Photographs Of Recipients Of Soviet Awards/Service Personnel.

[Tretov]

From what I know - yes it is the same guy. Not sure about the reason for different ribbons, but it's the same man.

Very strange, if so. The second guy has no WW2 participation at all, just post-war service.

[Jeffrey Meffert]

Artilleryman Galunov from when he was a cadet in 1938 and then again as a major in 1945 (Commanded an "Avenger" unit 85mm antiaircraft/antitank gun: awarded OPW1, ORS, Combat service, Liberation Belgrade & budapest)

[Al-muell]

Very strange, if so. The second guy has no WW2 participation at all, just post-war service.

You are right. But I see no other option - unless he had a twin brother...

[deValcourt]

You are right. But I see no other option - unless he had a twin brother...

The nose width, the ears and the distance between the eyes seems to be the same. However, in the first picture, the man is wearing a 50th anniversary KGB badge and in the second it is either a 60th (most likely because of the dark coloring around the border of the shield) or Honored State Security badge. Whatever it is, it isn't a 50th anniversary. And from what I've seen, if you earn both, you wear both.

They could easily be brothers and that is not unheard of (in fact, it is rather common since the KGB was a sort of fraternity in that they often took on new members who had a "legacy" (a relative who had served or was serving in the agency). This may be the answer.

Phillip

[Al-muell]

Another two.
With the first man, You won't notice much difference, as there's around 15 years of difference only, but it's interesting, as a prologue for the next guy.
So, this is Ivan Svetlakov, WW1 and Civil War participant.
First pic: With friend,
Second pic: 1943 with wife and younger son.

[Al-muell]

And the next guy - Ivan Svetlakov's son - Ivan:
first pic: Young Vanya in school years.
second pic:Vanya (right most one, sitting on the cannon) in 1935, still a civilian.
third pic:Kursant Svetlakov in the Academy.

[Al-muell]

pic1: lieutenant-engeneer Svetlakov - of the NKVD Interior Troops
pic2: captain-engeneer Svetlakov - probably shortly after the war
pic3: Major Svetlakov - pic taken in 1952

[Al-muell]

pic1: lt.colonel-engeneer Svetlakov, official personel file photo from 1955.
pic2: probably the latest photograph of him I have: colonel-engeneer Svetlakov sitting rghtmost in the first row. photo taken in1965. He was head of automobile service of the MVD Interior Troops of the Ukrainian and Moldavian Republics then.

[DougD]

Older photo of Aeroflot pilot in Africa.

[Tretov]

Nice pic! I still await photos where FINNAIR pilots pet tigers in Africa :D