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For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - Printable Version

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For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - PaulR - 09-20-2012

I finally had this Combat Merit Medal researched. It came back as a MGB(predecessor of the KGB) Captain's award... not much of a citation though. :( But it is still a cool piece of history. I wonder what other awards he may have been bestowed... we will never know.


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - PaulR - 09-20-2012

The research


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - RedMaestro2 - 09-20-2012

Called it! :D

Very nice, and great that you got research back for it. :thumbsup


I think this further confirms my claim that this other neat group is also state security:
http://soviet-awards.com/forum/soviet-military-awards/researchers-corner/researched-award-groups/78157-ambartsum-aristamovich-sevumov.html


Cheers,
Alex


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - deValcourt - 09-20-2012

From what I'm reading now, I have a sinking feeling this guy was a member of SMERSH before he was made part of the new MGB in 1946, especially considering the dates of the awards.

The sparse documentation also supports this idea since even now many of the identities of members of SMERSH are still kept secret - and for good reason considering what they actually did to millions during the GPW.

Oh well, I'm just guessing based on my personal paranoia.:cool:

Phillip


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - PaulR - 09-20-2012

How would you be able to tell the difference between someone in the SMERSH, and the other two branches(NKVD and NKGB)? Didnt all three branches merge to form the MGB in 1946?


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - CtahhR - 09-20-2012

I doubt a "heavy" from SMERSH would only have 2 long service awards to show for their wartime contribution to depopulating Europe. From the look of things he was in service from 1931 and does not have any combat awards. More likely a desk jockey in Division K (Economic security) than someone sorting out spies on the frontline.

From experience SMERSH members usually have at least 1 combat award for rounding up and interrogating whereas the leather coated stereotypical spook stayed on the home front, shuffled paper and got the almost mandatory long service awards. SMERSH members (and NKVD/NKGB) working in military or deportation roles in the Caucasus would usually have been awarded the Medal "For The Defence Of The Caucasus" and Medal "For Victory Over Germany" by this time too. This MGB Captain in Baku may well have overseen the business aspect of oil production instead of being the fantastic romanticised character the words NKVD, MGB or KGB usually incorrectly inspire. It is just unfortunate there is not more information available to correctly direct us all to this person's role in the Soviet Union.

The 15th January 1945 Ukaz is "For long service to the NKVD".


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - PaulR - 09-20-2012

Thank you. Other than this medal, are there any others listed on this citation? Would he have been eligble for the VoG, without frontline service?


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - CtahhR - 09-20-2012

He got a "Red Star" for 15 years service in 1946 (which is where I got the date 1931). You didn't need to be at the front to get the VOG but this doesn't list him as having one. He may have been issued a VOG or LVOG sometime after this card was issued (25th December 1946). If he stayed in service he may have got 20 and 25 year service awards but nothing about having 2 service awards in 1946 points towards combative service.


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - PaulR - 09-20-2012

Thank you very much. I think that I will purchase a VoG to put with it and call it good.

Why would he be possibly eligible for the LVOG? The Intell communities were treated as military, right?


For Combat Merits,2228026,NKVD Officer,Long Service 1945 - CtahhR - 09-20-2012

Not all of them were awarded VOG (or even LVOG). I would be very VERY cautious of marrying up any additional awards to this group which are NOT mentioned on his award sheet. I would leave it as it is unless further research tells you otherwise.

Right now the complete group looks like 2 long service awards. This Medal and a Red Star. Any add ons at this point would not be faithful to his record.