Shoulder straps in the Red Army date of introduction. Shoulder straps of the Soviet army

Introduction shoulder strap in the Red Army

On January 6, 1943, shoulder straps were introduced in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army.

Shoulder straps They have a long history in the Russian army. They were first introduced by Peter the Great back in 1696, but in those days shoulder straps served only as a strap that kept the gun belt or cartridge pouch from slipping off the shoulder. Shoulder strap was only an attribute of the uniform of the lower ranks: officers were not armed with guns, and therefore shoulder straps they didn't need it.

As insignia shoulder straps began to be used with the accession to the throne of Alexander I. However, they did not denote ranks, but membership in a particular regiment. On shoulder straps a number was depicted indicating the number of the regiment in the Russian army, and the color of the shoulder strap indicated the number of the regiment in the division: the first regiment was red, the second was blue, the third was white, and the fourth was dark green. Since 1874, in accordance with the order of the military department No. 137 of 04.05. 1874, the shoulder straps of both the first and second regiments of the division became red, and the color of the buttonholes and cap bands of the second regiment became blue. The shoulder straps of the third and fourth regiments became blue, but the third regiment had white buttonholes and bands, and the fourth regiment had green ones.
Yellow is the same color shoulder strap had army (in the sense of non-guards) grenadiers. They were also yellow shoulder straps Akhtyrsky and Mitavsky Hussars and Finnish, Primorsky, Arkhangelsk, Astrakhan and Kinburn Dragoon Regiments.

With the advent of rifle regiments, the latter were assigned crimson shoulder straps.

Private

3rd Dragoon Novorossiysk Regiment

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as a volunteer from the reconnaissance team - 6th Klyasititsky Hussar Regiment

65th Moscow Infantry E.I.V. regiment

(The button with a crown existed until August 29, 1904)

Senior non-commissioned officer
4th Koporsky Infantry Regiment of General Count Konovnitsin

To distinguish a soldier from an officer, officer's shoulder straps at first they were trimmed with galloon, and since 1807 shoulder straps the officers' ones were replaced with epaulettes. Since 1827, officer and general ranks began to be designated by the number of stars on their epaulettes: y - 1, major and major general - 2; , and lieutenant general - 3; staff captain - 4; and full generals did not have stars on their epaulettes. One star was retained for retired brigadiers and retired second majors - these ranks no longer existed by 1827, but retirees with the right to wear a uniform who retired in these ranks were preserved. From April 8, 1843, insignia appeared on shoulder straps lower ranks: got one badge, two – , and three - to the senior non-commissioned officer. The sergeant major received shoulder strap a transverse strip of 2.5 centimeters thickness, and - exactly the same, but located longitudinally.

In 1854 they introduced shoulder straps and for officers, leaving epaulettes only on ceremonial uniforms, and until the revolution in shoulder straps almost no changes occurred, except that in 1884 the rank of major was abolished, and in 1907 the rank was introduced.

Shoulder straps had military officials and engineers, railway workers, .

In 1935, they were introduced into the Red Army. Some of them corresponded to the pre-revolutionary ones - colonel, lieutenant colonel, captain. Some were taken from the ranks of the former Tsarist Navy - lieutenant and senior lieutenant. The ranks corresponding to generals remained from the previous service categories - brigade commander, division commander, corps commander, army commander of the 2nd and 1st ranks. The rank of major, abolished under Alexander III, was restored. The insignia, in comparison with the buttonholes of the 1924 model, has hardly changed in appearance - only the four-cube combination has disappeared. In addition, the title of Marshal of the Soviet Union was introduced, no longer designated by diamonds, but by one large star on the collar flap. nevertheless, a special one was created for state security agencies.

On August 5, 1937, the rank of junior lieutenant (one kubar) was introduced, and on September 1, 1939, the rank of lieutenant colonel. At the same time, the three sleepers now corresponded not to , but to .
and received four sleepers.

On May 7, 1940, general ranks were introduced. The major general, as before the revolution, had two stars, but they were not located on shoulder straps, and on the collar valves. The lieutenant general had three stars. This is where the similarities with pre-revolutionary generals ended - instead of a full general, the lieutenant general was followed by the rank of colonel general, modeled on the German general oberst. The colonel general had four stars, and the army general who followed him, whose rank was borrowed from the French army, had five stars.

In this form, the insignia remained until January 6, 1943, when the Red Army was introduced shoulder straps.

Policemen and collaborationist formations created from Soviet prisoners of war also had shoulder straps. Notable for its particular originality (Russian National People's Army)

From January 13 Soviet shoulder straps, model 1943 began to enter the troops.

Soviet shoulder straps had much in common with the pre-revolutionary ones, but there were also differences: officer shoulder straps The Red Army (but not the Navy) 1943 were pentagonal, not hexagonal; the colors of the gaps indicated the type of troops, not the regiment; the clearance was a single whole with the shoulder strap field; there were colored edgings according to the type of troops; the stars were metal, gold or silver, and varied in size for junior and senior officers; ranks were designated by a different number of stars than before 1917, and shoulder straps without stars were not restored.

Soviet officers shoulder straps were five millimeters wider than pre-revolutionary ones. No encryption was placed on them. Unlike pre-revolutionary times, shoulder strap color now corresponded not to the regiment number, but to the branch of the army. The edging also mattered. Thus, rifle troops had a crimson shoulder strap background and black edging, cavalry had dark blue with black edging, aviation had blue shoulder strap with black edging, tank crews and artillerymen are black with red edging, but sappers and other technical troops are black but with black edging. Border troops and medical services had green shoulder straps with red edging, and the internal troops got cherry shoulder strap with blue border.

On the field shoulder straps khaki color, the type of troops was determined only by the edging. Its color was the same as the color of the shoulder strap on the everyday uniform. Soviet officers shoulder straps were five millimeters wider than pre-revolutionary ones. Encryptions were placed on them very rarely, mostly by cadets of military schools.

A junior lieutenant, a major and a major general received one star each. Two each went to a lieutenant and a lieutenant general, three each went to a senior lieutenant and a colonel general, and four went to the army general. shoulder straps junior officers had one clearance and from one to four silver-plated metal stars with a diameter of 13 mm, and shoulder straps senior officers - two gaps and from one to three stars with a diameter of 20 mm.

Badges for junior commanders were also restored. The corporal still had one stripe, the junior sergeant had two, the sergeant had three. The former wide sergeant major's stripe went to the senior sergeant, and the sergeant major received shoulder straps the so-called “hammer”.

