If NOT State Security/KGB Generals Boards-- Then WHAT?

[Rick Research]

I know that it is universally accepted that State Security generals did NOT wear the blueberry blue branch of service color of ranks up to Colonel, but in my Pile O' Mystery Objects from the mid 1990s are these :

First up, on a Generals' 11 Republics buttons 1943-46 white summer Kitel, perhaps a bit hard to tell since the scan is dark from being attached to the tunic---


blueberry blue underlay! :yow

[Rick Research]

Now obviously, ANY detachable insignia might have been put on at any time, and presence on a late WW2 tunic doesn't mean much... but the underlay isssssss blueberry blue.

As on THIS pair of M1958 field service boards, which came attached to nothing, but are theVERY green shade of uniforms before the M1969 mud-khaki was introduced:


again, blueberry blue underlay

[Rick Research]

With that loose pair, another, acquired at the same time. Much browner actually than the M1969 khaki, with a greenish star and again apparently "textbook" M1958 field uniform insignia

underlay in blueberry blue:

[Rick Research]

None of these were claimed as state security-- and indeed the sellers had no clue what they were-- nor did I offer any guesses before buying them.

More than 10 years have gone by and I have never seen any others, which seems to me a Fairly Good Sign anyway, since Naughty People engaged in collecting skullduggery are known for BULK and not one-offs.

Aside from CAVALRY, which likewise does not apply, what on Earth ARE these, if not State Security?

They are NOT mutant air force or M1943-47 civil police (Militia) which used robin's egg/sky blue-- and which shows up in dye batch mutations of an unpleasant pale gray-ish hue sometimes.

These are...


blueberry blue!!!! :yow

[Tretov]

Willie, rick's point in this is that the boards have the distinct state security royal blue colour although it has never been confirmed that generals of this branch wore them.

[willie777]

Well, in the chart, the general boards are piped blue... Now if KGB general boards werent piped blue, what would they be piped?