Medal for bravery wwii. Personal feat award: why the medal for Courage became special

The Medal For Courage, founded in 1938 by the Soviet government, is one of the most revered awards. It was awarded to servicemen for personal courage in battles to representatives of all types of troops, including foreigners. During the Second World War, more than 4 million such badges were issued, and later they were awarded to participants in hostilities. What are the benefits for the medal "For Courage" given to her gentlemen?

The Soviet medal "For Courage" was first issued in the pre-war years; it was awarded to the Red Army border guards who showed heroism in protecting the borders of the Motherland from foreign saboteurs. The next major presentation was to those who distinguished themselves in the Finnish campaign. In total, up to 1941, about 26 thousand awards were issued. And already in the war, Soviet soldiers performed feats on a massive scale, so the number of those awarded was in the millions. This medal was the only insignia that was awarded to penalty boxers for personal merit.

The award was a 37 mm silver item. On the obverse there are 3 flying aircraft in the upper part, the T-34 tank and the USSR abbreviation under it - in the lower part, and the inscription "For Courage" - in the middle. The letters are covered with scarlet enamel. The serial number of the award was affixed on the back.

This order had several varieties, differing from each other in the types of pads, ears and fastening options, methods of applying numbers and other nuances that were interesting, first of all, to specialists.

After the collapse of the USSR, the Russian award system began to form (Decree of the Presidium of the RF Armed Forces No. 2424-1). On the new orders, Soviet symbols were to be removed and replaced with Russian ones. "For Courage" was left without state attributes at all, and in this version it was given to about 5.5 thousand gentlemen.

In 1994, the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 442 regulated the procedure for issuing awards, as well as benefits and payments that were due to recipients. The medal was awarded for personal exploits to servicemen, employees of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and the fire service, including posthumously. The order itself decreased by 3 mm in diameter and began to be cast from a copper-nickel alloy, but in 1995 it was again made from silver. The award was accompanied by a miniature copy for everyday wear.

Privileges to the holders of the medal "For Courage"

The regulation on benefits for the medal "For Courage" in the period from the fall of 1938 to the end of 1947 assumed a monthly payment of 10 rubles. The awardees had the right to travel free of charge on tram transport throughout the entire USSR. Confirmation for the receipt of privileges was the corresponding certificate, as well as special coupons for cash issues, which were marked with the receipt of benefits.

At the front, temporary certificates were often issued, since the order books were not prepared in the required quantity. After the war, the awardees independently changed their existing papers for a permanent document. However, already on January 1, 1948, the benefits received for the medal "For Courage" ceased to apply - they were canceled by the decision of the Presidium of the Armed Forces.

According to Federal Law No. 306 of November 7, 2011 (Art. 5), the receipt of state awards of the Russian Federation and the USSR by military personnel for the period of service under the contract gives the right to an additional payment upon dismissal - in the amount of 1 official salary. Considering that by Presidential Decree No. 1099 dated 09/07/2010 the medal "For Courage" was included in the award system of the Russian Federation, this provision also applied to the holders of this order. But already in 2014, these privileges were also canceled, since this law has lost its effect.

So what are the benefits for the Medal of Courage that can be used by its holders? Unfortunately, no preferences are directly due for this award. However, as a rule, the owners of the badge of honor are entitled to benefits on other grounds, for example, as veterans of military operations, and after 60 years - as labor veterans.

To obtain the status, you must contact the department that issued the medal with the following documents:

• passport;
• military ID;
• certificate of the knight of the order;
• award papers;
• certificates confirming the passage of service and participation in hostilities.

The title of labor veteran is issued through the FIU with the presentation of documents from all places of employment.

Upon approval of veteran status, those awarded with the Medal of Courage will be entitled to the following privileges:

1. as a DB member:

• tax breaks for property, transport fees;
• exemption from state fees in case of a claim in court;
• preferential pension;
• subsidizing rent;
• installation of a landline telephone without queuing and free of charge;
• priority right to vacation at a convenient time, additional vacation periods;
• medical care out of turn;
• provision of prosthetic products;
• purchase of transport tickets without queuing;
• free vouchers to the sanatorium;
• benefits to families at the death of a veteran for a decent burial.

1. as a labor veteran

• pension supplement;
• 50% discount on rent and utility bills;
• regional payments and benefits.

Thus, in order to receive benefits, the holders of the medal "For Courage" must obtain a veteran title and a corresponding certificate - only in this case the right to privileges as participants in hostilities appears.