According to the assigned military rank, belonging to the branch of the military (service), on the field shoulder strap insignia (stars and gaps) and emblems were placed. For military lawyers and doctors, there were “medium” sprockets with a diameter of 18 mm. Initially, the stars of senior officers were attached not to the gaps, but to the field of braid next to them. Field shoulder straps had a field of khaki color (khaki cloth) with one or two gaps sewn to it. On three sides shoulder straps had edgings according to the color of the military branch. Clearances were installed - blue - for aviation, brown - for doctors, quartermasters and lawyers, red - for everyone else. Field everyday officer's uniform made of golden silk or galloon. For everyday shoulder strap The engineering and command staff, quartermaster, medical and veterinary services and lawyers approved silver braid. There was a rule according to which silver stars were worn on gilded shoulder straps, and vice versa, on silver shoulder straps gold stars were worn, except for veterinarians - they wore silver stars on silver shoulder straps. Width shoulder strap- 6 cm, and for officers of the medical and veterinary services, military justice - 4 cm. It is known that such shoulder straps the troops called them “oak trees.” The color of the piping depended on the type of military service and service - crimson in the infantry, blue in aviation, dark blue in cavalry, a gilded button with a star, with a hammer and sickle in the center, in the navy - a silver button with an anchor. General's shoulder straps model 1943, unlike soldiers' and officers', were hexagonal. They were gold, with silver stars. The exception was shoulder straps generals of medical and veterinary services and justice. Narrow silver rings were introduced for them. shoulder straps with gold stars. Navy officers shoulder straps, unlike the army ones, were hexagonal. Otherwise they were similar to the army ones, but the color of the edgings shoulder strap was determined: for the officers of the naval, naval engineering and coastal engineering services - black, for aviation and the engineering - aviation service - blue, quartermasters - crimson, for everyone else, including justice - red. On shoulder straps the command and ship personnel did not wear emblems. Color of the field, stars and edging shoulder strap generals and admirals, as well as their width, were also determined by the type of troops and service, field shoulder strap senior officers were sewn from specially woven braid. The buttons of the Red Army generals had the image of the coat of arms of the USSR, and the admirals and generals of the Navy had the emblem of the USSR superimposed on two crossed anchors. On November 7, 1944, the stars were changed to shoulder straps colonels and lieutenant colonels of the Red Army. Until this moment, they were located on the sides of the gaps, but now they have moved to the gaps themselves. On October 9, 1946 the uniform was changed shoulder strap officers of the Soviet Army - they became hexagonal. In 1947 at shoulder straps officers transferred to the reserve and retired by order of the Minister of the Armed Forces of the USSR No. 4 are introduced golden (for those who wore silver shoulder straps) or a silver (for gilded shoulder straps) patch, which they are required to wear when putting on a military uniform (this patch was abolished in 1949).

In the post-war period, minor changes occurred in the insignia. So, in 1955, everyday field bilateral shoulder straps for privates and sergeants.

In 1956, field shoulder straps for officers with stars and khaki emblems and lights according to the branch of service. In 1958, narrow restrictions were abolished. shoulder straps model 1946 for doctors, veterinarians and lawyers. At the same time, the edging for everyday shoulder strap soldiers, sergeants and foremen. On gold shoulder straps silver stars are introduced, and gold stars are added to silver ones. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms, airborne troops), crimson (engineer troops), black (tank troops, artillery, technical troops), blue (aviation), dark green (medics, veterinarians, lawyers); blue (the color of cavalry) was abolished due to the liquidation of this type of troops. For generals of medical, veterinary services and justice, wide silver certificates have been introduced shoulder straps with gold stars, for others - gold shoulder straps with silver stars.

In 1962 appeared , which, fortunately, was not implemented.

In 1963, there were blue gaps for airborne officers. Are abolished shoulder straps 1943 model sergeant-major with a sergeant-major's hammer. Instead of this “hammer”, a wide longitudinal braid is introduced, like in the pre-revolutionary one.

In 1969, on gold shoulder straps gold stars are introduced, and silver stars are added to silver stars. The colors of the gaps are red (ground forces), crimson (medics, veterinarians, lawyers, administrative services) and blue (aviation, airborne forces). Silver general's medals are abolished shoulder straps. All generals shoulder straps became gold, with gold stars framed with edging according to the type of troops.

In 1972 introduced shoulder straps ensign. Unlike the pre-revolutionary ensign, whose rank corresponded to the Soviet junior lieutenant, the Soviet ensign was equivalent in rank to the American warrant officer.

In 1973, the encryption codes SA (Soviet Army), VV (Internal Troops), PV (Border Troops), GB (KGB Troops) were introduced on shoulder straps soldiers and sergeants and K - on shoulder straps cadets. It must be said that these letters appeared back in 1969, but initially, according to Article 164 of Order of the USSR Minister of Defense No. 191 of July 26, 1969, they were worn only on the ceremonial uniform. The letters were made of anodized aluminum, but since 1981, for economic reasons, metal letters were replaced by letters made of PVC film.

In 1974, new shoulder straps army general in return shoulder strap model 1943. Instead of four stars, they had a marshal's star, above which was the emblem of motorized rifle troops.

In 1980, all silver coins were abolished shoulder straps with silver stars. The colors of the gaps are red (combined arms) and blue (aviation, airborne forces).

In 1981 introduced shoulder straps senior warrant officer, and in 1986 for the first time in the history of Russian officers shoulder strap introduced shoulder straps without gaps, differing only in the size of the stars (field uniform - “Afghan”)

Currently shoulder straps remain , as well as some categories . In 1994, the traditional sergeant's stripes were replaced with Western-style squares. However, in 2011 the stripes were returned and now very reminiscent shoulder straps

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Introduction of shoulder straps in the Armed Forces of the USSR

Shoulder strap. Shoulder patch on the uniform,
braid or shoulder strap.
Vasmer M. Etymological Dictionary
Russian language. - M., 2009.T. 3. P. 295.

At the end of the 1930s, the direction of impartial understanding of Russian history prevailed in the leadership of the USSR. Gradually, the names of famous historical figures of the past, great commanders and Orthodox saints were returned to society. History departments were restored in higher educational institutions. New history textbooks have appeared, emphasizing the continuity of the historical process in Russia. Such historians as M.N. were subjected to deserved criticism. Pokrovsky and others, who, from the standpoint of militant Marxism, denied the positive role of statesmen of pre-revolutionary Russia and its undoubted achievements. The masters of literature and art of that time created a number of wonderful works on historical themes: the novels of Alexei Tolstoy “Peter the Great” and Sergei Borodin “Dmitry Donskoy”, the films of Sergei Eisenstein “Alexander Nevsky” and Vsevolod Pudovkin “Suvorov” and many other works.

Pride in one’s country and its great history began to play an important role in the patriotic education of the country’s population on the eve of the war. The war accelerated this process in every possible way. Mention by the leader of the country I.V. Stalin's use of the names of the great Russian commanders during the November parade on Red Square in 1941 inspired the Soviet people.

One of the manifestations of the process of restoring historical continuity and returning to Russian historical traditions was innovations in insignia and distinction in the Red Army and Navy. Already in 1935, the highest military rank “Marshal of the Soviet Union” was introduced in the Red Army, and five years later the ranks of general and admiral were introduced in the army and navy. However, these ranks were marked with insignia in the lapel version. For the first time, they thought about returning shoulder straps during the formation of guards units.

In the Russian army, one-shoulder shoulder straps were first introduced in 1763; they were worn on the left shoulder of the caftan.

In 1801-1809. shoulder straps of a certain color were gradually introduced on both shoulders

Even before the start of the war, the country's leadership considered the issue of reviving the guard in the Russian image and likeness. With the advent of guards units and formations in the Red Army, the issue of creating insignia for them and, in particular, replacing buttonholes with shoulder straps was considered. Test samples of new uniforms and shoulder straps were made. But in the most difficult conditions of 1941, they decided to limit themselves to the establishment of a special badge and an increase in material allowance (for officers - one and a half times, for privates and sergeants - double).

