The Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces on February 16, 1957 by its Decree established the medal "For saving the drowning." It was intended to reward rescue workers, citizens of the USSR and foreign citizens for rescuing drowning people, preventing accidents on the water, for showing courage, courage, resourcefulness and vigilance.
Medal "For saving the drowning"
Regulations on the medal
From the Regulations on the medal, approved by the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces in 1957, it followed that it was awarded to rescue workers, citizens of the Soviet Union and foreign citizens who, by their actions, showed courage, courage and dedication to save people, showed vigilance and resourcefulness that prevented tragic accidents on the water. Professional rescuers were presented for the award for the high organization of the water rescue service.
Medal "For saving the drowning" was awarded by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Presidium of the SupremeCouncils of autonomous and union republics of the USSR, regional and regional executive committees, as well as Moscow, Leningrad and Kyiv city councils of people's deputies.
The medal "For saving the drowning" was prescribed to be worn on the chest, on the left side. If the recipient had other badges of honor of the USSR, then by rank it was placed after the medal "For Courage in a Fire".
After the death of a citizen, the medal remained in the family of the deceased as a keepsake.
Description of the medal
The medal was made of non-ferrous metal (brass), regular, round shape with a diameter of 32 mm. Weight was about 14.6g without last and link. The obverse side of the medal depicted a lifeguard towing a drowning man on the water. In the upper part around the circumference were applied the words - "For salvation", in the lower part - "for drowning".
On the reverse (back) were a sickle and a hammer, under them - a branch of laurel, at the very bottom of the reverse - the abbreviation "USSR".
Around the circumference, on both sides of the medal, there was a side. All images and lettering protruded above the medal planes.
For wearing on clothes, the medal for rescuing drowning people was supplied with a hanging block, which was a five-pointed plate with an angle facing down. In the same corner of the plate there was a hole designed to fasten it to the medal. On the reverse side of the plate, a pin design was fixed, with which the award was attached to clothing.
The medal block was covered with moire braid 24 mm wide. blue ribbon witheach edge was decorated with three white longitudinal lines, in the center - one white stripe running parallel to the side.
History of the medal
Over 24 thousand awards have been made in the history of existence. The most famous cases of rescue of those drowning on the water include the rescue of 20 people who were in the cabin of a trolley bus, which collapsed into the city reservoir of the city of Yerevan. Sh. Karapetyan, a well-known athlete, who happened to be near the scene of the tragedy, became the rescue hero.
In the history of awarding, there are facts of repeated awarding of the medal. So, four times MP Kotukhov was presented for the award with the presentation, on whose account 150 rescued people. Three times the medal "For saving the drowning" was awarded to A. A. Kovyazin, who lives on the island of Sakhalin. Also, a resident of the Odessa region N. M. Skryabnev received three medals.
Two medals on account of the head of the rescue service Kostin K. I., diver Lopatenko I. E., head of the rescue station Mavshevich V. V., policeman Muzarbaev K. A. and others.
The last medal was awarded in the USSR on May 20, 1991.
Children awarded a medal
Pioneer, 6th grade student Pavel Kolosov, who lives in the village. Snezhnogorsk (Krasnoyarsk Territory), in 1985 he was awarded this medal twice. In 1978, Vyacheslav Goncharov and Oleg Kournikov, third grade secondary school students in Khimki (Moscow Region), were awarded a medal for rescuing schoolgirl Svetlana Semenchuk.
History knowsand other cases when pioneers and schoolchildren received a medal for saving drowning people for preventing tragedies on the water. They are: D. Velikanov, M. Demidov, A. Kirshin, M. Maksimov, E. Matviyashin, A. Shimarov.
The history of the medal in the post-Soviet period
The medal "For saving the drowning" after the liquidation of the USSR was left in the award structure of the Russian Federation. According to the Decree of the PVS of the Russian Federation of March 2, 1992, the letters "USSR" on the reverse side were replaced with "RUSSIA". It was awarded from 1992 to 1994. The last time the award took place on September 13, 1994. The certificate was signed by the President of Russia.
The total number of people awarded the medal "For saving the drowning" in Russia amounted to 108 people.
Medal "For saving the drowning", benefits
The legislative documents of the USSR and the Russian Federation did not provide for any benefits to persons who were awarded the medal. The only benefit is the priority right to receive the title of "Veteran of Labour".