The medal was established by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated October 17, 1938. Subsequently, by decrees of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 19, 1943 and December 16, 1947, changes were made to the description of the medal and to the Regulations on the medal. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of March 28, 1980, the Regulation on the medal was approved in a new edition.

Medal regulations.

The Medal "For Courage" was established to reward for personal courage and courage shown in the defense of the socialist Fatherland and the performance of military duty.

The medal "For Courage" is awarded to servicemen of the Soviet Army, Navy, border and internal troops and other citizens of the USSR.

The Medal For Courage may also be awarded to persons who are not citizens of the USSR.

The medal "For Courage" is awarded for personal courage and courage shown by:

• in battles with the enemies of the socialist Fatherland;
• while protecting the state border of the USSR;
• in the performance of military duty in conditions associated with the risk of life.

The Medal "For Courage" is worn on the left side of the chest and, in the presence of orders and other medals of the USSR, is located after the orders.

Description of the medal.

The Medal For Courage has the shape of a regular circle with a diameter of 37 mm.

On the obverse of the medal, in the upper part, there are three planes flying one after another in the direction to the left upwards. The wingspan of the first aircraft is 7 mm, the second is 4 mm, and the third is 3 mm. Below the planes, there is an inscription “FOR DARE” in two lines, under which a tank 10 mm wide and 6 mm long is depicted.

At the bottom of the medal is the inscription “USSR”. The width of the inscription is 9 mm. The height of the two central letters is 3.5 mm, the height of the outermost letters is 2.5 mm.

All images on the medal are in relief, the inscriptions are depressed, covered with ruby-red enamel. Deepening of the letters of the inscriptions - 1 mm. The obverse of the medal is bordered by a rim 0.75 mm wide and 0.25 mm high.

The medal is made of 925 sterling silver. The total weight of silver in the medal (as of September 18, 1975) is 25.802 ± 1.3 g. The total weight of the medal without a block is 27.930 ± 1.52 g.

The medal is connected with an eyelet and a ring to a pentagonal block covered with a gray silk moire ribbon with two longitudinal blue stripes along the edges. The width of the tape is 24 mm, the width of the strips is 2 mm.

From the history of the medal.

Medal "For Courage" - the second, after the medal "XX Years of the Red Army", by the time of its establishment in the USSR. The Medal For Courage is the highest Soviet medal and is placed in front of other medals when worn (like the Order of Lenin in the system of Soviet orders).

Since the medal was awarded for personal feat, it was awarded mainly to the rank and file and sergeants, less often to junior officers. Senior officers and generals were practically not awarded the medal "For Courage".

During the Great Patriotic War, the medal "For Courage" was awarded more than 4 million times.

By the beginning of 1981, about 4.5 million were awarded the medal "For Courage".

In total, the medal "For Courage" was awarded about 5 million.

The Medal "For Courage" is a state award of the USSR for rewarding for personal courage and courage shown in the defense of the Fatherland and the performance of military duty.

The Medal "For Courage" was established by the Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces dated 10/17/1938 on the establishment of the medal "For Courage".

The Regulation on the medal says: "The Medal" For Courage "was established to award for personal courage and courage manifested in the defense of the socialist Fatherland and the performance of military duty.

Servicemen of the Red Army, the Navy, the border and internal troops and other citizens of the USSR are awarded the Medal "For Courage".

"For Courage" - the highest medal in the USSR award system.

Among the first to be awarded this medal were border guards N. Gulyaev and F. Grigoriev, who detained a group of saboteurs near Lake Khasan.

Before the start of the Great Patriotic War, about 26 thousand servicemen were awarded a medal for courage and bravery in defending the state borders of the USSR and in the Soviet-Finnish war.

During the Great Patriotic War for the period from 1941 to 1945 more than 4 million awards were made.

During the Great Patriotic War, some Red Army soldiers were awarded four, five and even six (SV Gretsov) medals "For Courage".

At the same time, Medal "For Military Merit", which was also awarded to servicemen and civilians who "in the fight against the enemies of the Soviet state, with their skillful, proactive and courageous actions, fraught with the risk to their lives, contributed to the success of hostilities at the front."

In fact, these were the first Soviet medals, not counting the jubilee medal established somewhat earlier - to the 20th anniversary of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army.

Since its inception, the Medal For Courage has become especially respected and appreciated among the front-line soldiers, since it was awarded solely for personal courage shown in battle.

This is the main difference between the medal “For Courage” and some other medals and orders, which were often awarded “for participation”.

Basically, the medal "For Courage" was awarded to the rank and file, but it was also awarded to officers (mostly junior rank).