However, work on the introduction of shoulder straps and new uniforms did not stop. After the Battle of Stalingrad, which ended in a great victory for Soviet weapons, the People's Commissar of Defense petitioned the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to introduce new insignia for Red Army personnel - shoulder straps. According to the Supreme Commander-in-Chief's plan, the shoulder straps of generals, officers and enlisted personnel should have differed in shape, method and material of manufacture, but most importantly, they should have symbolized the continuity of the military traditions of the Russian army.

In the samples proposed by the Main Quartermaster Directorate, the size and pattern of the braid on the shoulder straps of the generals completely repeated the samples of shoulder straps of the generals of the Russian Imperial Army. Moreover, trial samples of shoulder straps were made from preserved old stocks of galloon. After looking at many options, I.V. Stalin proposed adopting the simplest and most understandable examples of shoulder straps. This decision was approved by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 6, 1943, and on January 15, by Order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 25, new insignia were introduced for the active army.

According to this order, shoulder straps, like all uniforms, began to be divided into dress, casual and field. As before in the imperial army, shoulder straps according to the types of troops and services differed in the colors of the edgings, gaps and fields. For example, the field of epaulettes for generals had a khaki silk weave, and the front one was made of gold or silver wire. For officers - made of khaki cloth and golden or silver galloon or silk. Moreover, the stars on gold shoulder straps were silver and vice versa. But compared to the uniform of the Russian army, where each regiment had its own distinctive sewing and color combination, the Soviet uniform was more unified. Also with awards - orders, medals and badges. Having deep historical roots, the new form and awards had their own unique identity and responded to the prevailing conditions.

The color scheme of the general's shoulder straps was also present on the shoulder straps of senior officers. The arrangement of the stars copied pre-revolutionary patterns. Much later, on the shoulder straps of senior officers, stars began to be placed on the gaps.

Everyday and field shoulder straps for the junior command staff of the army differed not only in color, but also in the fact that they were marked with the unit number, as on pre-revolutionary models.

Simultaneously with the introduction of shoulder straps, the cut of the uniform was changed, and a full dress uniform was introduced for all Red Army personnel.

New uniforms, new ranks, shoulder straps, new awards and insignia - all this was aimed at further strengthening discipline, increasing the role and authority of the command - one of the most important factors in the high combat readiness of the army.

After the war, in the people's democracies of Eastern Europe, then in the countries of the Far East and Southeast Asia, and much later in some countries in Africa and Latin America, Soviet experience was taken into account when carrying out reforms in the armed forces. In particular, shoulder straps and awards (in most cases) in countries such as Albania, Angola, Bulgaria, Hungary, Vietnam, East Germany, China, North Korea, Cuba, Laos, Mongolia, Mozambique, Romania and others were completely identical to the Soviet ones.

Even in the USA, after the introduction of shoulder straps for Marshals of the Soviet Union, the shoulder straps of an army general were also changed. Thus, in the United States of America there are five general ranks: brigadier general (one star), major general (two stars), lieutenant general (three stars), general (four stars) and army general (five stars). With the introduction of the shoulder strap of the Marshal of the Soviet Union, the design of the shoulder strap of the army general changed: instead of five stars in a row, a large star of five small stars was lined up in the lower part of the shoulder strap, and a symbol - an eagle - was placed in the upper part of the shoulder strap. The result was an exact copy of the Soviet marshal's shoulder strap with American specifics.

The Soviet Union, having won the Great Victory, became a role model for many decades in all spheres of life, including such specific ones as military uniforms, orders, medals, badges and other regalia and military paraphernalia.

Boris Hayrapetyan, research fellow
Research Institute (military history)
Military Academy of the General Staff
Armed Forces of the Russian Federation

The ranks for a military man determine his official position and legal status, that is, his rights, powers and responsibilities. Military ranks provide for the principle of seniority and subordination. Ranks are assigned to military personnel in accordance with their professional training, position in service, official authority, length of service, and merit.

The meaning of military ranks

Ranks for the military are one of the important motivators for military service, personnel placement and their most effective use. The presence of ranks in the army establishes relationships of seniority and subordination between military personnel. A specific military rank gives a serviceman the right to a certain monetary allowance and material support, and to receive certain benefits.

Military rank can be determined by insignia. They are shoulder straps, buttonholes and chevrons.

Introduction of ranks into the Red Army

Since the creation of the Red Army (abbreviation: Workers' and Peasants' Red Army), the need arose to introduce military ranks. Since 1918, as the Red Army developed and strengthened, the names of military ranks and insignia changed several times. Only in 1939-1940. they were finally established, and these ranks of the Red Army did not change until 1943.

The first ranks and their insignia in the Red Army

In December 1917, the new government, by decree, abolished military ranks in the army. And it was decided to form a new type of army. A decree on this was adopted at the beginning of 1918.

In the initial period in the Red Army, the commanding staff was elected. But in the context of the intensifying Civil War, the formation of the armed forces of the young republic began on the principle of conscription. In this situation, it became urgently necessary to move away from the principle of elected commanders.

It was decided to restore the principle of unity of command in the army and introduce military ranks in the troops. The first to establish military ranks was the head of division No. 18, I. P. Uborevich, to strengthen discipline in his units.

He was warmly supported by the founder of the Red Army, chairman of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic, Lev Davidovich Trotsky. It took almost a year to develop and approve a uniform military uniform and distinctive insignia for army command personnel. The first military ranks and insignia of the Red Army were based on positions held. And so that the serviceman’s position was visible, signs were approved that were sewn onto the sleeves (diamonds, squares and triangles).

Military positions and insignia from 1918 to 1924

Military rank		Signs on the sleeves	Occupied job title
	Red Army soldier	No signs
	and equivalent	Star and triangle	Commander departments
Platoon commander	Platoon commander and equivalent	Star and two triangles	Assistant platoon commander
Sergeant Major	Foreman and those equivalent to him	Star and three triangles	Company Sergeant Major
Komvzvoda	Komvzvod and equated to it		Commander
	equivalent	A star and two squares	Company commander, Squadron commander
	equivalent	Star and three squares	Battalion Commander
Regimental Commander	Regimental commander, brigade commander equated to them	Star and four squares	Regimental commander
	Brigade commander, pomnachdiv and equivalents	Star and diamond	Brigade commander
	Chiefs and those equated to them	Star and two diamonds	Head of Division
Commander	Commander, deputy commander of the front, deputy commander of the district and equivalent to them	Star and three diamonds	Army commander
Comfront		Star and four diamonds	Front Commander

All distinctive signs, in accordance with the order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the Republic No. 116, were sewn on the left sleeves of clothing. A little later, the RVSR approved a new military uniform, uniform for the entire Red Army: an overcoat, a tunic and a headdress (“Budenovka”). In general, the clothing of an ordinary Red Army soldier and the command staff did not differ significantly. Only insignia indicated the position held.

Unification of military clothing and insignia since 1924

During the Civil War, the established uniform in the Red Army was used along with the uniform of the Tsarist army, civilian clothing and other items of clothing stylized as military cut.

