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02-04-2007, 02:41 AM | #1 |
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Awards Worn Into Action
Quite a lot of period photos show Russian soldiers wearing their decorations in action. I have always wondered if these are posed or in fact actual action photos.
In reality they make a perfect target for a sniper also if there is more than one, they can make a clanking noise, which is not on as far as night patrols go. Can anyone inform me on what the case is here? I am interested to know if the wearing of awards flows from the top echelon right down to the grunts on the ground who are at the sharp end. ANZAC
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"If we come to a minefield, our infantry attacks exactly as it were not there." Marshall Geogi Zhukov to General Eisenhower, 1945 |
02-04-2007, 04:56 AM | #2 | |
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Scouts, partisans, and those going behind enemy lines often removed them and left them in a safe place, but even then I've read memoirs of people parachuting behind enemy lines insisting on wearing their awards to show off their exploits, encourage others, etc. |
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03-02-2007, 01:21 AM | #3 |
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I believe that the Soviet soldier probably DID wear his orders and medals into action for one simple reason: in a savage war of annihilation, such as that on the eastern front of WW2, the average Ivan knew that his life expectancy was not so good, and he wore his decorations simply because it might be the only chance he might have to do so, before the odds caught up with him.
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03-02-2007, 03:44 AM | #4 |
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In most cases you are quite right I believe. Life was to short why not wear them proudly while you can.
Brendan
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"If we come to a minefield, our infantry attacks exactly as it were not there." Marshall Geogi Zhukov to General Eisenhower, 1945 |
03-02-2007, 04:40 AM | #5 |
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Kabanchik, Brendan,
It is also a very, very old Russian tradition for soldiers to wear their medals into action. Marc |
03-03-2007, 12:04 AM | #6 | |
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03-03-2007, 01:42 AM | #7 |
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I believe this is what you mean as far as wearing orders. Wow has he got enough Red Banners
Brendan
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"If we come to a minefield, our infantry attacks exactly as it were not there." Marshall Geogi Zhukov to General Eisenhower, 1945 |
03-03-2007, 01:51 AM | #8 |
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I think it's safe to say that in the case of Soviet pilots, there were louder sounds to be heard than the clanking of their orders and medals!
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03-05-2007, 01:15 AM | #9 |
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Refresh my memory, please. Isn't the pilot of the Bell P39 Airacobra being congratulated in the above photo (the one with all the Orders of the Red Banner) Pokryshkin??
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03-06-2007, 09:19 PM | #10 |
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I concur with the previous statements. In addition, I believe certain orders exempted the wearer from corpral punishment and certin unpleasant duties.
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