This is the Soviet Badge (not medal) for the 25th Anniversary of the Victory Over Germany. It was awarded to all veterans of the GPW. Here are both variants.
Archive for WW2
Badge For Bravery And Determination In The Great Patriotic War
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 5, 2013 by The DudeOrder of the Patriotic War 2nd Class
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The Dude
This is the 2nd Class of the Order of the Patriotic War.
The Order was established on 20 May 1942 and came in first class and second class depending upon the merit of the deed. It was the first Soviet medal established during the war, and the first Soviet order divided by classes. Its statute precisely defined, which deeds are awarded with the order, e.g. shooting down three aircraft as a fighter pilot, or destroying two heavy or three medium or four light tanks, or capturing a warship, or repairing an aircraft under fire after landing on a hostile territory, and so on, were awarded with the first class. It was also given to some allied troops and commanders, including western allies. Altogether, over 324,903 of the 1st class and 951,652 of the 2nd class were issued during the war. Until 1985, the total number reached about 1,370,000.
In 1985, during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, it was decided that all surviving veterans of the war would be awarded either 2nd or 1st class of the Order, and about 2,054,000 first class and 5,408,000 second class were issued then.
As of January 1992, the total number of all awarded Orders was 2,487,098 first class and 6,688,497 second class variants. My 2nd class is numbered 5503731.
Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The Dude
This is the 1st Class of the Order of the Patriotic War.
The Order was established on 20 May 1942 and came in first class and second class depending upon the merit of the deed. It was the first Soviet medal established during the war, and the first Soviet order divided by classes. Its statute precisely defined, which deeds are awarded with the order, e.g. shooting down three aircraft as a fighter pilot, or destroying two heavy or three medium or four light tanks, or capturing a warship, or repairing an aircraft under fire after landing on a hostile territory, and so on, were awarded with the first class. It was also given to some allied troops and commanders, including western allies. Altogether, over 324,903 of the 1st class and 951,652 of the 2nd class were issued during the war. Until 1985, the total number reached about 1,370,000.
In 1985, during the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the victory in the Great Patriotic War, it was decided that all surviving veterans of the war would be awarded either 2nd or 1st class of the Order, and about 2,054,000 first class and 5,408,000 second class were issued then. As of January 1992, the total number of all awarded Orders was 2,487,098 first class and 6,688,497 second class variants. My 1st class is numbered 945423.
Jubilee Medal for 50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Russia (Federation), WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Victory Over Germany
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for Meritorious Labor During the Great Patriotic War
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Defense of Moscow
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Capture of Koenigsberg
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags East Prussia, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Liberation of Warsaw
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Poland, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Defence of Leningrad
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeМedal for the Liberation of Belgrade
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2, Yugoslavia on May 4, 2013 by The DudeCommemorative Medal of the 60th Anniversary of the Victory Over Germany
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Russia (Federation), Unofficial, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeCommemorative Medal of the 60th Anniversary of the Stalingrad Victory
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Russia (Federation), Unofficial, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for 40th Anniversary of Victory over Hitlerite Fascism
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Bulgaria, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Defence of the Caucasus
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The Dude60th Anniversary of the Liberation of Moldova
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Moldova, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for 40th Anniversary of Victory over Germany
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Capture of Berlin
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 4, 2013 by The DudeMedal for the Victory Over Japan
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Empire of Japan, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude
The Soviet Union came in late in the war on Japan. Having frightened them off in 1939 in their drubbing of the Japanese 6th Army in Mongolia, the Soviets waited until August 9th 1945 before rolling into Northern Mongolia, Korea and the Kurile Islands. This medal was awarded to troops involved in that campaign.
Medal for the Capture of Budapest
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Hungary, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeOrder of the Red Star Type 7, Variant 2
Posted in Valour Medals with tags Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude60th Anniversary of the Outbreak of the Great Patriotic War
Posted in 1939-1945 Jubilee Medals with tags Moldova, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeMedal of Liberty 2nd Class 1941
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Finland, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The DudeThe Commemorative Medal of the Winter War 1939-40
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Finland, Soviet Union, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude
This Finland medal is awarded for service in the war against the Soviet Union in 1939 and 1940. The war started out well for Finland when she was able to use her terrain and the Mannerheim Line of fortifications to blunt and in places, slaughter the Soviet invaders. Eventually the weight of numbers told and Finland was forced to seek peace. There are a lot of bars for this medal, mostly regional. Only one bar could be awarded per medal.

Ensconced in the snow, his white camouflage suit rendering him invisible to the invading Soviet soldiers he stalked, Simo Häyhä steadied himself to fire. During the 1939–1940 Winter War, in temperatures as low as –40 °C, the Finnish sniper undertook a killing spree that saw him single-handedly take the lives of at least 700 men in less than 100 days. Over 500 of these he shot using a standard, bolt-action rifle with non-telescopic sights. Is it any wonder he earned the nickname White Death among his enemies? Meet the man who would take Rambo to the cleaners.
The War Medal 1941-45
Posted in 1939-1945 Service Medals with tags Greece, WW2 on May 2, 2013 by The Dude
This Greek medal was instituted in 1947 to commemorate participation in campaigns and actions not covered by the War Medal 1040-1941l. Again two reverses exist, one for land and one for sea actions. The land operations reverse refers to North Africa, South Aegean Islands and Italy. This example is the land version.
























































