Photographs Of Recipients Of Soviet Awards/Service Personnel.

[Mahdi]

Doug,

GREAT FIND! :) My first language is Russian, so if you e-mail me a scan of the article about Hristenko, I would be more than happy to translate and share it with everyone in this group.

Once again, thanks!

Mahdi

[Art]

Great work Doug!

O.K. so "X" is "K"...got it..For anyone interested in Hristenko, please read this month's digest article. Henry writes that multiple awardings of the same class were common..simply because of bereaucratic delays. Also, many people received their first class awards much later, when they realized they could turn in their duplicates for the next higher class.

Now if they would only publish a set of books for the Hero of Labor!

Art

[Doug]

The Cavalier book sells here in the US for between $40 and $70. I got mine on Ebay but I know some of the larger Soviet dealers carry it. I'm still looking for the new two volume set on Soviet orders that came out within the last year. I think the author's names are Muzalevsky and Shishkov. Anyone know where I can get it?

All the best,

Doug

[Mahdi]

Here is a rough translation of the article in the Glory Cavaliers book... I figured a perfect "beautiful" translation is not necessary... Enjoy!

Hristenko Vasiliy Timofeevich, born on on April 12, 1925 in the village of Bolshaya Mikhailovka of the Kirovskij Region, Karagandinskaya District. His father was a stateman. Russian. Member of the Soviet Communist Party since 1945. Completed the 10th grade of high school, in the village of Maikain-Zoloto of the Pavlodarskaya Region. Worked as a miner. Joined the Red Army in January 1943. Studied in the Tambovsky military school. Joined the front in August 1943.

In February 1944, being in the scouting troops (62nd Guards Shooting Regiment, 4th Guards Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front) private Hristenko discovered a supply caravan belonging to the enemy in the village Hilki of the Korsun'-Shevchenski region of the Circassian district. This caravan was destroyed eventually and Hristenko was awarded the Order of Glory 3rd Class on February 22, 1944.

Being the commander of BTR (armored vehcile) 80th Division of the Motorcycle Batallion (5th Guards Tank Group, 6th Guards Tank Army, 2nd Ukrainian Front), sargent Hristenko, on October 6, 1944, along with his crew of armored vehicles and at the time when the enemy was attacking an observation point in the region of Komadi (Hungaria), killed about 10 soldiers with a machine gun. Hristenko was awarded with the Order of Glory 3rd Class on November 4, 1944.

On December 18, 1944, while trying to break the enemy's defense lines near the village Domanditse (about 16 kilometers from the town Levitse in Czhechoslovakia), as the commander of BTR 15th Division Guards Motorcycle Division, Hristenko with his crew destroyed 12 Nazi soldiers. Personally destroyed the source of enemy defense fire, captured 2 soldiers and an officer of the Nazi forces. On January 24, 1945 he was awarded the Order of Glory 2nd Class.

As commander of BTR of the same division (5th Guards Tank Group, 6th Guards Tank Army, 3rd Ukrainian Front). Senior "starshina" Hristenko, along with his crew, on March 23-24, 1945, while following the enemy trails in the village of Sengal (west of Vesprem, Hungary) killed more than 10 soldiers and captured 6 others along with an officer. On April 20, 1945, while on a scouting mission within a crew located in Paisdorf (Austria) fought the enemy, resulting in the killing of 10 Nazi soldiers. Hristenko personally destroyed a machine gunner and captured 3 soldiers. On May 15, 1945 was awarded with the Order of Glory 1st Class.

In 1946, Hristenko was demobilized. In 1956 he received a law degree (self-taught). Worked as the 1st secretary of the chief of the Altaisk executive committee. Became a Hero of Socialist Labor (December 13, 1972). Lives in Barnaul. Awarded the Orders of Lenin, October Revolution, Patriotic War 1st and 2nd Classes, Labor Red Banner, Red Star, Badge of Honor, and various medals. Participated in the Victory Parades of 1990 and 1995.

[Tal Inbar]

Those veterans and commanders are in danger of collapse....

[tinmoldova]

Ah yes. A nice reminder of my favorite holiday--Victory Day--when all the vets come out in their Sunday best. Actually, they will start wearing their fruit salads starting tomorrow so I can enjoy the medals for an entire week.

[Art]

I've got Victory Parades from 1945, 1986 & 1995 on video..all are cool, but I wish they would still use the horses when they review the troops..driving around in those stretch convertibles just doesn't have the regalia of the horse.

Yes, do try and take pictures!

Art

[Tal Inbar]

As a space enthusiast, I always liked to see cosmonauts with the awards from the USSR, Russia and foreign countries. Looking at them is like to watch an awards exhibition!

Look at the pictures of General Alexei Leonov:

Interesting mixture of Soviet, Russian and foreign awards on this cosmonaut and Hero of the Russian federation:

[Tal Inbar]

Yuri Gagarin looks very modest wearing only his Soviet awards:

[CZ]

Dear Tal,

Comrade Leonov is really impressive: 2x HSU and 2x HSL + all that metal .... that's something folks.

Your last picture is interesting: This colonel wears in front of his SU "Friendship ..." the lowest and basic order of Austria: "Silberne Ehrenzeichen der Republik Österreich", which is really a rather shitty award for a cosmonaut, because every civil servant, who didn't steel silver spoons and completed a university education (masters degree) gets this award after a certain time. Maybe someone can tell this "hero" to wear the Austrian award behind the SU-award, which is several classes higher.

Regards from Vienna