Order of the Red Star as a symbol of courage and fearlessness of soldiers of the Red Army

The most expensive and desired military award for RKKA officers has always been and remains the Order of the Red Star. As a sign of the difference between combat battles and victories, this star first appeared in 1918 on the military uniform of the soldiers of the Moscow garrison. In the civil war, the five-pointed star was worn on the chest under the heart, but from 1943 the metal order was moved to the right side. This award was worn only on a festive officer's uniform. On an everyday and field form, the order looked like a small bar with ribbons 2.4 cm long. The tape had a burgundy shade with a strip of pale gray in the middle.

Officially and publicly, the Order of the Red Star was established by decree of the Central Executive Committee in 1930 on April 6. The authors of the award were sculptor Golenetsky V.V. And the artist VK Kupriyanov. It looked like a silver star, five rays of which were covered with ruby-red enamel. In the center of the star was a silver round plate with a picture of a Red Army soldier with a rifle. The shield also contained an engraving "Proletarians of all countries, unite" and just below the "USSR", and below it a symbolic sickle and hammer. All emblems, as well as the edges of the award were oxidized.

The Order of the Red Star weighed about 34 grams, the share of silver from the total weight was almost 28 g. The size of the star between its opposite peaks was about 5 cm. The reverse side was engraved with a personal number; for attachment to clothing, a pin with a nut was placed on it.

May 5, 1930 was the first Statute of the Order. According to this document, the Order was awarded to servicemen of the commanding and enlisted personnel of the Red Army, ships and military units, as well as their formations, enterprises, institutions, collectives and public organizations that had outstanding service in the defense of the USSR from the enemy, both during the war years and in Peaceful time.

The soldiers, who had such an important reward, proudly wore the rank of Knight of the Order of the Red Star. The first such knight in May 1930 was Vasily Konstantinovich Blucher, who at that time commanded the Special Far Eastern Army. He received his star for a beautifully conducted military operation on the Sino-Eastern Railway Route, which took place in the summer of 1929.

Among the decorated with the Order, you can often meet those who have two, or even more, awards. So, for example, General of the Army Gribkov AI. And Admiral Amelko N.N. Have three stars each, and four stars for services to the fatherland were received by Colonel-General of Aviation, Hero of the Soviet SSR Baydukov GF. And twice the hero of the USSR Kokkinaki VK Five awards were given to Major General of Aviation, twice Hero of the Union of Socialist Republics Stepanenko IN

The first collective, who received the Order of the Red Star, was a newspaper with the symbolic name "Red Star". She was gifted an award in honor of her decade in December 1933. Later, such magazines as "Aviation and Astronautics", "Military Knowledge", "Naval Digest", "Military Herald", "Soviet Warrior" were presented with an honorary sign.

In total for all time of existence of the award the Order of the Red Star has been handed over more than 3,8 million Soviet and foreign citizens. In the last years of the "life" of the Soviet Union, the ruby star for heroic deeds and injuries on the battlefield began to give out to the soldiers of Afghanistan. And today this symbol of courage can be seen not only on the chest of an elderly veteran, but also with a young soldier who has managed to experience fear, pain, despair and such a pleasant taste of victory over his years.