At the end of the Civil War, a gradual transition of the entire army to uniform uniforms began. It was decided to reduce the cost of production of military uniforms and eliminate unnecessary elements. In May 1924, summer cotton caps and summer tunic shirts without colored chest flaps, but with two patch pockets on the chest, were supplied to military uniforms. Almost all items of military clothing have undergone changes.

It was established that rectangular cloth buttonholes were sewn onto the collars of tunics and tunics, corresponding to the color of the military branches with edging of a different shade. The size of the buttonholes was determined to be 12.5 cm by 5.5 cm. The buttonholes sewn onto the collar of overcoats were shaped like a rhombus with unequal sides of 13 cm by 12.5 cm.

On the buttonholes, along with insignia by category, emblems of the serviceman's specialty were attached. The dimensions of the emblems should not be larger than 3 x 3 cm.

Introduction of service categories for military personnel

Order of the Revolutionary Military Council of the USSR No. 807 from mid-1924 abolished sleeve flaps with signs indicating the military position held, and introduced buttonholes with signs corresponding to the assigned category and corresponding emblems indicating the specialty of military personnel. Subsequently, these innovations were supplemented by additional orders (No. 850 and No. 862). Categories have been developed and approved. All military personnel were divided into four groups:

junior command and control officer;
average command and control;
senior command and control officer;
highest commanding officer.

Categories by positions held in the Red Army

Each group, in turn, was divided into categories.

1. Junior commanders and command staff:

squad leader, boatswain - K-1;
company foreman, deputy platoon commander, chief boatswain, warhead foreman, deputy warhead commander, chief boatswain - K-2;

2. Middle management and command staff:

warhead commander, platoon commander, deputy commander 4th rank - K-3;
deputy company commander, first mate of the 4th rank - K-4;
chief mate of a ship's comrade of the third rank, comrade's comrade of the 4th rank, squadron (company) comrade - K-5;
commander of a separate company, deputy battalion commander, comrade corps of the third rank, senior comrade comrade of the 2nd rank - K-6.

3. Senior management and command staff:

corps comrade 2nd rank, battalion comrade - K-7;
deputy regiment commander, senior comrade comrade 1st rank - K-8;
regiment commander, deputy brigade commander, corps comrade 1st rank - K-9;

4. Senior management and command staff:

brigade commander, deputy division commander, ship brigade commander - K-10;
division commander, deputy corps commander, squadron commander - K-11;
corps commander, deputy army commander, flotilla commander - K-12;
commander of the army, deputy commander of the front, deputy commander of the military district, commander of the fleet, commander-in-chief of the naval forces of the republic - K-13;
front commander, military district commander - K-14.

Introduction of individual ranks for military personnel

In 1935, the Council of People's Commissars, by its resolution, announced another reform in the armed forces of the USSR, clarifying ranks and insignia in the Red Army. Personal ranks are established for military personnel.

The highest rank was established - Marshal. The distinctive sign for marshals was a large star on their buttonholes. Simultaneously with the establishment of new military ranks, the command and control personnel of the Armed Forces are divided into the following areas of service activity:

1. Command.

2. Military-political.

3. The commander, who, in turn, was divided into:

economic and administrative;
technical;
medical;
veterinary;
legal.

Correlation of ranks of command, administrative and political personnel

The decals remain largely unchanged. Belonging to a particular service or branch of the military was indicated by the color of the buttonholes and emblems. Command staff of all levels sewed a chevron in the form of a corner onto their sleeves. The distinctive insignia of various ranks on the buttonholes were diamonds for senior personnel, rectangles for senior personnel, squares for middle personnel and triangles for junior personnel. An ordinary soldier had no insignia on his buttonhole.

Personal rank insignia for all military personnel was based on previous ranks. So, for example, two “kubar” lieutenants on the buttonholes had a junior political instructor, a military technician of the second rank, a junior military lawyer, etc. The indicated ranks of the Red Army existed until 1943. In 1943, they moved away from “cumbersome” military ranks. So, for example, instead of the rank of “military paramedic,” the rank of “lieutenant of medical service” was introduced.

In 1940, continuing the process of assigning personal military ranks, the USSR government approved ranks for junior and senior command levels. The ranks of lieutenant colonels and generals have been legalized.

Insignia by military rank in 1941

She met the aggression of Nazi Germany in 1941, wearing the following military insignia on her military uniform:

Military ranks of the Red Army	Signs
Military ranks of the Red Army	On the buttonhole	On the sleeve
Red Army soldier	None	None
Corporal	One yellow gap in the middle of the buttonhole	None
Lance Sergeant	1 triangle	None
	2 triangles
Staff Sergeant	3 triangles
Sergeant Major	4 triangles
Ensign	One square	10 mm red top square, 1 4 mm yellow braid square, 3 mm red border at the bottom
Lieutenant	2 squares	2 squares made of yellow galloon 4 mm, a red gap between them of 7 mm, a three-millimeter red edging at the bottom
Senior Lieutenant	Three squares	3 squares of 4 mm yellow braid, 5 mm red gaps between them, 3 mm red edging at the bottom
	Rectangle	2 squares made of yellow galloon 6 mm, a red gap between them of 10 mm, a three-millimeter red edging at the bottom
	rectangle
Lieutenant colonel	rectangle	2 squares made of yellow galloon: upper 6 mm, lower 10 mm, red gap between them 10 mm, three-millimeter red border at the bottom
Colonel	rectangle	3 squares made of yellow galloon: top and middle 6 mm, bottom 10 mm, red gaps between them 7 mm each, three mm red border at the bottom
Major General	2 small yellow stars	Small one square of yellow galloon 32 mm, three-millimeter edging at the bottom
Lieutenant General	3 small yellow stars
Colonel General	4 small yellow stars	Small yellow star, one square of 32 mm yellow braid, three mm border at the bottom
Army General	5 small yellow stars	Large yellow star, one square of yellow braid 32 mm, above the braid a red square of 10 mm
Marshal of the Soviet Union	A large yellow star above a square of oak leaves	A large yellow star, two squares of yellow galloon on a red field. There are oak branches between the braids. There is a red edging at the bottom.

The above insignia and ranks of the Red Army did not change until 1943.

Correlation of ranks of the NKVD and the Red Army

In the pre-war years, the NK of Internal Affairs consisted of several main departments (GU): the Main Directorate of State Security, the Main Directorate of Internal Security and Border Troops, the Main Directorate of the Workers' and Peasants' Militia and others.

In the internal security units there were military positions and ranks, just like in the Red Army. And in the police and state security, due to the specifics of the tasks performed, there were special ranks. If we compare, for example, special ranks in the State Security Service with army ranks, we get the following: a state security sergeant was equated to a Red Army lieutenant, a state security captain to a colonel, and so on.

Conclusion

Thus, from the very formation of the Republic of Soviets, the Red Army troops have always been in the field of special attention of the country's top leadership. Not only were weapons and equipment improved, but the clothing supply for military personnel was also improved. The photographs show that the Red Army soldier of 1941 is strikingly different in clothing and equipment from the Red Army soldier of 1918. But the military ranks of the Red Army themselves changed several times before 1943.

And in 1943, as a result of radical reforms, the abbreviation RKKA (decoding: Workers' and Peasants' Red Army) became a thing of the past. The concept of “Soviet Army” (SA) came into use.

