Hague Convention forbids occupying powers to call inhabitants of such territories into their regular armies (in this case, the Wehrmacht). Therefore Hitler, overcoming his dislike of Latvians (see the quote in the introduction), decided he could get the necessary Latvian cannon fodder by calling the new army units "volunteer divisions." The Waffen-SS was formally a volunteer army defending the "new Europe."

In fact the Latvians were mobilized, by force, with severe punishment for avoiding call-up orders, and death for deserting from the front. Intensive conscription into the Latvian Legion started in the fall of 1943, when the German army was suffering one defeat after another on the Eastern front. Before that, there were Latvian battalions fighting on the front, especially in the Volchov region, but they were intermingled among German units.

Hitler's and Himmler's purpose was two-fold. First, they circumvented the Hague Convention, with its prohibition against conscripting the people of occupied lands into the regular army. Second, they

inextricably joined the conscripted soldiers to the Nazi regime. With the SS "runes" on their collars, the death's head on their caps, and their blood group tattooed in their armpit, the soldier's carried the mark of Cain. They were identified with the Allgemeine-SS, the General-SS. They fought to the last breath, refusing to be taken prisoner, for they knew that, as SS men, the jails of the Cheka and

camps of the Gulag awaited them. This Machiavellian ploy succeeded to a large extent. It is not accidental that Latvians, from the Fifteenth Battalion of the Waffen-SS Fifteenth Division, desperately defended the Reichskanzlei and Himmler's State Security Headquarters (Hauptamt) in Berlin at the end of the war. These 80 men were surrounded on all sides, but kept on fighting. They were not just Waffen-SS, but also Latvians, therefore, to the Soviets, double traitors.

Ironically, the last commander of this battalion, Lieutenant Neilands, was the translator at the capitulation talks between the commander of Berlin, General Krebs, and the Russians. Another Latvian, the Soviet Colonel Nikolajs Berzzarins (Bersarin) became the first commander of Russian-occupied Berlin.

Since the war the Latvian exile press has, in my subjective opinion, excessively glorified the political stance taken by the leaders of the Latvian Legion. However, other, more critical approaches have also appeared. For example, Captain Adolfs Blakis of the Latvian Legion,

awarded the Iron Cross, who died in 1984, strongly castigates the mistakes, illusions, and delusions of Latvian political and military leaders in his book Medalas otra puse (The medal's other side, Buenos Aires, 1956). Blakis had the moral right to criticize, being an insider who fought heroically and was severely wounded on the front.

It must be emphasized that the soldiers of the Latvian Legion fought against the Bolsheviks, not for Germany. A popular song was: "First we'll hit the lice-ridden ones [the Russians], then the bluish-grey ones [the Germans]."

And what about the veterans of the other side -- those who fought in the ranks of the Soviet army? Among them were those who at the time believed that Latvia's greatest enemy was not Bolshevism, but fascism, that is, the same Germans who took over as masters 700 years ago. Just like the legionnaires on the other side, they too had their illusions: they hoped that after the war Latvians, even as part of the Soviet Union, would enjoy more rights and freedoms. The Kremlin after all had promised to allow "national army units" after the war, and to allow each "Soviet republic" to form "national foreign ministries." They were bitterly disappointed, just as were those who hoped that Hitler would give them back their country for fighting so bravely. The only achievement was that the Latvian Legion was sent to fight only on the Eastern front, not against the Western Allies.

Like the Latvian Legion, the Forty-third Guard Riflemen's Division of the Soviet army had its heroes. The sharpshooter Janis Vilhelms earned the title "Hero of the Soviet Army" in 1942, and in July 1943 the Americans awarded him the Gold Cross as an outstanding Allied soldier. The sharpshooter Erika Gaile fell at the front at the end of 1942; she had been a prominent skier during Latvia's years of independence. Many pilots from the air force of independent Latvia served in the Soviet Latvian Aviation Regiment -- Ernests Jakobsons, K. Kalnins, P. Sprogis, and others.

Having had long, frank discussions with veterans of both sides, it seems to me that they all could meet over vodka or beer and together reminisce about the bloody battles, not reproaching each other about the alien flag each fought under. It was a tragedy for both sides. Old front-line fighters understand each other, as long as they are not fanatics, but ordinary men.

* * *
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Old 03-15-2004, 03:04 PM   #44
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Latvia 2x2 Divisions Part II

Jews in the Soviet army' s Latvian divisions were in an unusual position. The second in command of the 121st Guard Riflemen's Regiment and later commander of the 123rd Guard Riflemen's Regiment was a Jew, Colonel Perlovsky. Captain Joseph Pasternak, a Jew, fought side-by-side with Captain Ernests Veiss.