Fighters fighting in the penal units of the Red Army, while serving their sentence, were deprived of their military rank and awards, which were restored after release. For their courage, courage and heroism, fighters of penalty units could be awarded. Almost all of the awards received in penal units were medals "For Courage".

In V. Vysotsky's song "Penal Battalions" there are lines:
"And if you don't catch lead in your chest,
You will catch a medal on your chest "For Courage" ... "

In accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 7, 1941, the medal "For Courage" after the death of the recipient was returned to the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. The certificate for the medal could be left in the family of the recipient (decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of July 13, 1943).

The medal is made of 925 sterling silver. The total weight of silver in the medal (as of September 18, 1975) is 25.802 ± 1.3 g. The total weight of the medal without a block is 27.930 ± 1.52 g.

There are two main types of medals of the USSR "For Courage":
1.On a rectangular shoe. From the moment of its establishment (October 17, 1938) until the issuance of the decree of June 19, 1943, the first type of medal "For Courage" was awarded. The medal was attached to a rectangular block 15 × 25 mm covered with a red moire ribbon. On the back of the shoe there was a threaded pin with a round nut for attaching the medal to clothing.
2. On a pentagonal block. After the decree of June 19, 1943 entered into force, the appearance of the medal changed somewhat. The red ribbon shoe has been replaced with a pentagonal shoe with a pin on the back for attaching to clothing.

After the collapse of the USSR
The following awards of the post-Soviet states are based on the design of this medal:
- Medal "For Courage" (Russia)
- Medal "For Courage" (Belarus)
- Medal "For Courage" (Pridnestrovskaia Moldavskaia Respublika)

The Medal For Courage is a state award from a number of other countries. The following are known:
- Medal "For Courage" (Israel)
- Medal "For Courage" (Abkhazia)
- Medal "For Courage" (Azerbaijan)
- Medal "For Courage" (Armenia)

Courage is a quality that turns ordinary people into heroes, both in armed conflict and in times of peace. In the Middle Ages, the custom was invented to award a particularly distinguished warrior with a medal or order, fastened to clothing or worn on a ribbon or chain around the neck. They had to testify to a perfect feat and distinguish the hero from the crowd. Over time, their awards have appeared in many countries of the world. They were also in the Soviet Union. One of the most famous was the medal "For Courage". During the Second World War, the USSR awarded more than 4 million people with it.

Description

Medals "For Courage" are silver in color and have a round shape (diameter - 3.7 cm). They have a raised border on both sides. The upper part of the obverse depicts 3 airplanes in flight. Under them there is an inscription in 2 lines “For courage”. Its letters are covered with red enamel. Below this inscription is a convex image of a stylized T-35 tank, which in 1938 was considered a symbol of the military power of the Soviet Union. Even below is the inscription "USSR" covered with red enamel.

As for the design of the reverse, it is extremely simple, it only has a number on it.

The block of the medal "For Courage" had a 5-sided shape. It is covered with a gray silk moire ribbon. It has two longitudinal blue stripes along the edges. The width of the tape itself is 2.4 cm, of the strips - 2 mm. It should be noted that initially the last was a 4-angle, covered with a red tape, but after this design was abandoned.

History before the beginning of the Second World War

The medal "For Courage" was established in 1938. According to the relevant Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces, it was intended to reward servicemen of the spacecraft, the Navy, border and internal troops, as well as other citizens of the Soviet Union who showed personal courage and courage in defending the Motherland and in the performance of their military duty. The Medal For Courage (WWII was marked by many feats for which it was awarded) was instituted almost simultaneously with the medal For Military Merit. The latter was also awarded not only to the military, but also to the civilian population. Both of these awards were the first in the Soviet Union, except for the jubilee medal established for the 20th anniversary of the Red Army. Thus, it was extremely honorable to receive it.

Some sources indicate that the first recipients of the medal "For Courage" were F. Grigoriev and N. Gulyaev, and they received it for the arrest of a group of enemy saboteurs on the shore of Lake Khasan. However, this is not entirely true. So, it is known that 3 days before the decree, which announced the awarding of border guards, medals were awarded to 62 servicemen. Among them - V. Abramkin, starley F. Alekseev, Lieutenant GB Almaev, political instructor A. Baimuldin, Lieutenant G. Barbotko and others.

In addition, before the invasion of the Nazis into the territory of the Soviet Union, about 26 thousand Soviet servicemen were awarded for the exploits committed in defending the state borders of the USSR and during the days of the so-called Finnish War.

