SOVIET ARMY UNIFORMS AND INSIGNIA

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: General CIA Records
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): CIA-RDP82-00046R000300040002-2
• Release Decision: RIPPUB
• Original Classification: S
• Document Page Count: 2
• Document Creation Date: December 27, 2016
• Document Release Date: September 20, 2013
• Sequence Number: 2
• Publication Date: November 25, 1953
• Content Type: REPORT

Declassified in Part- Sanitized Copy Approved
for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/20:
SECRET
CIA-RDP82-00046R000300040002-2
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REPORT NO.
50:00
COUNTRY
USSR/Germany (Soviet Zone)
DATE DISTR. as Io l. 53
SUBJECT.
Soviet Army Uniforms and Insignia
NO. OF PAGES 2
PLACE
ACQUIRED
NO.OFENCLS.
(LISTED BELOW)
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DATE
ACQUIRED BY SOURCE
DATE OF INFORMATION
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THIS IS UNEVALUATED INFORMATION
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SUPPLEMENT T
REPORT NO.
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1.Veenlistees in the Soviet Army wore a V-shaped, silver chevron on the
left'sleeve? halfway between the shoulder and elbow.
2. Wound stripes were not worn after World War 11 even though authorized.
3.. M "distinguished bad es for excellence" as snipers, gunners,
50X1 drivers, and medics. dentified these badges with those on
350. British War Of 0 WO Code No. 8473, Soviet Army Uniforms
114'Ins1gnial dated August 1950,
Colorsof shoulderboards for officer and EM, and insignia known to
are the same as on pp. 150 16 & 17 & 18 of the above publication,
'S
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.Officers had 5-mm. wide piping on their breeches, trousers and blouse
sleevess which corresponded to the red shoulderbbard piping for motor
transportation officers; there was no piping on the tunic sleeves...
G4nerals had 5-Mm, piping on sleeves of overcoats and blouses, and a
wide stripe on both sides of the seam of breeches and trousers.
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all buttons were of yellow metal with a stars
sidici,ft and hammer. He knew no other details.
there was a diversity in-the wearing of shoulder-
poaras. uiiicersWere issued shoulderboards, but n gold
stars were unavailable,, silver stars could be worn, two
officers assigned to the same duties in the 4th Gds.
wearing different shoulderboards, i.e., one had gold shoulderboards
with silver stars whereas the other had gold shoulderboards with
gold stars.
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/20: CIA-RDP82-00046R000300040002-2
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/20: CIA-RDP82-00046R000300040002-2
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SECRET
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saw officers with silver stars on silver shoulderboards.
?He attached no significance to the color of stars on shoulderboards.
He confirmed that combat officers wore gold shoulderboards, whereas
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?
:1.0.
non-combat officers
engineers, signal corps
shoulderboards. However,
in order to be considered
reprimanded nor ordered
To direct questions,
a finance officer from
three wore silver shoulderboards,
insignia.
- members of technical services, such as
and QM - were supposed to wear silver
many QM officers wore gold shoulderboards
combat officers, and they were neither
to wear their proper shoulder boards.
it was impossible to tell
a /JUL orricer or a depot officer since all
red stripes and piping, and QM
11.
Officers who had more than one assignment - for example, an artillery
line officer assigned to QM as an artillery supply or depot officer -
could wear either color shoulderboard.
?
12.
Administrative, judge advocate, and medical officers wore narrow
silver shoulderboards
13.
,No field shoulderboards have been worn by officers or EM since the
end of World War II.
14.
While it was not compulsory, the majority of officers and EM (except
infantry) wore a branch of service insigne, such as: crossed axes
for engineers, star, hammer and sickle for QM, snake around a cup
for medical and veterinary, etc.
15.
MOB (now MVD) officers
wore any type of shoulderboards they pleased.
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one
MOB officer who wore signal shoulderboards and
gold shoulderboards with red piping, but
ancroner wno wore ordinary
without any insignia.
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16.
a driver
attached to an artillery regiment of a
division would 'wear ,,transportation
and not artillery insignia.
17,.
Medals were issued;
if lost, they were not replaceable and could not
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be bought in stores.
1 corre-
spond to those illustrated-on the pages indicated - in the above-
mentioned publication:
,
a. Capture of Vienna (p.34)
b, Capture of Budapest (p. 4)
c. Liberation of Belgrade (p.34)
d. 30 years of Soviet Army and Fleet (p. 34)
e. Victory over Germany (p. 33)
SECRET
Declassified in Part - Sanitized Copy Approved for Release @ 50-Yr 2013/09/20: CIA-RDP82-00046R000300040002-2