Jewish soldiers could be divided into two groups. There were those who had been communist sympathizers before the war, such as Zaiman Eidus, Juri Vaters, and M. Vulfson. They were completely convinced that they were fighting for an absolutely just cause, not just against fascism, but also for Soviet power. Others, probably the majority, fought against the Germans as the greater of two evils. On the German side only one fate awaited them and their families -- certain death, while Stalin's empire as of June 22,1941, had the same goal as democratic England and America, that of defeating the Nazis. The Soviet regime was abhorrent to these Jews. Many had relatives and friends who had been sent to the slave camps in Siberia. They conversed among themselves in Yiddish, and members of the banned Zionist organizations also spoke in Hebrew, in whispers, so others would not understand their longing for their true fatherland, Eretz Israel. In 1945 and 1946 some of the Latvian Corps soldiers tried to illegally cross the border, to make their way despite the British blockade to Palestine, through Poland, Czechoslovakia, Austria, and Italy. Starting in the period 1969-1971, others emigrated to Israel with their children and grandchildren, and the Soviets have "for all time" erased their names, including those of decorated heroes, from all history books, rolls of honor, etc. One of the bravest soldiers in the Latvian Corps was a scout. Sergeant Datel, a Jew from Kurland. His son Michael Datel, who emigrated from Riga to Israel in 1971, met a hero's death in October 1973, defending not just his people, but also his independent country, his fatherland, Israel.


Eddie. (CO Frank Gordon)
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Old 03-17-2004, 06:39 PM   #45
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308th Soviet Latvian Rifle Division

Formed from 5 June to 7 July 1944 from the 1st Latvian Reserve Rifle Regiment at Gorky in the Moscow Military District with:

319th Rifle Regiment
377th Antitank Battalion
323rd Rifle Regiment
309th Sapper Battalion
355th Rifle Regiment
326th Medical Battalion
677th Artillery Regiment
899th Signal Battalion

The last 308th Rifle Division was also the last National, or "ethnic" division formed during the war. It was formed as a Latvian Division under the 130th Latvian Rifle Corps, and spent the entire war in that corps. In July, when the division officially organized itself, it consisted of 7366 officers and men with 1000 horses, 4187 rifles, 1753 SMGs, 244 LMGs, 81 HMGs, 54 50mm, 54 82mm, and 18 120mm mortars, 36 45mm AT guns, 44 76mm cannon or howitzers, 12 122mm howitzers, and 210 trucks. The 130th Rifle Corps was in the 22nd Army in 2nd Baltic Front from July to October 1944, then in the 67th Army of the Leningrad Front. On 8 November 1944, after over three months in action, the 308th Rifle Division still had 7128 officers and men. The reason for the remarkable maintenance of the division's strength was that during most of the time it was in action, the division was fighting in Latvia, and the entire corps recruited continuously from the local population. In November the 130th Corps went back under the 22nd Army in the 2nd Baltic Front, and from March 1945 to the end of the war in Europe the corps and the 308th Division were in the Kurland Group on the Baltic coast.


Eddie.( CO Red Swarm)
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Old 03-19-2004, 09:05 AM   #46
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War in the Far East

Rear Admiral N.V. Antonov was the commander of the Amur Naval Flotilla.

The flotilla's main forces started their operations on the Sungari River. Having helped the land forces in the taking of Chiamussu and Sansing, the flotilla headed for Harbin. The latter was captured on August 20. Before taking part in this offensive operation the flotilla helped the Fifteenth and Second Armies cross the Amur. This took nearly a week. Its ships and craft landed descents in the taking of Sakhalyan, and moved troops from Blagoveshchensk to Sakhalyan. When the latter was taken, the flotilla landed a descent in the fortified sector of Aihguncun. The enemy defences were particularly strong there.
As the ships moved up the Sungari River, they had to negotiate serious barriers in some places. In one case they ran into a mass of logs and rafts the Japanese had floated from the upper reaches of the river. In another case they had to force their way through the demolished frames of a railway bridge. Despite these barriers, the crews found channels and continued to make headway to their destinations. On the way the Amur Naval Flotilla captured and disarmed the Japanese Sungari Naval Flotilla.
The Amur Naval Flotilla made a sizable contribution to the rout of the Kwantung Army (750,000-strong) in several days.

All the fleets and practically all the naval flotillas were awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Several hundred thousand officers and men of the Navy were awarded orders and medals for their heroism and courage in action.