During the Second World War and in peacetime

From the beginning of the Nazi invasion and until August 1945, more than 4,000,000 people received medals "For Courage", most of them soldiers, junior officers, as well as sailors and warrant officers of the Navy. Some soldiers were even awarded 4, 5 and 6 times such an award. The medal "For Courage" was especially respected among the front-line soldiers, since it was awarded only to those who showed personal courage in battle, and not for participation in a particular battle, defense or liberation of the city, etc. Basically, it was awarded to privates, sergeants and junior officers.

In the post-war period, the medal was awarded much less frequently. Nevertheless, in 1956 it was awarded to a large group of military personnel who distinguished themselves during the operation to suppress the "counter-revolutionary insurgency" in Hungary.

Another mass presentation of medals "For Courage" took place during the period of hostilities during the events taking place on the territory of Afghanistan in the first half of the 80s. Then it was awarded to thousands of soldiers and officers.

Awarded

The medal "For Courage" (the Patriotic War was the most difficult of all wars in world history, and the awarding of this medal during it acquired the broadest character) after the Victory it ended up in many families of Soviet people. Among the awardees there were also very young heroes. So, the youngest recipient was the 6-year-old son of the regiment, Sergei Aleshkov, who saved his commander. Another completely teenage soldier - 15-year-old Afanasy Shkuratov by the end of the war already had 2 such awards. The first of them he received during the battles for the capture of the city of Surozh, when he delivered a wounded officer to the medical battalion, and the second was awarded to him for his courage shown in Karelia during an operation on the Mannerheim Line.

The Medal For Courage (1945 is not the last year when it was awarded) was also awarded to foreign citizens. In particular, in May 1964, the Danes Viggo and Lilian Lindum were awarded for saving the life of a Soviet officer. In addition, on July 8, 1964, this high award was awarded to the citizen of Czechoslovakia A. Haller, who in the last days of the war conducted the leading Soviet patrol by the shortest route to Prague.

Few know that regarding the medal "For Courage" on July 7, 1941, it was decided to return it to the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces in the event of the death of the recipient. However, after 2 years it was revised, and the families of the heroes could leave them in their memory of the deceased son, brother, father.

Another interesting fact is related to the presentation of such medals to fighters from the notorious penal battalions. As you know, for the time of serving their punishment there, the latter were deprived of their military rank and the awards they already had. However, in the event of heroic deeds and displays of heroism, many of them received the medal "For Courage". By the way, there is a mention of this in one of the songs by Vladimir Vysotsky, where the poet, referring to the fighter of the penal battalion, says that if he “does not catch lead in the chest,” he will receive this award.

After the beginning of the Second World War, the leadership of the USSR was faced with the task of maintaining the morale of soldiers and officers with all their might, who performed unparalleled feats at the fronts, fighting in the most difficult conditions. For this purpose, new awards have been instituted. Among them are medals for the defense of Leningrad, Sevastopol, Odessa and Stalingrad (1942). In addition, by the beginning of 1943, the role of partisans in the fight against the enemy had increased. In this regard, it was decided to establish an award for this category of defenders of the Motherland. So, from the beginning of February 1943, the medals "Partisan of the Patriotic War" of the 1st and 2nd degrees began to be used.

The successes of the USSR Navy also made it necessary to establish special awards for participants in naval battles. They were the medals of Ushakov and Nakhimov. They appeared in 1944. By the way, the first of them is the next in seniority after the already known award "For Courage". Around the same time, medals were instituted for the defense of the Caucasus, Moscow and the Soviet Arctic.

On May 9, 1945, one of the last medals of the Second World War period appeared. They were medals "For the victory over Germany" and "For the capture of Berlin."

A month later, 6 more awards were instituted by a special decree. They were medals for the capture of Budapest, Vienna, Belgrade, Warsaw, Prague, which were used to mark the participants in the operations to liberate European capitals. And finally, the last award of the Second World War was established by decree issued at the end of September 1945. The Medal For Victory Over Japan was awarded to 1,800,000 soldiers and officers who took part in the battles that led to the signing of the Imperial Army's surrender.

Some of the most famous orders of the Second World War

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, several such awards had already been established in the country of the Soviets. The first of these was the Order of the Red Banner. It was founded in 1924, and for many years it was the country's only award. Later there were the Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, Lenin and the Badge of Honor.