Every detail of a military uniform is endowed with a practical meaning and did not appear on it by chance, but as a result of certain events. We can say that elements of military uniforms have both historical symbolism and utilitarian purpose.

The appearance and development of shoulder straps in the Russian Empire

The opinion that shoulder straps come from a part of knight's armor, designed to protect the shoulders from blows, is one of the most common misconceptions. A simple study of armor and army uniforms of the past, from the second half of the 12th century to the end of the 17th century, allows us to conclude that nothing like this existed in any army in the world. In Rus', even the strictly regulated uniform of the archers did not have anything similar to protect the shoulders.

Shoulder straps of the Russian army were first introduced by Emperor Peter I in the period between 1683-1698 and had a purely utilitarian meaning. Soldiers of the grenadier regiments and fusiliers used them as an additional mount for backpacks or cartridge bags. Naturally, shoulder straps were worn exclusively by soldiers, and only on the left shoulder.

However, after 30 years, as the branches of troops increase, this element spreads throughout the troops, serving in one or another regiment. In 1762, this function was officially assigned to shoulder straps, beginning to decorate officers’ uniforms with them. At that time, it was impossible to find a universal model of shoulder straps in the army of the Russian Empire. The commander of each regiment could independently determine its type of weaving, length and width. Often wealthy officers from prominent aristocratic families wore the regimental insignia in a more luxurious version - with gold and precious stones. Nowadays, shoulder straps of the Russian army (pictures below) are a coveted item for collectors of military uniforms.

During the reign of Emperor Alexander I, shoulder straps took on the appearance of a fabric flap with clear regulation of color, fastenings and decor, depending on the number of the regiment in the division. Officers' shoulder straps differ from soldiers' shoulder straps only by being trimmed with gold cord (galloon) along the edge. When the knapsack was introduced in 1803, there were two of them - one on each shoulder.

After 1854, not only uniforms, but also cloaks and overcoats began to be decorated. Thus, the role of “determiner of ranks” is forever assigned to the shoulder straps. By the end of the 19th century, soldiers began to use a duffel bag instead of a backpack, and additional shoulder straps were no longer required. Shoulder straps are removed from the fastenings in the form of buttons and are tightly sewn into the fabric.

After the collapse of the Russian Empire, and with it the tsarist army, shoulder straps and epaulettes disappeared from military uniforms for several decades, recognized as a symbol of “inequality of workers and exploiters.”

Shoulder straps in the Red Army from 1919 to 1943

The USSR sought to get rid of the “remnants of imperialism,” which also included the ranks and shoulder straps of the Russian (tsarist) army. On December 16, 1917, by the decrees of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee and the Council of People's Commissars "On the elective principle and organization of power in the army" and "On the equalization of rights of all military personnel", all previously existing army ranks and insignia were abolished. And on January 15, 1918, the country's leadership adopted a decree on the creation of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA).

For some time, a strange mixture of military symbols was in effect in the army of the new country. For example, insignia are known in the form of armbands of red (revolutionary) color with the inscription of the position, stripes of a similar tone on the sleeves of a tunic or overcoat, metal or cloth stars of different sizes on the headdress or chest.

Since 1924, in the Red Army it was proposed to recognize the ranks of military personnel by the buttonholes on the collar of the tunic. The color of the field and border was determined by the type of troops, and the gradation was extensive. For example, infantry wore crimson buttonholes with a black frame, cavalry wore blue and black, signalmen wore black and yellow, etc.

The buttonholes of the highest commanders of the Red Army (generals) had the color of the field according to the branch of service and were trimmed along the edge with a narrow golden cord.

In the field of the buttonholes there were copper figures of various shapes covered with red enamel, allowing one to determine the rank of the commander of the Red Army:

Privates and junior command staff are triangles with a side of 1 cm. They appeared only in 1941. And before that, military personnel of these ranks wore “empty” buttonholes.
The average command structure is squares measuring 1 x 1 cm. In everyday use, they were more often called “cubes” or “cubes”.
Senior command staff - rectangles with sides 1.6 x 0.7 cm, called "sleepers".
Higher command staff - rhombuses 1.7 cm high and 0.8 cm wide. Additional insignia for commanders of these ranks were chevrons made of gold braid on the sleeves of uniforms. The political composition added to them large stars made of red cloth.
Marshals of the Soviet Union - 1 large gold star in the buttonholes and on the sleeves.

The number of characters varied from 1 to 4 - the more, the higher the rank of the commander.

The system of designating ranks in the Red Army was often subject to changes, which greatly confused the situation. Often, due to supply shortages, military personnel wore outdated or even homemade badges for months. However, the buttonhole system left its mark on the history of military uniforms. In particular, shoulder straps in the Soviet army retained the colors according to the types of troops.

Thanks to the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 6, 1943 and the Order of the People's Commissar of Defense No. 25 of January 15, 1943, shoulder straps and ranks returned to the lives of military personnel. These insignia will last until the collapse of the USSR. The colors of the field and edging, the shape and location of the stripes will change, but in general the system will remain unchanged, and subsequently shoulder straps of the Russian army will be created according to similar principles.

Military personnel received 2 types of such elements - everyday and field, having a standard width of 6 cm and a length of 14-16 cm, depending on the type of clothing. The shoulder straps of non-combat units (justice, military veterinarians and doctors) were deliberately narrowed to 4.5 cm.

The type of troops was determined by the color of the edging and gaps, as well as a stylized symbol on the lower or middle (for privates and junior personnel) part of the shoulder strap. Their palette is less varied than before 1943, but the basic colors have been preserved.

1. Edging (cord):

Combined arms (military registration and enlistment offices, military institutions), infantry units, motorized rifles, quartermaster services - crimson.
Artillery, tank troops, military medics - scarlet.
Cavalry - blue.
Aviation - blue.
Other technical troops - black.

2. Clearances.

The command (officer) composition is Bordeaux.
Quartermasters, justice, technical, medical and veterinary services - brown.

They were designated by stars of different diameters - for junior officers 13 mm, for senior officers - 20 mm. Marshals of the Soviet Union received 1 large star.

Shoulder straps for everyday wear had a gold or silver field with embossing, rigidly attached to a hard cloth base. They were also used on dress uniforms, which military personnel wore for special occasions.

Field shoulder straps for all officers were made of silk or khaki linen with edging, gaps and insignia corresponding to the rank. At the same time, their pattern (texture) repeated the pattern on everyday shoulder straps.

From 1943 until the collapse of the USSR, military insignia and uniforms were subject to repeated changes, among which the following are particularly worth noting:

1. As a result of the 1958 reform, officers’ everyday shoulder straps began to be made of dark green cloth. For the insignia of cadets and enlisted personnel, only 3 colors were left: scarlet (combined arms, motorized rifle), blue (aviation, airborne forces), black (all other branches of the military). The gaps of officer's shoulder straps could only be blue or scarlet.

2. Since January 1973, the letters “SA” (Soviet Army) appeared on all types of shoulder straps of soldiers and sergeants. Somewhat later, the sailors and foremen of the fleet received the designations “Northern Fleet”, “TF”, “BF” and “Black Sea Fleet” - Northern Fleet, Pacific Fleet, Baltic and Black Sea Fleet, respectively. At the end of the same year, the letter “K” appears among cadets of military educational institutions.

