Order of the Red Star

Order of the Red Star

The Order of the Red Star (obverse)
Awarded by the  Soviet Union
Type Single-grade order
Eligibility Soviet military personnel
Awarded for Great contribution to the defense of the USSR in war and in peacetime and for ensuring public safety
Status No longer awarded
Statistics
Established 6 April 1930
First awarded September 1930
Last awarded 19 December 1991
Total awarded 3,876,740

Ribbon of the Order of the Red Star
Reverse of the Order of the Red Star
Lieutenant Colonel Anatoly Lebed wearing his three Orders of the Red Star earned in Afghanistan
Major General Georgi Zakharov wearing one of his two Orders of the Red Star
Afghanistan veteran Igor Vladimirovich Vysotsky wearing his Order of the Red Star and other awards on civilian attire
Lieutenant General Alexey Anastasovich Mikoyan (as a captain on photo) wearing his first of three Orders of the Red Star
1946 Soviet 60 kopek stamp bearing the Order of the Red Star

The Order of the Red Star (Russian: Орден Краснoй Звезды) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 6, 1930[1] but its statute was only defined in decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 5, 1930.[2] That statute was amended by decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 7, 1936,[3] of June 19, 1943,[4] of February 26, 1946, of October 15, 1947, of December 16, 1947[5] and by decree No 1803-X of March 28, 1980.[6]

Award statute

The Order of the Red Star was awarded to soldiers of the Soviet Army, Navy, border and internal security forces, employees of the State Security Committee of the USSR, as well as NCOs and officers of the bodies of internal affairs; to units, warships, associations, enterprises, institutions and organizations; as well as to military personnel of foreign countries:[6]

The Order of the Red Star is worn on the right side of the chest and when in the presence of other orders of the USSR, placed immediately after the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd class.[4] If worn in the presence of Orders or medals of the Russian Federation, the latter have precedence.[7]

Long service award

The Order of the Red Star was also used as a long service award from 1944 to 1958 to mark fifteen years of service in the military, state security, or police. Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of September 14, 1957[8] emphasised the devaluation of certain Soviet high military Orders used as long service awards instead of their originally intended criteria. This led to the joint January 25, 1958 decree of the Ministers of Defence, of Internal Affairs and of the Chairman of the Committee on State Security of the USSR establishing the Medal "For Impeccable Service" putting an end to the practice.

Award description

The Order of the Red Star is a red enamelled 47mm to 50mm wide (depending on the variant) silver five pointed star. In the center of the obverse, an oxydised silver shield bearing the image of an erect soldier wearing an overcoat and carrying a rifle, along the shield's entire circumference, a narrow band bearing the Communist motto in relief, "Workers of the world, unite!" (Russian: «Пролетарии всех стран, соединяйтесь!»), the band below the soldier bore the relief inscription "USSR" (Russian: «СССР»). Below the shield, the hammer and sickle also of oxydised silver. The otherwise plain reverse bore the maker's mark and the award serial number. The Order was attached to clothing by a threaded stud and screw attachment.[2]

When the order wasn't worn, a ribbon could be worn in its stead on the ribbon bar on the left side of the chest. The ribbon of the Order of the red Star was a 24mm wide silk moiré dark red with a 5mm wide central silver stripe.[4]

Noteworthy recipients (partial list)

The Order of the Red Star was awarded 6 times to 5 people, 5 times to more than 15 people, four times to more than 150 people, three times to more than 1,000 people. Below is a short partial list of such multiple recipients:

Six times

Five times

Four times

Three times

Twice

Singles

Units

In 2015 the Order of the Red Star award awarded to Ukrainian army units were removed as part of a removal of Soviet awards and decorations from Ukrainian military units.[11]

References

  1. ↑ "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of April 6, 1930" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1930-04-06. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  2. 1 2 "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 5, 1930" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1930-05-05. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  3. ↑ "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of May 7, 1936" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1936-05-07. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  4. 1 2 3 "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 19, 1943" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1943-06-19. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  5. ↑ "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 16, 1947" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1947-12-16. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  6. 1 2 3 "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 28, 1980 No 1803-X" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1980-03-28. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  7. ↑ "Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of September 7, 2010 No 1099" (in Russian). Russian Gazette. 2010-09-07. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  8. ↑ "Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of September 14, 1957" (in Russian). Legal Library of the USSR. 1957-09-14. Retrieved 2012-03-27.
  9. ↑ Rhodes, Richard (1996). Dark Star - The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 93. ISBN 978-0684824147.
  10. ↑ Rhodes, Richard (1996). Dark Star - The Making of the Hydrogen Bomb. New York: Simon and Schuster. p. 388. ISBN 978-0684824147.
  11. ↑ "УКАЗ ПРЕЗИДЕНТА УКРАЇНИ №646/2015" [Ukaz President of Ukraine No. 646/2015] (in Ukrainian). President of Ukraine. 21 November 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2016.

External links

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