Now a couple of Security Troop enlisted (other ranks) shoulderboards. The longer of the two is for a Plutonier (Sergeant First Class) from the RSR period (post 1965) while the shorter is from the RPR period and is for a Sergent Major (Staff Sergeant). These may have belonged to the same person.
-
-
A detail of the buttons used on the shoulderboards. First, the button that reads "Romania" on the banner is on the longer board (RSR period)...Comment
-
...while the button reading "RPR" on the banner is from the shorter board.Comment
-
I have often said that Romanian forces do not seem to have the same preoccupation with placing ribbons in the correct order of precedence as we (the US) do. Well, this bar takes the cake. It is a Securitate bar, and the awards are as follows (top to bottom, left to right):
1. Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country - 3rd Class ('58-'68)
2. Order of Military Merit - 3rd Class ('54)
3. Order of Labour - 3rd Class ('48)
4. Star of Romania - 5th Class ('48)
5. 20th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Country ('64)
6. Soldier's Bravery Medal - 2nd Class ('59)
7. Medal for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country ('53-'68)
8. Medal of Military Merit - 1st Class ('66)
9. Order of Military Merit - 2nd Class ('54)
10. 25th Anniversary of the Liberation of the Country ('69)
11. Medal of Military Merit - 2nd Class ('66)
12. 20th Anniversary of the Romanian Armed Forces ('64)
The only thing I can figure is that the bottom of the bar (last row) was "doctored" sometime after 1969 and before 1972 (or we'd see the 25th Anniversary of the Proclamation of the Republic). If you take a look at the back, you can see why I believe this... it's basically a "splice" job. A great ribbon bar!Comment
-
And the back... note the obvious "splice" job- the second needle is still in place!Comment
-
Greg - Thanks for the latest posts. Was it common to have ribbons out of place on the ribbon bar?Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also believed by many others. They just don't dare express themselves as we did. Quote - Sophie Scholl - White Rose resistance groupComment
-
Hey Ralph,
I have seen this sort of thing happen in most ribbon bars of the Warsaw Pact- with the exception of the DDR- but not with the same "regularity" as Romania. Some of the difficulty may occur in the interpretation of the awards... that is, which awards are higher to you (the wearer). For example, notice that the very first award is the Securitate Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country - 3rd Class, yet any publication that I have seen will rate the 5th Class Star of Romania as the highest order shown on this bar. Another reason, and I think we're seeing this here as well, is not to incur the expense and time of having an entire bar redone when you can "splice a couple in". In most inspections I have had to endure, that would have gotten you "gigged" for sure.
As long as we have had the "slide it on/slide it off" system in the US, you would think more folks would have copied it.Comment
-
Hey Greg - Good educational information to know and thanks for taking the time to add more comments...Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also believed by many others. They just don't dare express themselves as we did. Quote - Sophie Scholl - White Rose resistance groupComment
-
A couple more recent acquisitions... if you go back to post #9, you'll find a 1959 document for the Order for Distinguished Services in Defense of the Social Order and the Country - 3rd Class (Ordinul "Pentru servicii deosebite aduse în apãrarea orânduirii sociale ºi de stat"); well, here's the Order itself, finally. This was given from 1958 through 1965. Finally married the order to the document!!! Hoorah!Comment
-
Not much happening with the back except for rivets...Comment
-
A detail of the front... dunno why, but I get an urge for strawberries when I look at this star.Comment
-
Now, one of the most difficult to obtain Romanian medals, the "Defense of the Country" Medal (Medalia "De strajã Patriei")- an Internal Ministry award given, primarily, for guarding the borders. First given in 1958, this particular example is the post-1965 variant (RSR). It is damaged- the mounting ring broke from the star. I do have a jeweler friend who, I'm sure, can repair it.Comment
-
A detail of the front... the first variant read "Republica Populara Romina".Comment
-
And a back detail- photographed in shadow to enhance the type.Comment
-
Greg - Thanks much for your follow up posts and CONGRATS!!! glad to see that you now have the medals for your documents...
Somebody, after all, had to make a start. What we wrote and said is also believed by many others. They just don't dare express themselves as we did. Quote - Sophie Scholl - White Rose resistance groupComment
Comment