3. The new field uniform, called the “Afghan”, came into use in 1985 and became widespread among military personnel of all branches of the military. Its peculiarity was the shoulder straps, which were an element of the jacket and had the same color as it. Those who wore the "Afghan" sewed stripes and stars onto them, and only generals were given special removable shoulder straps.

Shoulder straps of the Russian army. Main features of the reforms

The USSR ceased to exist in the fall of 1991, and along with it, shoulder straps and ranks disappeared. The creation of the Russian Armed Forces began with Presidential Decree No. 466 of May 7, 1992. However, this act did not in any way describe the shoulder straps of the Russian army. Until 1996, military personnel wore SA insignia. Moreover, confusion and mixing of symbols occurred until the year 2000.

The military uniform of the Russian Federation was almost entirely developed on the basis of the Soviet legacy. However, the reforms of 1994-2000 brought several changes to it:

1. On the shoulder straps of non-commissioned officers (foremen and sailors of the fleet), instead of transverse stripes of braid, metal squares appeared, located with the sharp side up. In addition, naval personnel received a large letter "F" at the bottom of them.

2. Ensigns and midshipmen had shoulder straps similar to those of soldiers, trimmed with colored braid, but without gaps. The long-term struggle of this category of military personnel for the right to officer insignia was devalued in one day.

3. There were almost no changes among the officers - the new shoulder straps developed for them in the Russian army almost completely repeated the Soviet ones. However, their sizes decreased: the width became 5 cm, and the length - 13-15 cm, depending on the type of clothing.

Currently, the ranks and shoulder straps of the Russian army occupy a fairly stable position. The main reforms and unification of insignia have been completed, and in the coming decades the Russian Army does not expect any significant changes in this area.

Shoulder straps for cadets

Students of military (naval) educational institutions are required to wear everyday and field shoulder straps on all types of their uniform. Depending on the clothing (tunics, winter coats and overcoats), they can be sewn on or removable (jackets, demi-season coats and shirts).

Cadet shoulder straps are strips of thick colored cloth, edged with golden braid. On field camouflage of army and aviation schools, the letter “K”, yellow in color and 20 mm high, must be sewn 15 mm from the bottom edge. For other types of educational institutions, the designations are as follows:

ICC- Naval Cadet Corps.
QC- Cadet Corps.
N- Nakhimov School.
Anchor symbol- Navy cadet.
SVU- Suvorov School.

On the field of students' shoulder straps there are also metal or sewn squares facing upward at an acute angle. Their thickness and brightness depend on the rank. A sample of shoulder straps with a diagram of the location of insignia, presented below, belongs to a military university cadet with the rank of sergeant.

In addition to shoulder straps, affiliation with military educational institutions and the position of a cadet can be determined by sleeve emblems with a coat of arms symbol, as well as by “course” - coal stripes on the sleeve, the number of which depends on the time of training (one year, two, etc.).

Shoulder straps for privates and sergeants

Privates in the Russian land army are the lowest. In the Navy, it corresponds to the rank of sailor. A soldier who conscientiously serves can become a corporal, and on a ship - a senior sailor. Further, these servicemen are able to advance to the rank of sergeant for the ground forces or petty officer for the Navy.

Representatives of the lower military personnel of the army and navy wear shoulder straps of a similar type, the description of which is as follows:

The upper part of the insignia has the shape of a trapezoid, within which a button is located.
The field color of the shoulder straps of the RF Armed Forces is dark green for everyday uniforms and camouflage for field uniforms. Sailors wear black cloth.
The color of the edging indicates the type of troops: blue for the Airborne Forces and Aviation, and red for all others. The Navy frames its shoulder straps with white cord.
At the bottom of the everyday shoulder straps, 15 mm from the edge, are the letters “VS” (Armed Forces) or “F” (navy) in golden color. The field workers do without such “excesses”.
Depending on the rank within the private and sergeant corps, sharp-angled stripes are attached to shoulder straps. The higher the position of the serviceman, the greater their number and thickness. On the shoulder straps of the sergeant major (the highest rank of non-commissioned officers) there is also a troop emblem.

Separately, it is worth mentioning warrant officers and midshipmen, whose precarious position between privates and officers is fully reflected in their insignia. For them, the shoulder straps of the new Russian army seem to consist of 2 parts:

1. Soldier's "field" without gaps, trimmed with colored braid.

2. Officer stars along the central axis: 2 for a regular warrant officer, 3 for a senior warrant officer. A similar number of badges is provided to simply midshipmen and senior midshipmen.

Shoulder straps for junior officers

The lower officer ranks begin with a junior lieutenant and are completed by a captain. The stars on the shoulder straps, their number, size and location are identical for the ground forces and the Navy.

Junior officers are distinguished by one gap and from 1 to 4 stars of 13 mm each along the central axis. In accordance with Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 1010 of May 23, 1994, shoulder straps can have the following colors:

For a white shirt - shoulder straps with a white field, emblems and golden stars.
For a green shirt, everyday tunic, jacket and overcoat - green insignia with gaps according to the type of troops, emblems and gold-colored stars.
For the Air Force (aviation) and everyday outerwear - blue shoulder straps with blue clearance, an emblem and golden stars.
For the ceremonial jacket of any branch of the military, the insignia is silver with colored gaps, braid and gold stars.
For field uniforms (aircraft only) - camouflage shoulder straps without gaps, with gray stars.

Thus, for junior officers there are 3 types of shoulder straps - field, everyday and dress, which they use depending on the type of uniform worn. Naval officers only have casual and dress uniforms.

Shoulder straps for middle officers

The group of ranks of the Armed Forces begins with major and ends with colonel, and in the Navy - from captain 3rd rank to, respectively. Despite the differences in the names of the ranks, the principles of construction and the location of insignia remain almost identical.

Shoulder straps of the Russian army and navy for medium personnel have the following distinctive features:

In everyday and formal versions, the texture (embossing) is more pronounced, almost aggressive.
There are 2 gaps along the shoulder straps, spaced 15 mm from the edges and 20 mm from each other. They are absent in the field.
The size of the stars is 20 mm, and their number varies from 1 to 3 depending on the rank. On field uniform shoulder straps, their color is muted from golden to silver.

Middle-ranking officers of the Armed Forces also have 3 types of shoulder straps - field, everyday and dress. Moreover, the latter have a rich golden color and are sewn only on the jacket. To be worn on a white shirt (summer version of the uniform), white shoulder straps with standard insignia are provided.

According to surveys, the major, whose uniform stars are single (and it is very difficult to make a mistake in determining the rank), is the most recognizable serviceman among that part of the population that is in no way connected with the military sphere.

Shoulder straps of senior officers of the Armed Forces

The ranks in the ground forces underwent significant changes during the creation of the army of the Russian Federation. Presidential Decree No. 466 of May 7, 1992 not only abolished the rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union, but also stopped the division of generals by branch of the military. Following this, the uniform and shoulder straps (shape, size and insignia) underwent adjustments.

Currently, high-echelon officers wear the following types of shoulder straps:

1. Ceremonial - a golden-colored field on which sewn stars are located in the number corresponding to the rank. Army generals and marshals of the Russian Federation have the coats of arms of the army and the country in the upper third of their shoulder straps. Color of the edging and stars: red - for the ground forces, blue - for aviation, airborne forces and military space forces, cornflower blue - for the FSB.

