Soviet Russian Medal Order of the Red Star, Jewish, Major, Doctor, 1945

Description: Soviet Russian USSR WWII medal Order of the Red Star with serial number in the 1.6 million range awarded in 1945 to Major Yakov Borisovich Birbraier for treating more than 500 soldiers who had fallen ill during the Berlin offensive (as described below). Vivid photographic portraits of Birbraier are available online. Birbraier was born in 1903 in the small Ukrainian city of Trostyanets of the western Vinnytsia Province. He attained an advanced education in medicine, presumably in Leningrad, where he joined the Red Army’s medical service in February 1938. At the outbreak of WWII, he was stationed with the 21st Tank Division on the Karelian Isthmus with the old style rank of Military Doctor 3rd Class. He served on the northern fronts for much of the war – the Volkhov, Leningrad, and 3rd Baltic – before becoming part of the 1st Belorussian Front for the great offensive push into Germany. Birbraier earned this Order of the Red Star for his cumulative service as head of the medical section of Mobile Therapeutic Field Hospital №2893, 2nd Guards Tank Army, in the last six months of the war. Within the Red Army’s medical establishment, therapeutic hospitals were specifically focused on treating the sick rather than wounded. The introduction of this structure in December 1942 significantly improved overall medical care; on average, 90% of patients were able to return to duty within 30 days. At his hospital, Birbraier proved himself both an outstanding specialist and a skilled organizer. In tandem, these attributes contributed to the treatment of more than 500 sick soldiers and commanders, the majority of whom had become ill during the Oder-Vistula offensive. A key factor in award recommendations for Red Army medical personnel was that soldiers under their care were able to return to service, thereby improving a formation’s combat performance. Importantly, a large number of the men whom Birbraier treated were able to return to their duties upon recuperation. Post-war, Birbraier continued to service with therapeutic hospitals of the 2nd Guards Tank Army, which was now designated the 2nd Guards Mechanized Army. He retired in November 1955 with the rank of Lieutenant-Colonel. He had accumulated enough years of loyal service to collect both a Combat Service Medal in 1951 and a second Red Star in December 1956 even after leaving the army. He was additionally eligible for a Medal for the Defense of Leningrad, but he does not appear to have received it, likely due to bureaucratic failings. A number pictures of Bordovsky are available online thanks to an article written by descendants of his second-in-command, who described Bordovsky as “like a father or older brother to his men”. Condition is outstanding, as seen in the images!The serial number of the award is authentic and matches the serial number shown in the archival documents, obviously! If you require confirmation in advance, please send me a message, and I will gladly provide images. Over time, I have found that redacting award serial numbers in certain listings (particularly of researched awards) has acted a simple and effective filter to sort good customers from troublesome eBay hooligans. Reasonable, rational collectors who are genuinely interested in the history represented by an award will make the effort to reach out and will quickly find that everything is in order. Winner will be provided with archival research (9 pages - including Citation and Award Record Card) in electronic format, unredacted, in color, plus an archival portraits of Birbraier, also in electronic format. Professional English translation of the Record Card and Citation is available if requested before receipt of item. No returns. All questions in advance. I will answer all coherent, respectful inquiries to the best of my ability. INTERNATIONAL SHIPPING AVAILABLE only through eBay’s Global Shipping Program (GSP). With this program: once the item is delivered to the address to which eBay directs me to ship, all responsibility for final safe delivery of the item to the buyer becomes eBay’s. I am categorically not responsible for any problems that arise once the item is in eBay’s possession. Note: combined shipping is not available through the GSP. If you wish to combine shipping, you must contact me in advance to make arrangements. Buyers from any country in the exclusion list must always contact me in advance of purchase. I will not accept purchases from buyers with shipping addresses in these countries without advance notice. If you contact me, as I am requesting of you, you will likely find your purchase approved. Shipping will then be through the GSP. Please see my other listings. Lots of excellent Soviet medals! Many additional high quality pieces available that are not yet listed. Please inquire. Thank you!

Price: 250 USD

Location: North Brunswick, New Jersey

End Time: 2024-04-09T05:20:40.000Z

Shipping Cost: 10 USD