Medal "For Merit in Combat"

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Obverse and reverse of the medal in the version from 1943. The award number 2939626 , which was struck until 1945, can be seen on the reverse . The award number suggests that it was awarded between 1942 and 1944.
Interim clasp

The medal "For Merit in Combat" ( Russian Медаль "За боевые заслуги" ) was a military award of the former Soviet Union , which was donated on October 17, 1938 by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet in one step.

Award terms

The medal could be awarded to all members of the Red Army , the naval navy, the border troops , the internal troops and other citizens of the USSR. Furthermore also to persons of connected brother states. The award itself took place for skillful, initiative-rich and bold action in combat, which was shown by the lent in the successful fulfillment of the set combat task . The award also took place for brave behavior in protecting the state borders of the USSR, for excellent results in political and combat training, as well as for the introduction of new combat techniques and, ultimately, for ensuring a high level of combat readiness of the troops and units. It could also be awarded for other high services during military service.

Appearance and wearing style

The medal is made of silver, has a diameter of 31 mm and shows the three-line inscription on its obverse over a diagonally crossed saber and Mosin-Nagant rifle: За / боевые / Заслуги (For merits in battle). Above it, the abbreviation СССР (USSR) can be read deepened and enamelled in red . The reverse of the medal was blank and in the version up to 1945 showed a stamped award number on the lower edge of the medal, which was subsequently omitted. The medal was worn on the upper left side of the chest of the borrower from 1938 to 1943 on a rectangular silver clasp with a red ribbon. In 1943 this was no longer used and was replaced by a pentagonal clasp with a light gray ribbon and a yellow hem 2 mm wide. The interim clasp is of the same quality.

Award numbers

In the course of the Japanese-Soviet border conflict , the medal was awarded in August 1938 to more than 1000 members of the Red Army who were deployed in the area around Lake Chassan . In the following fighting on Chalchin Gol in August 1939, 3,000 army soldiers were again awarded the medal. In the Great Patriotic War it was then awarded about 3,320,000 times. By the end of 1986, the number of awards rose to around 5 million times.

literature

  • Dietrich Herfurth: Military Awards of the USSR. Recordings by Jean Molitor. Military Publishing House of the GDR, Berlin 1987, ISBN 3-327-00294-0 , p. 111.