2. Everyday - the color of the field is blue for senior officers of aviation, airborne forces and aerospace forces, for others - green. There is a cord edge, only the General of the Army and the Marshal of the Russian Federation also have a star outline.

3. Field - khaki field, not camouflage, like other categories of officers. The stars and coats of arms are green, several tones darker than the background. There is no colored edging.

It’s worth mentioning the stars that adorn the shoulder straps of the generals. For country marshals and army generals, their size is 40 mm. Moreover, the latter symbol has a backing made of silver. The stars of all other officers are smaller - 22 mm.

The rank of a serviceman, according to the general rule, is determined by the number of characters. In particular, 1 star adorns the lieutenant general - 2, and the colonel general - 3. Moreover, the first of those listed is the lowest in position in the category. The reason for this is one of the traditions of the Soviet era: in the USSR army, lieutenant generals were deputy generals of troops and took on part of their functions.

Shoulder straps of senior officers of the Navy

The leadership of the Russian Navy is represented by such ranks as rear admiral, vice admiral, admiral and fleet admiral. Since there is no field uniform in the Navy, these ranks wear only everyday or ceremonial shoulder straps, which have the following features:

1. The color of the field of the ceremonial version is gold with zigzag embossing. The shoulder strap is framed by a black edging. In everyday shoulder straps, the colors are reversed - a black field and a gold cord along the edge.

2. Senior officers of the Navy may wear shoulder straps on white or cream shirts. The field of the shoulder strap corresponds to the color of the clothing, and there is no piping.

3. The number of sewn stars on shoulder straps depends on the rank of the serviceman and increases depending on his promotion. Their main difference from similar signs in the ground forces is the backing of silver rays. Traditionally, the largest star (40 mm) belongs to the fleet admiral.

When dividing troops into the Navy and the Armed Forces, it is assumed that some swim, while others move on land or, in extreme cases, by air. But in fact, the naval forces are heterogeneous and, in addition to ship commands, include coastal troops and naval aviation. This division could not but affect the shoulder straps, and if the former are classified as ground forces and have the corresponding insignia, then with naval pilots everything is much more complicated.

Senior officers of naval aviation, on the one hand, bear ranks similar to generals of the Armed Forces. On the other hand, their shoulder straps correspond to the uniform established for the Navy. They are distinguished only by the blue color of the edging and the star without a radial backing with the appropriate design. For example, the ceremonial shoulder straps of a major general of naval carrier aviation have a gold field with an azure border around the edge and a star outline.

In addition to shoulder straps and the uniform itself, military personnel are distinguished by many other insignia, including sleeve insignia and chevrons, cockades on headdresses, symbols of the military branches in buttonholes and breastplates (badges). Together, they can provide an informed person with basic information about a military man - type of military service, rank, duration and place of service, expected scope of authority.

Unfortunately, most people fall into the “ignorant” category, so they pay attention to the most noticeable detail of the form. The shoulder straps of the Russian army are quite rewarding material in this matter. They are not overloaded with unnecessary symbolism and are of the same type for different types of troops.

Shoulder straps in the Red Army 1943, 1944, 1945

(using the example of artillery shoulder straps)

On January 6, 1943, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council (PVS) of the USSR “On the introduction of shoulder straps for the personnel of the Red Army” was signed, announced by NKO order No. 24 of January 10, 1943. Following this, on January 15, 1943, the USSR NKO order No. 25 “On the introduction of new insignia and changes in the uniform of the Red Army” (). In it, in particular, it was determined that field shoulder straps are worn by military personnel in the active army and personnel of units being prepared to be sent to the front. Everyday shoulder straps are worn by military personnel of other units and institutions, as well as when wearing dress uniforms. That is, in the Red Army there were two types of shoulder straps: field and everyday. Differences in shoulder straps were also introduced for command and command personnel (see the regulations on command and command personnel) so that the commander could be distinguished from the chief.

It was ordered to switch to new insignia in the period from February 1 to February 15, 1943. Later, by order of the USSR NKO No. 80 dated February 14, 1943, this period was extended until March 15, 1943. By the beginning of the transition to summer uniforms, the Red Army was fully provided with new insignia.

In addition to the above-mentioned directive documents, later the Instruction of the Technical Committee of the Main Quartermaster Directorate of the Red Army (TK GIU KA) No. 732 01/08/1943 “Rules for the selection, attachment to uniforms and wearing of shoulder straps by Red Army personnel” was issued, as well as a whole range of technical specifications of the TC GIU KA. In addition, some technical documentation was adopted long before the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. For example, the Temporary Technical Specifications (TTU) of the TC GIU KA No. 0725, which contained a description of the emblems and insignia (stars) on shoulder straps, were published on December 10, 1942.

The dimensions of the shoulder straps were established:

Null– 13 cm (only for women’s uniforms)
First– 14 cm.
Second– 15 cm.
Third- 16 cm.
The width is 6 cm, and the width of the shoulder straps of officers of justice, medical, veterinary and administrative services is 4 cm. The length of the sewn-in shoulder straps was set to 1 cm longer for each size.
The width of the general's shoulder straps is 6.5 cm. The width of the shoulder straps of the generals of the medical, veterinary services and the highest command. composition of the military-legal service - 4.5 cm. (in 1958, a single width for such shoulder straps was established for all generals of the Soviet Army - 6.5 cm.)

Types of field shoulder straps according to manufacturing method:

Soft sewn shoulder straps( ) consisted of a field (top), lining (lining), lining and edging.
Soft removable shoulder straps( ), in addition to the above parts, they had a semi-flap, a semi-flap lining and a jumper.
Hard detachable shoulder straps( ) differed from soft ones in that during their manufacture, fabrics and shoulder straps were glued together with a paste consisting of 30% wheat flour and wood glue, as well as the presence of an additional lining made of electrical cardboard - pressboard, jacquard or calibrated, 0.5 - 1 mm thick .

— Coloring of field and everyday shoulder straps of the Red Army - .

— Military ranks of the USSR Armed Forces 1935-1945. (table of ranks) - .

Shoulder straps of junior command, command and rank and file of the Red Army
(privates, sergeants and sergeants)

FIELD EMAILS: The field of field shoulder straps was always khaki. The shoulder straps were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except for the bottom, with colored cloth edging according to the branches of the military or services. The stripes on the shoulder straps of junior command and command personnel were silk or semi-silk galloon. The patches were produced in various sizes: narrow (1 cm wide), medium (1.5 cm wide) and wide (3 cm wide). Junior command staff were entitled to burgundy-colored braid, and junior command staff were entitled to brown braid.

Ideally, the stripes should have been sewn onto shoulder straps in factories or in sewing workshops attached to military units. But often the servicemen themselves attached the stripes. In conditions of front-line shortages, stripes made from scrap materials were often used. It was common to use everyday (golden or silver) stripes on field shoulder straps and vice versa.

Field shoulder straps were supposed to be worn without emblems of military branches and stencils. On the shoulder straps there were uniform 20-mm iron buttons of a khaki color with a star in the center of which was a hammer and sickle.

