Medal "For Courage" - state award the USSR and the Russian Federation. It was established on October 17, 1938.

Medal of Honor"

The medal was established to reward soldiers Red Army, Navy and border guard for personal courage and courage in battles with the enemies of the Soviet Union in protecting the inviolability of state borders or in the fight against saboteurs, spies and other enemies of the Soviet state. 

Border guards were among the first to be awarded this medal. N. Gulyaev и F. Grigorievwho detained a group of saboteurs near Lake Khasan. By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1992 No. 2424-1, the medal was left in the system of awards of the Russian Federation. Established again by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1994 No. 442.

The history of the medal "For Courage" (CSSR)

Since its inception, the Medal "For Courage" has become especially popular and appreciated among front-line soldiers, since it was awarded solely for personal bravery 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 privates and sergeants, but it was also awarded to officers (mainly junior ranks). 

Medal "For Courage" was established Decree of the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces of October 17.10.1938, XNUMX on the establishment of the medal "For Courage". The Regulations on the medal say: “The Medal “For Courage” was established to reward 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 Red Army, Navy, border and internal troops and other citizens of the USSR. 

Before the start of the Great Patriotic War, about 26 servicemen were awarded the medal for courage and courage in defending the state borders of the USSR and in the Soviet-Finnish war. During the Great Patriotic War for the period from 000 to 1941 more than 1945 million awards were made.


During the Great Patriotic War, some Red Army soldiers were awarded four or even five medals "For Courage" (for example, S. M. Zolnikov, P. F. Gribkov, M. Zakharov and some others). At the same time, the medal "For Military Merit" was established, which was also awarded to military personnel and civilians who "in the fight against the enemies of the Soviet state, with their skillful, proactive and courageous actions, associated with a risk to their lives, contributed to the success of military operations at the front." In fact, these were the first Soviet medals, not counting the commemorative medal established a little earlier - for the 20th anniversary of the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army. 

The medal "For Courage" is silver in color, has the shape of a circle with a diameter of 37 mm with a convex rim on both sides. On the front side of the medal in the upper part there are three flying I-16 aircraft. Under the planes there is an inscription in two lines "For courage", red enamel is superimposed on the letters. Under this inscription is a stylized T-35 tank. At the bottom of the medal is the inscription "USSR", covered with red enamel. On the reverse (back side) - the number of the medal. The medal is fastened with a ring to a pentagonal block covered with a silk moire ribbon. Gray ribbon with two longitudinal blue stripes along the edges, ribbon width 24 mm. The width of the strips is 2 mm. Initially, the medal "For Courage" was attached to a quadrangular block, covered with a red ribbon. 

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). 

This award was the highest medal of the USSR and remained so until the collapse of the Soviet Union. 

post-soviet period

The medal "For Courage" was established in the system of Russian state awards by Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1994 No. 442 (as amended by Decree of June 1, 1995 No. 554). The external appearance of the medal has not undergone practically any changes, only the inscription "USSR" on the obverse (front side) has been removed. The diameter of the medal has slightly decreased - up to 34 mm. The main condition for the award was still "personal courage and courage." The medal "For Courage" can be awarded to military personnel, employees of internal affairs bodies, and other citizens of Russia for courage and bravery shown in battles and in the performance of special tasks to ensure state security, while protecting the constitutional rights of citizens in conditions associated with a risk to life. 

The first to be awarded the Russian medal "For Courage" were servicemen of the 3rd separate special forces brigade of the GRU for performing special combat missions on the territory of the Republic of Tajikistan. Decree of the President of Russia of November 13, 1993. 

On April 13, 1995, the medal was recreated in the award system of the Republic of Belarus (under the name "For Advaga"). Unlike the Russian medal, the Belarusian one retained the diameter of its Soviet prototype - 37 mm. The inscription "For advaga" is made in the Belarusian language.

