Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1943–1955

Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces in the period 1943–1955 were characterised by a number of changes in the armed forces of the Soviet Union, including the reintroduction of rank insignia badges and the adoption of a number of higher ranks.

Changes

In conjunction with the permanent increase of the manpower strength of the Soviet armed forces, the service branches and arms were formed by orders of the People' Commissariat of Defence, consisting of artillery, air force, air defence forces, signals corps, corps of engineers and the armoured corps. Major combat support units up to command level were established. This process was characterized by a need for well qualified command staff, in a suitable rank structure. The Soviet state – and party administration – responded to these challenges by the introduction of additional higher ranks, as well as by reintroducing the traditional Russian rank insignia.

A new rank group at OF-9 level (equivalent to the general of the branch in the Wehrmacht and the Imperial Russian Army) was introduced, named marshal of the branch or chief marshal of the branch.

In January 1943 the ranks of marshal of the air force, marshal of the artillery and marshal of the armoured corps came into existence.[1] In October 1943 it was followed by the additional ranks marshal of the communication troops, and marshal of the engineer troops, and the equivalent chief marshal of the branch ranks were added.[2]

Generalissimus of the Soviet Union

The highest rank of generalissimus of the Soviet Union (Russian: Генерали́ссимус Сове́тского Сою́за) was created in October 1943, as an individual award to Stalin, the head of state and party chief, and functioned as supreme commander on all Soviet armed forces. Promotion to this rank was limited explicitly to wartime. The instruction was conveyed by an order to the front commanders-in-chief on 26 June 1945,[3] however, Stalin refused to officially implement the rank.

Ranks and distinction insignia for the land forces and air force

The introduction of new distinction insignia to the officer corps of the Red Army came by order of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 6 January 1943.[4] Selected were two versions of shoulder straps or epaulettes, one for everyday uniforms and the second for field use (breadth 6 cm, length 14 to 16 cm, depending on body size). On 15 January 1943 the introduction of new uniforms was decided.[5]

Corps colours

Corps colours, agreed and created in 1935, remained in use, but minor changes took place. The padding of the newly introduced shoulder straps were made from wool cloth, designed in branch of service colours with piping. Command staff wore silver or gold stars and characteristic metallic branch badges.

Corps colours—enlisted men and non-commissioned officers

The shoulder board padding indicated the appropriate corps colour of service branch, corps or special appointment, with coloured border piping.

  • Infantry (generic motorised rifles or motorised infantry) – padding   raspberry, piping   black
  • Cavalry –   сobalt blue with   black piping
  • Aviation troops and air force –   sky blue
  • Artillery & armoured corps – black   with red piping  
  • Medical troops, veterinarian service – dark green   with red   piping
  • Technical troops – black   with black   piping
Corps colours—officers up to colonel
  • Cavalry – сobalt blue  
  • Army generic infantry, motorised rifles and logistics – raspberry  
  • Artillery, armoured corps, medical troops and veterinarian service – red  
  • Aviation troops and air force – sky blue  
  • Technical troops – black  
Corps colours—officers above colonel
  • Army generic infantry, motorised rifles and logistics – deep red ("general's red")
  • Aviation troops and air force – sky blue
  • All other uses – raspberry
Any other insignia

Regimental numbers in gold lettering were placed on other ranks' shoulder straps along with the emblem of the armed service, branch, special troop, or appointment. For commanders of battle units or task forces the emblem was gold coloured, for others it was silver.

Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers
Shoulder straps to
service uniform basic		 Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers
  Infantry


  Cavalry


  Air Force


  Artillery


  Armoured Troops


  Motor-Car Units


  Medical Corps


  Veterinary Corps


  Engineer Troops


  Signal Troops


  Road Troops


  Railway Troops,
Military Communications
(VOSO)


  Pontoon Corps


  Sapper Troops


  Survey Troops


  Chemical Troops


  Electrical Troops
Rank designation Private Corporal Junior
sergeant		 Sergeant Senior
sergeant		 Starshina
(Рядовой) (Ефрейтор) (Младший
сержант)		 (Сержант) (Старший
сержант)		 (Старшина)
NATO-equivalentOR-1OR-4OR-5OR-6OR-7OR-8

Officer up to сommander-in-chief
Shoulder straps to
service uniform basic		 Officers & commanding staff Generals & commanders in chief
Infantry

Cavalry

Air Force

Air Force
Engineers

Artillery

Artillery
Engineers

Armoured Troops

Armoured Troops
Engineers

Motor-Car
Units

Motor-Car
Units Engineers


Medical Corps


Veterinary Corps


Legal Service

Quartermaster Corps

Engineer Troops

Engineer Troops Engineers

Signal Troops

Signal Troops Engineers

Road Troops

Road Troops Engineers

Railway Troops

Military Communications (VOSO)