This type of shoulder straps existed until December 1955, when double-sided shoulder straps were introduced. In the period from 1943 to 1955, the technology for manufacturing these shoulder straps changed several times. In particular, in 1947 and 1953 (TU 1947 and TU 1953)

Field shoulder straps of junior command personnel using the example of a senior artillery sergeant. The patch (galloon) is sewn on at the factory using a sewing machine. Iron buttons in khaki color.

EVERYDAY EMAILS: Everyday shoulder straps of junior commanders, junior commanding officers and enlisted personnel were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except the bottom, with colored cloth edging, and also had a field of colored cloth according to the branch of service. The stripes on the shoulder straps of junior command and command personnel were silk or semi-silk galloon. The patches were produced in various sizes: narrow (1 cm wide), medium (1.5 cm wide) and wide (3 cm wide). The junior command staff was entitled to a golden-yellow galloon, and the junior command staff – silver.

Everyday shoulder straps had golden emblems for the branch of service and yellow stencils indicating the unit (formation). It is worth noting that stencils were used extremely rarely.

On the shoulder straps there were shaped golden brass 20-mm buttons with a star, in the center of which was a hammer and sickle.

Everyday shoulder straps of junior command personnel using the example of a senior artillery sergeant. The patch (braid) is sewn on by the soldier himself. There are no encryptions, as on most shoulder straps. Buttons: top is brass (respectively yellow-golden color), bottom is iron.

Shoulder straps of senior and middle command and command personnel of the Red Army
(officers)

FIELD EMAILS: The field of field shoulder straps was always khaki. The shoulder straps were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except the bottom, with colored cloth edging. On the shoulder strap, one or two gaps were sewn in burgundy color for the command staff and brown for the command staff. In accordance with the assigned military rank, belonging to a branch of the military or service, insignia were placed on the shoulder straps.

The shoulder straps of the middle command personnel have one gap and silver-plated metal 13-mm stars.

The shoulder straps of senior officers have two gaps and silver-plated metal 20-mm stars.

On the shoulder straps of the command personnel, in addition to the infantry command personnel, silver-plated emblems were installed according to the branch of the army and service.

On the shoulder straps there are uniform 20-mm metal buttons of a khaki color with a star in the center of which is a hammer and sickle.

Field shoulder straps of middle command personnel using the example of ml. artillery lieutenant. The star denoting rank must be silver. In this case, the silver plating has worn off.

EVERYDAY EMAILS: The field of shoulder straps for command personnel is made of golden silk or golden braid. The shoulder straps of the engineering and command staff, commissary, medical, veterinary, military-legal and administrative services are made of silver silk or silver braid. The shoulder straps were edged (trimmed) along the edges, except the bottom, with colored cloth edging. In accordance with the assigned military rank, belonging to a branch of the military or service, insignia were placed on the shoulder straps.

The shoulder straps of the middle command personnel have one gap and 13-mm gold metal stars.

The shoulder straps of the senior command staff have two gaps and 20-mm gold metal stars.

On the shoulder straps of the command personnel, in addition to the infantry command personnel, golden emblems were installed according to the branch of the army and service.

The emblems and stars on the shoulder straps of the engineering and command personnel, quartermaster, administrative and medical services are gold-plated. On the shoulder straps of military veterinary personnel, the stars are gold-plated, the emblems are silver-plated.

On the shoulder straps there are uniform golden 20-mm buttons with a star, in the center of which is a hammer and sickle.

The shoulder straps and insignia of the middle and senior command staff of the military legal service fully corresponded to the shoulder straps and insignia of the senior and middle command staff of the medical and veterinary services, but with their own emblems.

The shoulder straps of the military administrative personnel were exactly the same as the shoulder straps for the senior and mid-level command staff of the medical and veterinary services, but without emblems.

These shoulder straps existed until the end of 1946, when the technical specifications of the TU TC GIU VS No. 1486 dated October 9, 1946 for officers of the Armed Forces established shoulder straps with a cut off corner top, i.e. shoulder straps became hexagonal.

Everyday shoulder straps of middle command personnel using the example of the shoulder straps of an artillery captain. The button should be golden.

Shoulder straps of the Red Army senior command staff
(generals, marshals)

FIELD EMAILS: A field of shoulder straps made of specially woven silk braid on a cloth lining. The color of the shoulder straps is protective. Color of shoulder straps: generals, artillery generals, tank troops, medical and veterinary services, senior commanders. composition of the military legal service - red; aviation generals - blue; generals of technical troops and quartermaster service - crimson.

The stars on the shoulder straps were embroidered in silver, 22 mm in size. On the shoulder straps of generals of the medical and veterinary services and the highest command. members of the military legal service - gold, size 20 mm. The buttons on the shoulder straps with the coat of arms are gilded. On the uniforms of generals there is honey. services – gilded metal emblems; there is a breeze on the generals' uniforms. services - the same emblems, but silvered; on uniform of the highest beginning. members of the Supreme Legal Service - gilded metal emblems.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 79 dated February 14, 1943, shoulder straps were installed, including. and for the highest engineering and technical personnel of the signal troops, engineering, chemical, railway, topographic troops - to the generals of the engineering and technical service, according to the model established for the generals of the technical troops. From this order the highest beginning. The composition of the military legal service began to be called generals of justice.

EVERYDAY EMAPOLDS: Field of shoulder straps made of braid of special weave: made of gold wire. And for generals of medical and veterinary services, the highest level. members of the military legal service - made of silver wire. Color of shoulder straps: generals, artillery generals, tank troops, medical and veterinary services, senior commanders. composition of the military legal service - red; aviation generals - blue; generals of technical troops and quartermaster service - crimson.

The stars on the shoulder straps were embroidered on a gold field - in silver, on a silver field - in gold. The buttons on the shoulder straps with the coat of arms are gilded. On the uniforms of generals there is honey. services – gilded metal emblems; there is a breeze on the generals' uniforms. services - the same emblems, but silvered; on uniform of the highest beginning. members of the Supreme Legal Service - gilded metal emblems.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 61 dated February 8, 1943, silver emblems were installed for artillery generals to wear on their shoulder straps.

By order of the NKO of the USSR No. 79 dated February 14, 1943, shoulder straps were installed, including. and for the highest engineering and technical personnel of the signal troops, engineering, chemical, railway, topographic troops - to the generals of the engineering and technical service, according to the model established for the generals of the technical troops. Probably from this order the highest beginning. The composition of the military legal service began to be called generals of justice.

These shoulder straps existed without fundamental changes until 1962, when by order of the USSR Ministry of Defense No. 127 of May 12, sewn shoulder straps with a steel-colored field were installed on the ceremonial overcoats of generals.

An example of everyday and field shoulder straps of generals. Since 02/08/1943, artillery generals additionally had artillery emblems on their shoulder straps.

Literature:

Uniforms and insignia of the Red Army 1918-1945. AIM, Leningrad 1960
Shoulder straps of the Soviet Army 1943-1991. Evgeniy Drig.
Color chart for field and everyday shoulder straps of the Red Army ()
Newspaper "Red Star" dated January 7, 1943 ()
Article by Alexander Sorokin “Field shoulder straps of soldiers, sergeants and officers of the Red Army, model 1943”
Website - http://www.rkka.ru

article code: 98653