More than 31 years after his death the family of Armed Guard John M. Edgar discovered a box with some of his memorabilia. Among those items is what appears to be a Russian medal. The medal consists of a bronze button with a rotating airplane. From the button are two 1 1/2 inch chains attached ti a medallion. The medallion is about the size of a quarter. In the center is a red 5 pointed star with Russian writing. To the left of the top point is a small white area containing the image of an airplane. Under the star is what appears to be the image of a gas mask. Without being able to attach a picture, that is the best description that I can offer. Can you identify the medal? Many thanks.
Re: Medal Identification
Posted by Ron Carlson on May 26, 2016, 11:58 am, in reply to "Medal Identification"
Hi John,
The Russians apparently were and are very prolific in designing and awarding military and civilian decorations, medals and badges of all types. You have probably seen photographs of senior Russian or Soviet military officers wearing so many medals it seems they would hardly be able to stand up. See http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/world/russia/images/sokolov.jpg.
This is from a discussion forum in which collectors of military insignia display and discuss their latest finds. From their discussion it seems what they have (and what you have?) is not so much a medal as a badge worn by certain Russian personnel prior to or during World War II. Apparently it was worn by personnel engaged in antiaircraft and chemical defense, hence the airplane and the gas mask. What you describe as a white area in the upper left looks like the beam of a searchlight from lower right to upper left. Additionally there is what may be a long-barreled antiaircraft gun from lower left to upper right. The "rotating" airplane was probably meant to screw into the button that serves as a backing plate so that the badge could be affixed to a uniform coat or blouse. The Russian words may mean "Ready for ..." plus an acronym that may mean chemical and antiaircraft defense, or so I am guessing from the discussion in the forum entries.
This was probably not something that your father (grandfather?) was awarded by the Russians, although the Russians, to their credit, have generously awarded postwar medals to former Allied naval and merchant sailors to honor their contributions to the Russia war effort during World War II. Rather I speculate that this is something he may have purchased from or maybe was spontaneously given by a Russian soldier or civilian during the war. The story no doubt died with him.
Do you know whether John M. Edgar was aboard a ship that made the infamous "Murmansk run," carrying supplied to Russia over the North Cape of Norway to Murmansk or Archangel? If so, that experience would have brought him into contact with local Russian military personnel and civilians.
Thanks for giving me an excuse to try my Googling talents.
Best wishes.
Ron Carlson, Webmaster Armed Guard / Merchant Marine website www.armed-guard.com
Thank you so much for your very informative and accurate response. The picture in the link that you provided is exactly the medal in my father's possessions. As my dad was a very outgoing, generous and friendly man, I would suspect that the medal was given to him spontaneously by a Russian.
To answer your question, my father did make at least one Murmansk run on the Liberty Ship Benjamin H. Latrobe. Some years back, I was able to secure the commemorative medal that the Russians issued to the Armed Guards and Merchant Marines.
Again, many thanks for your efforts and for the response. Obviously, your googling talents far surpass mine.