Railway Troops Engineers

VOSO Engineers

Pontoon Corps

Pontoon Corps Engineers

Sapper Troops

Sapper Troops Engineers

Survey Troops

Survey Troops Engineers

Chemical Troops

Chemical Troops Engineers

Electrical Troops

Electrical Troops Engineers
Rank designation Junior lieutenant
(Младший лейтенант)		 Lieutenant
(Лейтенант)		 Senior lieutenant
(Старший лейтенант)		 Captain
(Капитан)		 Major
(Майор)		 Lieutenant colonel
(Подполковник)		 Colonel
(Полковник)		 Major general
(Генерал-майор)		 Lieutenant general
(Генерал-лейтенант)		 Colonel general
(Генерал-полковник)
Engineers rank designation Junior Technician Lieutenant
(Младший техник-лейтенант)		 Technician Lieutenant
(Техник-лейтенант)		 Senior Technician Lieutenant
(Старший техник-лейтенант)		 Engineer-Captain
(Инженер-капитан)		 Engineer-Major
(Инженер-Майор)		 Engineer-Lieutenant colonel
(Инженер-Подполковник)		 Engineer-Colonel
(Инженер-Полковник)
NATO-equivalentOF-1OF-2OF-3OF-4OF-5OF-6OF-7OF-8

General of the army to generalissimus
Designation Commander-in-chief Marshal of the branch Chief marshal of the branch Marshal,
Generalissimus
of the Soviet Union
Shoulder strap to
service uniform
basic
Rank designation General
of
The Army		 Marshal
of
Artillery		 Marshal
of
Aviation		 Marshal
of
Armoured
Troops		 Marshal
of
Signal
Troops		 Marshal
of
Engineer
Troops		 Chief marshal
of
Artillery		 Chief marshal
of
Aviation		 Chief marshal
of
Armoured
Troops		 Chief marshal
of
Signal
Troops		 Chief marshal
of
Engineer
Troops		 Marshal,
Generalissimus
of the Soviet Union
Emblem
NATO-equivalent OF-9 OF-9 OF-9 OF-10

Shoulder straps field uniform
Shoulder strap of a senior sergeant

Shoulder straps to field uniforms, standardized to all service ranches, were made of khaki wool cloth. The piping indicated the service branch, matching the corps colour.

Colours of the rank piping (on shoulder strap)
  • Infantry, motorized rifles – raspberry coloured
  • Aviation troops and air force – sky blue
  • Cavalry – blue
  • Artillery and armoured corps – red
  • Medical troops, veterinarian service – dark green
  • Technical services – black

This specific shoulder strap design was used in the Red Army 1943 until 1946, as well as in the Soviet Army from 1946 to 1955.

Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers (1943–1946)
Shoulder straps
to field uniform		 Private – and non-commissioned officers ranks
Infantry

Cavalry

Air Force

Artillery,

Armoured Troops,

Motor-Car Units

Medical Corps
and

Veterinary Corps
Technical Troops
Rank designation Private Corporal Junior sergeant Sergeant Senior sergeant Warrant officer
NATO-equivalentOR-1OR-4OR-5OR-6OR-7OR-8

Officers up to higher commanders & commander-in-chief (1943–1946)
Shoulder straps
to field uniform		 Officers and commanders Higher commanders & commander-in-chief
  Infantry


  Cavalry


  Armoured Troops



  Motor-Car
Units

  Air Force


  Air Force
Engineers


  Artillery


  Medical Corps


  Veterinary Corps


  Legal Service


  Quartermaster Corps
  Technical Troops


Engineer Troops

Signal Troops

Road Troops

Railway Troops,
Military Communications (VOSO)

Pontoon Corps

Sapper Troops

Survey Troops

Сhemical troops

Electrical Troops.
Rank designation Junior
lieutenant
(Младший
лейтенант)		 Lieutenant
(Лейтенант)		 Senior
lieutenant
(Старший
лейтенант)		 Captain
(Капитан)		 Major
(Майор)		 Lieutenant
colonel
(Подполковник)		 Colonel
(Полковник)		 Major general
(Генерал-майор)		 Lieutenant general
(Генерал-лейтенант)		 Colonel general
(Генерал-полковник)
Engineers rank designation Junior
Technician-Lieutenant
(Младший
техник-лейтенант)		 Technician-Lieutenant
(Техник-лейтенант)		 Senior
Technician-Lieutenant
(Старший
техник-лейтенант)		 Engineer-Captain
(Инженер-капитан)		 Engineer-Major
(Инженер-Майор)		 Engineer-Lieutenant
colonel
(Инженер-Подполковник)		 Engineer-Colonel
(Инженер-Полковник)
NATO-equivalentOF-1OF-2OF-3OF-4OF-5OF-6OF-7OF-8

