Orders and Medals of the USSR

Post WWII Medals

For Distinguished Service in Maintaining Public Order

Established November 1, 1950. It was awarded to civilians for outstanding service in maintaining public order, for fighting crime, and for displays of valour in keeping public peace. The medal consists of a 33mm copper-nickel alloy medallion. The obverse has a star at the top of the medallion and the inscription "For Distinguished Service in the Preservation of Public Order" in Cyrillic letters. The reverse of the medal has the USSR coat of arms with the inscription "CCCP" below it. The medal is suspended from a pentagonal ribbon. The ribbon is red with a 3mm blue center stripe and two 5mm blue stripes on each side of the center stripe separated by thin red stripes. Over 30,000 medals have been issued.

For Distinguished Service in Guarding the USSR State Border Guard Border

Established July 13, 1950. It is awarded to frontier guards, servicemen of the armed forces, and civilians for outstanding performance and services rendered in defense of the USSR's State boarder. The award consists of a 33mm medallion made of German silver. The obverse of the medal shows a frontier boarder guard standing with his rifle at the ready with a watch tower behind him. The reverse of the medal contains the inscription "For Distinguished Service in the Protection of National Frontiers - USSR" in Cyrillic letters. Above the inscription is a star and below is a wreath of oak leaves bound in the center by a ribbon and the hammer and sickle. The medal is suspended by a pentagonal green ribbon with a 5mm red stripe on each edge. Over 50,000 awards have been issued.

Medal for Strengthening Combat Cooperation Medal for Combat Cooperation

Established May 25, 1979. It was awarded to servicemen, personnel of State security and the Ministry of the Interior, to citizens of the Warsaw Treaty countries, and to other socialist and friendly states for strengthening combat cooperation. The award consists of a 32mm tombac medal. The obverse of the medal contains a red enameled star. In the center of the star is a shield with the inscription "For Strengthening Combat Cooperation USSR" in Cyrillic letters. Around the tips of the star are laurel branches and two crosses swords at the bottom of the medal. The award is suspended by a pentagonal red ribbon with a small black center stripe between two 2mm orange stripes. On the edges of the ribbon is a 2mm white stripe with a 3mm green stripe on the inside of the pentagon and a 2mm white stripe with a 3mm blue stripe on the outer edges of the pentagon. This medal has been issued 5,000 times.

Medal for Distinguished Military Service 1st and 2nd Class

Established October 28, 1974. It is awarded to servicemen of the army, navy, border guards, and internal troops for outstanding achievements in combat and political training and education and for displays of valour and gallantry during active service. The medal is the same for both classes consisting of a star with shields representing all of the armed forces between the arms of the star. In the center of the star is a medallion with the faces of three service men from different branches of service. Surrounding the medallion is a Cyrillic inscription and laurel branches. The difference in the medals is that the 1st Class medal is made of brass and the 2nd Class medal is made of a nickel-silver alloy. Instead of the usual pentagonal ribbon, both classes are suspended by a rectangular red ribbon with a 3mm green and 3mm red stripe on each edge. In the center of the ribbon for the 1st Class award, there is a gilded star and on the 2nd Class a silvered star. The medals have been issued a over 50,000 times.

Medal for the Veteran of the Armed Forces

Established May 20, 1974. It was awarded to servicemen of the army, navy,border guards, and internal troops for outstanding service in the Armed Forces of the USSR over a period of 25 years or more. It is composed of a 32mm tombac medal with a red enameled star superimposed over the hammer and sickle with the inscription "USSR" below it. Around the bottom of the medal is a banner with the inscription "Veteran of the Armed Forces" with a laurel branch above it. The medal is suspended by a pentagonal grey ribbon with three stripes on the left edge, 3mm red stripe-2mm grey stripe-and a small red stripe from the edge going inward. The right edge of the ribbon contains a series of black and orange stripes that represents the ribbon found on the Order of Glory which is the same ribbon that is on the Czarist Order of St. George. The Veteran's Medal has been issued more than 500,000 times.

Medals for 10, 15, and 20 Years of Irreproachable Service

Established September 14, 1957. These medals were awarded to all servicemen for long service and

good conduct for 10, 15, and 20 years. The medals for the three awards are identical in design. A star in the center of the medal with a hammer and sickle in the center of the star. Between the points of the star are radiating beams of light and the entire star is surrounded by laurel branches. The medals differ in the material used to make them and the presence of enamel. The 10 year award is gilded bronze, the 15 year award is silver with a gilt star, and the 20 year award is silver with a red enameled star. The medals are suspended by a pentagonal red ribbon with 3mm green stripes on each edge. The ribbon on the 10 year award contains three 3mm yellow stripes in the center, the ribbon on the 15 year award contains two 3mm yellow stripes in the center, and the ribbon on the 20 year award has one central 3mm yellow stripe.

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