 

Regulations on the medal "For Courage" (RossiI)

 

The medal "For Courage" is awarded to military personnel, as well as employees of internal affairs bodies Russian Federation and other citizens of the Russian Federation for personal courage and bravery shown by: 

  • in battles to protect the Russian Federation and its state interests;
  • in the performance of special tasks to ensure state security of the Russian Federation;
  • while protecting the state border of the Russian Federation;
  • in the performance of military, service or civil duty, the protection of the constitutional rights of citizens in conditions associated with a risk to life. 

The medal "For Courage" is worn on the left side of the chest and, in the presence of other medals of the Russian Federation, is located after Medals of the Order "For Merit to the Fatherland"

Description of the medal "For Courage"у»

 

Quote from Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1994 No. 442 

« The medal "For Courage" has the shape of a circle with a diameter of 34 mm.

On the front side of the medal in the upper part, three flying aircraft are depicted. Below the planes is placed in two lines the inscription "For Courage", under which a tank is depicted. All images on the medal are embossed, the inscription is indented and covered with red enamel. The obverse and reverse sides of the medal are bordered with a border.

The medal is made of copper-nickel alloy. The medal has a number.

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

»

 

Versions


Medal on a rectangular block 

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 varieties of the USSR medal "For Courage": 

  1. On a rectangular block. From the moment of its establishment (October 17, 1938) until the issuance of the decree of June 19, 1943, the first type of the medal "For Courage" was awarded. The medal was attached to a rectangular block measuring 15 × 25 mm, covered with a red moiré ribbon. On the reverse side of the block 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 came into force, the appearance of the medal changed somewhat. The block with a red ribbon was replaced by a pentagonal block, which has a pin on the back for attaching to clothing. 

There are two main varieties of the RF medal "For Courage": 

  1. On a pentagonal block. In accordance with the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the Russian Federation "On State Awards of the Russian Federation" dated March 2, 1992, the description of the medal was brought into line with the state symbols of the Russian Federation, in connection with which the inscription "USSR" was removed from the front side of the medal, located below tank.
  2. On a pentagonal block, 34 mm in diameter. In accordance with the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation "On State Awards of the Russian Federation" dated March 2, 1994, the medal "For Courage" was retained in the award system in the form in which it had been since March 1992, but its diameter became smaller (34 mm instead of 37 mm) and its manufacture was provided from a copper-nickel alloy. By Decree of the President of the Russian Federation of June 1, 1995, changes were made to the description of the medal - the medal began to be made of silver. 

Awarding in penalty areas

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

In the song of V. Vysotsky "Penal battalions" there are lines: 

And if you don’t catch lead in your chest,

You’ll catch a medal on the chest “For Courage”.

 

Awarded with five medals "For Courage"

 

During the Great Patriotic War (1941-1945), some soldiers were awarded five medals "For Courage". 

  • Stepan Mikhailovich Zolnikov (born 1919) - participant in the Victory Parade, mortar sergeant of the 8th separate Guards Rifle Brigade during the war years was awarded five medals "For Courage" and the Order of Glory III degree. The hero was awarded the first medal for the battle that took place on September 3, 1942 in the area Sinyavino swamps under Leningrad. Zolnikov received the last, fifth medal "For Courage" for the battle on the Courland Peninsula on the night of May 9, 1945. Currently, Doctor of Medical Sciences S. M. Zolnikov lives in Moscow.
  • Pavel Fedorovich Gribkov (born 1922) - Scout, participant of the Great Patriotic War, holder of five medals "For Courage". Head of the Museum of Military and Labor Glory at the Petropavlovsk City Council of Veterans.
  • Ippolitova, Vera Sergeevna (by husband - Potapova; genus. 1921) - guard sergeant. Participant of the Great Patriotic War as deputy commander of the 3rd rifle company of the 3rd separate rifle battalion 71st Separate Marine Rifle Brigade, then medical instructor of the 188th Guards Rifle Regiment 63rd Guards Krasnoselskaya Rifle Division.

 

 

 

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