General of the army to generalissimus
Designation Commander-in-chief Marshal of the branch Chief marshal of the branch Marshal,
Generalissimus
of the Soviet Union
Shoulder strap
to
field uniform
Rank designation General
of
the army		 Marshal
of
artillery		 Marshal
of
aviation		 Marshal
of the
armoured
troops		 Marshal
of the
signal
troops		 Marshal
of the
engineer
troops		 Chief marshal
of
artillery		 Chief marshal
of
aviation		 Chief marshal
of the
armoured
troops		 Chief marshal
of the
signal
troops		 Chief marshal
of the
engineer
troops		 Marshal,
Generalissimus
of the Soviet Union
NATO-equivalent OF-9 OF-9 OF-9 OF-10

Ranks and rank insignia of the Soviet Navy

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on 15 February 1943 on "distinction insignia to the Soviet Navy" the introduction of shoulder straps and epaulettes took effect, marking the début of Imperial Russian Navy-style insignia to the Soviet Navy.[6] As the navy also had coastal services, ground ranks similar to the Red Army and Air Force were introduced with their respective insignia to be used by the coastal service personnel. These ranks were also used by the navy's medical corps and technical services. Shoulder rank insignia were in dark blue shoulder boards (gold on the dress uniform only for officers).

Designation Officers & commanders Flag officers & commander-in-chief
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Sea Duty)
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Sea Duty Engineers)
Sleeve insignia
on
uniform jacket
Rank designation Junior lieutenant Lieutenant Senior lieutenant Captain lieutenant Captain of the 3rd rank Captain of the 2nd rank Captain 1st rank Rear Admiral Vice Admiral Admiral Admiral of the Fleet
(1943-1945)		 Admiral of the Fleet
(1945-1953)
NATO-equivalentOF-1OF-2OF-3OF-4OF-5OF-6OF-7OF-8OF-9OF-10
Designation Junior ratings Senior ratings
Shoulder board
to
service uniform
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
Rank designation Seaman Senior seaman Petty officer 2nd class Petty Officer 1st class Chief petty officer Michman
NATO-equivalentOR-1OR-4OR-5OR-6OR-7OR-8

Officers
Designation Officers & commanders General officers
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Coastal Services, incl. Naval Infantry and Coastal Defense Artillery)
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Coastal Engineers)
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Naval Aviation)
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Naval Aviation engineers and technical staff)
Rank designation Junior lieutenant
(Младший лейтенант)		 Lieutenant
(Лейтенант)		 Senior lieutenant
(Старший лейтенант)		 Captain
(Капитан)		 Major
(Майор)		 Lieutenant colonel
(Подполковник)		 Colonel
(Полковник)		 Major general
(Генерал-майор)		 Lieutenant general
(Генерал-лейтенант)		 Colonel general
(Генерал-полковник)
Engineers rank designation Junior Technician Lieutenant
(Младший техник-лейтенант)		 Technician Lieutenant
(Техник-лейтенант)		 Senior Technician Lieutenant
(Старший техник-лейтенант)		 Engineer Captain
(Инженер-капитан)		 Engineer Major
(Инженер-Майор)		 Engineer-Lieutenant colonel
(Инженер-Подполковник)		 Engineer-Colonel
(Инженер-Полковник)
NATO-equivalentOF-1OF-2OF-3OF-4OF-5OF-6OF-7OF-8

Other ranks
Shoulder straps to
service uniform basic		 Enlisted men and non-commissioned officers of ground services
(Coastal Services and Naval Aviation)
Shoulder board
to
service uniform
(Personnel of coastal services)
Shoulder board
to
service uniform
(Personnel of naval aviation)
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Personnel of coastal services)
Shoulder strap
to
service uniform
(Personnel of naval aviation)
Rank designation Seaman Senior seaman Junior Sergeant Sergeant Staff Sergeant Starshina
NATO-equivalentOR-1OR-4OR-5OR-6OR-7OR-8

See also

References
  1. Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 16 January 1943
  2. Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 9 October 1943
  3. Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 26 June 1945
  4. Decreel of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 6 January 1943
  5. Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 15 January 1943
  6. Decree of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet" of 15 February 1943
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