The highest distinction in the USSR - the title of Hero of the Soviet Union

Title of Hero of the Soviet Union

Even today, among us, there are those who, without sparing their lives, defended our great country's right to exist, protected it, and performed heroic deeds. And as long as we have the opportunity to speak with living heroes or tell their stories, we must cherish this opportunity and make use of it.

The highest distinction in the USSR was the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. This title was awarded to citizens for personal or collective merits before the Soviet state and society, who performed heroic deeds during military operations or distinguished themselves with other outstanding contributions to the Motherland. As an exception, it could also be awarded in peacetime.
The first heroes of the USSR – polar pilots

The first decree of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR on the awarding of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was signed on April 20, 1934. Seven pilots were awarded for their courage and bravery in rescuing the crew of the icebreaker "Chelyuskin," which had suffered a disaster in the ice of the Arctic Ocean: the first Hero of the Soviet Union (by the number of the "Golden Star") pilot A. V. Lyapidevsky (20.04.1934), Mikhail Vodopyanov, Ivan Doronin, Nikolai Kamanin, Sigismund Levanevsky, Vasily Molokov, and Mauricius Slepnyev. The eighth Hero of the Soviet Union was test pilot Mikhail Gromov for setting a world distance flight record. The next recipients were pilots and polar explorers Valery Chkalov, Alexander Belyakov, and Georgy Baidukov. Pilots in the USSR in the 1930s were held in special esteem.

In November 1938, for the first time, women were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. The first woman – Hero of the Soviet Union was pilot V. S. Grizodubova (02.11.1938), followed by Polina Osipenko and Marina Raskova, who were awarded for a non-stop flight from Moscow to the Far East.

It is not surprising that the first Heroes of the Soviet Union represented aviation.

Initially, Heroes of the Soviet Union received only a certificate.

The tradition of awarding the Order of Lenin along with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union practically established itself. The fact is that the first 11 Heroes received the order along with the title, which was the highest award in the USSR.

In July 1936, this practice was legalized by a decision of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR – from then on, a Hero of the Soviet Union automatically received the Order of Lenin along with the certificate.

The next to be awarded were participants in the Spanish Civil War. At that time, the USSR actively helped the Republicans, and 60 people were awarded. Among them were the first foreign warriors fighting in Soviet units – the first foreigner – Hero of the Soviet Union pilot V. S. Goranov (31.12.1936) from the 1st International Aviation Bomber Squadron of the Air Force of Republican Spain, and Italian Primo Gibelli.

Conflicts also occurred on the eastern borders of the USSR. Japanese militarists tested the strength of our country and tasted the Soviet bayonet at Lake Hassan and the Khalkhin Gol River. As a result of these battles, the Japanese were defeated, and the number of Heroes of the USSR increased by 70, including the first two-time Heroes. However, despite this, the familiar Golden Star had not yet appeared.

As the number of Heroes grew, so did the need for a distinguishing mark by which any outstanding person could be recognized.

On August 1, just a month before the armed Japanese provocation on the Khalkhin Gol River in September 1939, a decree from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR introduced a special distinguishing mark for Heroes of the Soviet Union – the "Golden Star" medal. The appearance of the medal was approved by a resolution on August 16, 1939. Thus, the "Golden Star" medal was created, designed by architect Miron Ivanovich Merzhanov. The star was made of pure gold, with its number stamped on the reverse side. The design of the "Golden Star" medal remained unchanged throughout its existence; only the suspension and attachment method changed.

The medal was made of 950 gold and represented a five-pointed star with a diameter of 30 mm and a weight of 20.5±0.9 grams. The late-type silver suspension weighed 12.2±0.9 grams, and the total weight was 34.3±1.5 grams.

The first awards of the new medals were made after the end of the conflict with the Japanese on the Khalkhin Gol River. Then, 421 servicemen of the Red Army received the Star for their distinction during the Soviet-Finnish War.

Order of Lenin and Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

The medal is a golden five-pointed star with smooth two-faceted rays on the front side. The golden star is connected by a loop and ring to a gilded rectangular plate, which is covered with a red moire ribbon. The plate has a threaded pin with a nut on the reverse side for attaching to clothing. On the reverse side of the medal, there is an inscription "Hero of the USSR."

The place of wearing the "Golden Star" medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union on clothing was determined by a decree from the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on June 19, 1943; it is worn on the left side of the chest above the orders and medals.

All those heroes who received their honorary titles before the star was introduced received it, and those who did not have the Order of Lenin received it as well. From that moment, a stable and unchanging tradition of the honorable awarding of the highest distinction emerged in our country.

The star could be awarded multiple times, but the Order of Lenin was only given upon the first award. In subsequent awards, the numbers on the reverse side of the medal were not sequential but corresponded to the serial numbers of the stars being issued.