Eddie.
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Old 03-19-2004, 11:51 AM   #47
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Order of Battle: Amur Flotilla August 1945

AMUR FLOTILLA: Commander, Rear Adm. N. V. Antonov
Chief of Staff, Capt. 1st Rank A. M. Gushchin
Member of Soviet, Rear Adm. M. G. lakovenko

1st Brigade (River Ships)
2d Brigade (River Ships)
3d Brigade (River Ships)
4th Zee-Bureisk Brigade (River Ships)
Sretensk Separate Battalion (River Ships)
1st Separate Battalion of Gunboats
2d Separate Battalion of Gunboats
3d Separate Battalion of Gunboats
1st Separate Battalion of Armored Cutters
2d Separate Battalion of Armored Cutters
3d Separate Battalion of Armored Cutters
Ussuri Separate Detachment of Armored Cutters
Khanka Separate Detachment of Armored Cutters
5th Separate Special Reconnaissance Naval Detachment
71st Separate Special Reconnaissance Naval Detachment
45th Separate Fighter Aviation Regiment
67th Separate Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
94th Separate Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion
115th Separate Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

Eddie.
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Last edited by Taz; 03-19-2004 at 11:56 AM.
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Old 03-23-2004, 04:54 PM   #48
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Latvian Nationalistic Army Units And Leadership 17 June ,1940

Army Highest Commander
National and Minister President L.k.o.k. Kârlis Ulmanis

War Minister and Army Commander
General L.k.o.k. Kriðjanis Beríis

Seviðíu orders General — General L.k.o.k. Martiòð Hartmanis

Seviðíu orders commander — Colonel M. Jeske.

Army posts:
----------
Army Post head — General L.k.o.k. Hugo Rozenðteins

Post Commander Aid — Colonel L.k.o.k. O. Ûdentiòð

Administrative Section — Colonel L.k.o.k. A. Vipulis

Operative Section— Pltn. J. Upîtis

Information Section — Colonel L.k.o.k. F. Celli

Geography Section, — Colonel E. Akmentiòð

Org.Mobilization Section — Colonel J. Streipa

Training Section, — Pltn. P. Liepiòð

Audzinâðanas Section, — Pltn. A. Kontrovskis

War Home Section, — Colonel J. Zivtiòð

Army Post Batalion, Commander — L.k.o.k. A. Kleinbergs

War Sanitary inspection, — General Dr. A. Brambats

War Veterenarian inspection, — vet. doctor Colonel K. Soste

Legal Affairs, — virsprok. General L.k.o.k. V. Tepfers

Army Chaplain — L.k.o.k. P. Apkalns

Army Printing Office, — Colonel J. Baumanis

War Museum, — L.k.o.k. A. Dzenis

Army Economic Store, — Colonel A. Lejas Sauss

K.M. Supply Administration:

Administer — Colonel L.k.o.k. A. Dûlbergs

Armaments Section, —— Colonel R. Krievs

Construction Section, — Colonel A. Galindoms

Financial Section, — R. Piès

Indenture Section, — Colonel L.k.o.k. E. Kreiðmanis

War College:
------------
Highest war School, — Colonel L.k.o.k. K. Mateuss

War School, — Colonel L.k.o.k. K. Mateuss

Army Hospitals:
-------------
Riga, — doctor Colonel V. Jaunzems

Daugavpils, — doctor Colonel B. Blosfelds

Jelgava, head — doctor Colonel Bçrziòð

Kurzemes Division:
------------------
Divisions commander — ìenerûlis L.k.o.k. H. Buks

Division. Post (Jelgava) head Colonel V. Janums

1. Liepajas’ infantry regiment, — Colonel A. Krîpens

2. Ventspils infantry regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. J. Stulpiòð

3. Jelgavas infantry regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. A. Apsîtis

Kurzemes artillery regiment, — Colonel Þ. Jomerts

Vidzemes Division:
-----------------
Divisions commander — General L.k.o.k. F. Commander

Divisions commander aid — General L.k.o.k. J. Ezeriòð

Division. Post (Riga) — Colonel J. Rozentâls

4. Valmieras infantry regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. J. Skujiòð

5. Cesu infantry regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. R. Briesma

6. Rigas infantry regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. J. Liepiòð

Vidzemes artillery regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. V. Skaistlauks

Latgales Division:
----------------
Divisions commander — General L.k.o.k. A. Krustiòð

Divisions commander aid — General L.k.o.k. R. Klinsons

Division. Post (Cesis) — Colonel L.k.o.k. K. Lejiòð

7. Siguldas infantry regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. V. Spandegs

8. Daugavpils infantry regiment, — Colonel Kasparsons

9. Rçzeknes infantry regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. R. Ceplîtis

Latgales artillery regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. J. Þîds

Zemgales Division:
-----------------
Divisions commander — General L.k.o.k. Þ. Bachs