After the outbreak of the war, there was no time for the establishment of new awards for a long time. However, in 1942, by decree of May 20, the most distinguished soldiers were to be awarded the Order of the Patriotic War. This award was one of the first in the USSR to have degrees. In order to promptly celebrate the heroic deeds of the soldiers, the right to award the Order of the Patriotic War of I and II degrees was transferred directly to the command in the field. At the same time, clear conditions were established under which this award could be awarded. For example, the Order of the Patriotic War of the first degree could be awarded to an artilleryman who personally destroyed one heavy or two light tanks (armored vehicles). In total, more than 9,000,000 people received it.

In 1942, the Orders of Kutuzov, Ushakov and Alexander Nevsky were also established. All three awards were intended for the commanders of military units and were awarded to those of them who showed military talent. A year later, the orders of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, Glory and "Victory" also appeared in the award system of the USSR. The last two deserve special mention.

Highest military award of the USSR

The Victory Order was established on November 8, 1943. This is the highest military award of the USSR, the decision on the creation of which was made after a radical change in the Second World War. In total, 20 people received it, including G. Zhukov, Vasilevsky and I. Stalin.

At the end of the war, some foreign military leaders also received it. In particular, the Order of Victory was awarded to Dwight Eisenhower and Bernard Lowe Montgomery. In addition, the award was presented to the Romanian monarch Mihai the First.

Order of Glory

If the previous award was intended to commemorate the merits of the military leaders, whose actions led to a turning point in the course of the war, then this star with the image of the Kremlin was established for the rank and file of the spacecraft. In total, 1,000,000 servicemen were awarded it. Among the actions that were considered a worthy occasion for awarding the Order of Glory were:

• completing the task by a tanker in a burning car;
• the destruction of 10-50 enemy soldiers by a sniper;
• capture of an enemy officer;
• rescue of the commander;
• destruction of the enemy warehouse, etc.

Medal "For Courage in a Fire"

Heroism displayed in conditions of peaceful everyday life deserves a reward no less than deeds on the battlefield. Considering this fact, in 1957 the medal "For Courage in a Fire" was established in the USSR. It was intended to reward firefighters, members of the DPD, military personnel and other civilians who took action to prevent the spread of a fire, explosion or threat to human life.

Description of the medal "For courage in the fire"

This award was originally made from silver and later from nickel silver. The medal is round. The diameter is 3.2 cm. At the top of the obverse there is an inscription “For courage in a fire”, and a 5-pointed asterisk is engraved under it. An adjustable key and a fire ax are crossed in the center. Below, on 2 branches of laurel and oak, there is an image of a hammer and a sickle.

The design of the reverse is also quite interesting. It depicts the figure of a firefighter in appropriate ammunition with a rescued baby in his arms. In the background is a burning residential building. The lower part of the reverse is decorated with a laurel twig.

All figures, objects and inscriptions on the medals "For Courage in a Fire" are convex. Its front and reverse sides are circumferentially bordered by a convex side.

The medal has a pentagonal block covered with a crepe moire silk ribbon. Its width is 2.4 cm. There are cornflower-blue stripes 3 mm wide along its edges. They are bordered by white stripes, each of which is 1 mm wide.

History of the Fire Courage Award

The initiator of the establishment of the medal in 1957 was Klim Voroshilov. However, its appropriation decrees were extremely rare, and, according to statistics, annually it was awarded to approximately 100 firefighters and civilians. V. Kaban and I. Sobolev were the first to receive it. There are also known cases when a firefighter was awarded this medal twice. Moreover, S. Derevianko was awarded it three times. The last time the medal "For Courage in the Fire" (USSR) was awarded was in early March 1991. Then it was replaced by the Russian counterpart, which existed until 1994. At the moment, there is no such award in the award system of the Russian Federation. Instead, there is a medal "For the rescue of the lost." At the same time, departmental awards of the Ministry of Internal Affairs and EMERCOM of Russia with the same name were established.

Privileges

Until 1947, there was a system of cash payments in the USSR to reward those awarded with orders and medals. However, it was declared invalid by the Decree of the Presidium of the Armed Forces of the Soviet Union. This decision also canceled benefits for the medal "For Courage", as well as for other awards of the USSR. They were not restored in subsequent years.

At the moment, veterans who have a medal "For Courage" (1941-1945 - the years when the largest number of such awards were presented) are deprived of any privileges associated with this circumstance. The situation is different with regard to contract servicemen. At the end of the service, they are entitled to an additional cash payment in the amount of one salary.

As for what benefits are awarded to those awarded with the medal "For Courage in the Fire", it is believed that a person performs such feats at the behest of the heart, and not for the sake of cash payments and discounts on housing and communal services.

Now you know what the Medal of Courage looked like. You also know what you were awarded for, so now you will surely have great respect for those who have such a sign of recognition on their chests.