Upon re-awarding, a bronze bust was established in the hero's homeland.

A document established the procedure for awarding a twice Hero of the Soviet Union with a third medal "Hero of the Soviet Union."

A bronze bust of a three-time Hero of the Soviet Union was to be erected on a pedestal in the form of a column in Moscow at the Palace of Councils, the construction of which began in the 1930s. In 1941, when the Great Patriotic War began, work on the construction was halted. The construction of the Palace of Councils was never resumed. Therefore, the busts of three-time Heroes began to be erected in the Kremlin.

By a decree dated September 6, 1967, a number of benefits were introduced for Heroes of the Soviet Union. The list of benefits was significantly expanded by a decree dated April 30, 1975, on the eve of the 30th anniversary of the victory over fascist Germany. It provided, in particular, for the appointment of personal pensions of union significance to Heroes of the Soviet Union, preferential payment for housing, free transportation, and some other benefits.

Of course, most awards were given during the Great Patriotic War.

By the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, there were 626 Heroes of the Soviet Union. Five people became Heroes twice. When the enemy attacked our homeland, the entire nation rose to its defense. Everyone spoke of the feats of heroes such as Gastello, Maresyev, Matrosov... Pilots, tankers, artillerymen, sapper, and sailors – perhaps there was not a single branch of the military that did not have a whole host of its heroes. Many civilians and partisans were also awarded this high honor. It is no coincidence that the period of the war accounts for 91% of all awards of the title of Hero throughout the history of the award. A total of 11,657 people received the medal during the war, including 87 women.

Over 3,000 were awarded posthumously. 154 people were awarded this title twice, and Ivan Kozhedub and Alexander Pokryshkin – three times.

Two people became four-time Heroes of the Soviet Union: Marshal Georgy Zhukov and General Secretary Leonid Brezhnev.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded to 95 women. The youngest hero at the time of the feat was 14 years old – this was the partisan scout Valentin Kotik. The oldest was Matvey Kuzmin (83 years old), who led a German battalion into an ambush.

Heroes also included 44 individuals from our allied armies, including 4 French pilots from the "Normandy-Neman" regiment.

The 167th Red Banner Rifle Division particularly distinguished itself. It had the highest number of awardees of the honorary title of hero – 108 people.

The first Hero of the Great Patriotic War among the soldiers from Kyrgyzstan was the gunner N. M. Dmitriev.

With unwavering courage, the soldier from Kyrgyzstan, Nikolai Dmitriev, repelled the enemy's attack on July 10, 1941, during the breakthrough of fascist tanks near the city of Borisov (Belorussian SSR), and his crew destroyed two tanks. When the gunner aimed at the third tank, four fragments of an exploded shell struck his body. Overcoming excruciating pain, Dmitriev did not leave the gun and destroyed the third tank. The attack was repelled. Only after that did the bleeding gunner agree to leave the battlefield. The surgeon who operated on him extracted 17 fragments. On August 31, 1941, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Nikolai Mikhailovich Dmitriev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

After the victorious conclusion of the Great Patriotic War, the awards did not cease. Those who particularly distinguished themselves among the military, pilots, polar explorers, scouts, and other compatriots received the title of Heroes of the Soviet Union. Special mention should be made of the heroes-cosmonauts, who paved the way for our country into space. Y. Gagarin, G. Titov, V. Tereshkova, and other names of our cosmonauts are now known to every schoolchild.
Strangely enough, despite the heroism of Soviet women, only one of them was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union twice. However, this is about a very deserving person – pilot-cosmonaut Svetlana Savitskaya, the first woman to walk in space.

In total, during the existence of the USSR, there were 12,777 awards of the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By June 1941, at the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, 626 people had been awarded the "Golden Star" medal. During the war, 11,657 people received the medal. 22 were awarded for feats performed during the Korean War (1950-1953), and 86 for Afghanistan, of which 28 were posthumous (1979-1989).

The very last Hero of the Soviet Union was an extremely unusual person – diving specialist, Captain 3rd rank Leonid Solodkov. The decree awarding him the title for participating in a diving experiment simulating prolonged work at a depth of 500 meters underwater was signed on December 24, 1991.

The newly minted Hero was invited to receive the award in the Kremlin on January 16, 1992. The situation was extremely strange – the state of which Leonid Solodkov had become a Hero no longer existed for more than three weeks. But the most interesting thing was that, according to military regulations, Solodkov, as an officer, was supposed to say, "I serve the Soviet Union!"

It is impossible to change the regulations quickly, and Solodkov decided to act on his own. After Marshal Shaposhnikov presented the Hero with the award, he simply replied: "Thank you!" This "Thank you" marked the end of the history of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, which did not live to see its 60th anniversary by three years.

After the collapse of the USSR, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was abolished.

Internationalist Heroes
Kyrgyz Heroes in WWII