Division. Post (Daugavpils) head — Colonel A. Silgailis

10. Aizputes infantry regiment, kris — Colonel L.k.o.k. A. Kurðe

11. Dobeles infantry regiment, kris — Colonel L.k.o.k. N. Âbeltiòð

12. Bauskas infantry regiment, kris — Colonel L.k.o.k. K. Dzenîtis Zçniòð

Zemgales artillery regiment, kris — Colonel A. Kalniòð

Artillery Inspektors
General L.k.o.k. A. Danebergs (Dannenbergs)

A.I. Post head — Colonel K. Kârkliòð

Heavy artilery regiment, — Colonel P. Veimanis

Ground artilery regiment, — Colonel A. Skroderçns

Coast artillery regiment, — Colonel L.k.o.k. E. Plûcis

Atsev. art. Division, — Colonel A. Birkenðteins

Army Tank Brigade commander — General O. Grosbarts

Post (Cçsîs) commander — Colonel J. Kaïíis

Sapper regiment
Troop commander — Colonel J. Brieþe

Cavalry Regiment
Troop commander — Colonel L.k.o.k. A. Liepiòð

Army Liaison Officer
Batalion commander — Colonel A. Mucenieks

Army Aviation
---------------
Aviation Commander — General J. Baðko

Special Services Commander— Colonel L.k.o.k. J. Indâns

Aviation Regiment Commander — Colonel R. Kandis

Navy
--------
Navy commander — Admiralis K. Spâde

Post head — Captain F. Lipstons

Commander — Captain A. Brûders

Submarine Division, — J. Captain A. Kalns

Mine Division, — J. Captain E. Barotâjs
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Old 03-23-2004, 04:56 PM   #49
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BORDERGUARD BRIGADE & MILITIA ORGANIZATION

BORDERGUARD BRIGADE
------------------------
The Latvian Border Guard brigade was composed of 5 battalions with about. 100 officers and 1,200 NCO and soldiers. They were under the orders of the War Ministry office. The Brigade structure from was army soldiers that had finished NCO courses. The brigades Commander since 1928 was General L.k.o.k. L. Bolðteins, Post head — Colonel L.k.o.k. V. Kalniòð, and the Adjutant —Captain A. Strazdiòð.

MILITIA ORGANIZATION
-------------------------
The Militia organization under orders helped the nation maintain national security and order. In 1940- 41 there was enough noticed strength, that the count surpassed even regular army composition. On 1 January 1940 the organizations were 31,766 male militia, 14,810 women militia and 14,000 youth, after territorial principals were divided into 19 regiments (every district had one).

The militia organization was founded in 1919 and in 1921 reorganized with a permanent military formation based on volunteer principals based on Finland’s militia organization. Militia organization could enlist a person that wasn’t a criminal. Militia stature mainly came from officers, NCO and soldiers released from the army. In case of war the Latvian President could call them up.
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Old 03-23-2004, 05:01 PM   #50
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Latvian Army Strength 1940

ARMY, NAVY AND AIR STRENGTH
--------------------------------
The "Latvian Army Post Soldier" hand book of 1939 was published about the Latvian armed organization and its weapons:

The National Army strength composed of the following:

1) The active army, composed of drafted, obligated active service people, and also from volunteers, Army leaders NCO and soldiers, officers, admin. Officers, and sanitary workers.

2) from soldiers, that on leave until further orders;

3) From reserves, which included people who were released after three year of active duty, and people 17 years old until they were drafted at 21 years old.

4) From National Guard, who included; reserves, elders between the ages of 40 to 51, and people with medical disability who were exempt from the draft and were put in the reserves.

The active armed forces were composed of the Army and Navy.

The largest army units were divisions and the Navy had squadrons (all of the Navy strength formed only one squadron).

The separate army groups were infantry, cavalry, artillery, sapper, aviation and tank regiments, but the Navy was classified a division.

The Latvian army peacetime size was stated as 20,000 men, but facts show there were about 2,000 officers, 4,000 Army NCO and 9,000 — 13,500 obligated soldiers. The largest amount of soldiers in the Latvian army —over 75,000 men — was in the beginning of 1920.

The Latvian army was divided into 4 divisions with 3 infantry and one artillery regiment. The average length of obligated active service was 10.5 months, but several specialized units, in which it was 12.5 months. On 22 February 1940, the length was extended to 18 months and the soldiers who had finished the obligated time if circumstances required it, the war minister could call them back in service. The National Guard and reservists could only be called up by a Presidential decree. This would give the peacetime standing Army of about 180,000 men.

Eddie ( CO The Latvian Legion)
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