Marshal of the branch

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Flag of the Soviet Union.svg
Marshal of the branch
(1943 to 1974)
Marshal-Star small.jpg
Small marshal's star (since 1943)
Rank insignia Soviet Armed Forces
Introduction 1943
Rank group General officer
Navy -
NATO
equivalent		 OF-9
File:Alex Yefimov.jpg
Marshal of the aviation, Alexander Jefimow
File:Форма маршала артиллерии.jpg
Uniform marshal of the artillery „Odinzov, Gregorij Fedorovich“ (1900—1972)
“Militay historical museum“ … St. Petersburg

Marshal of the branch (or "marshal of the branch of service"; Russian: Ма́ршал ро́да во́йск) was from 1943 to 1974 the designation to a separate rank class in the general officer´s rank group of the former Soviet Union´s armed forces.

However, at that time, marshal of the branch was also the lowest marshal-rank of the Red Army, and later of the Soviet Army. In modern context, it might be comparable to the NATO OF9-rank[1]

Marshal of the branch was nominal the equivalent rank level to army general (OF-9). However, general officers on that particular rank were not authorised, competent and mandated to be appointed to, or to act on the position of commander in chief of a big formation or command.

Introduction and sequence of ranks

The term "marshal of the branch" was calqued from the German General der Waffengattung (general of the branch). The first general officers of the air force, artillery, and armored troops were promoted on 16 January 1943 under the rank designation:[2]

  • Marshal of the aviation (маршал авиации)
  • Marshal of the artillery (маршал артиллерии)
  • Marshal of the armored troops (маршал танковых войск)

In October 1943, it was followed by the communications and engineer branches with the ranks:

  • Marshal of the signal troops (маршал войск связи)
  • Marshal of the engineer troops (маршал инженерых войск)

The top ranks of that rank group were chief marshal of the branch with the designation:[3]

  • Chief marshal of the aviation (главный маршал авиации)
  • Chief marshal of the artillery (главный маршал артиллерии)
  • Chief marshal of the armored troops (главный маршал танковых войск)
  • Chief marshal of the signal troops (главный маршал войск связи)
  • Chief marshal of the engineer troops (главный маршал инженерных войск)

The five ranks marshal of the branch, as well as chief marshal of the branch were created at OF9-level.

sequence of ranks
lower rank:
Colonel general
(Генерал-полковник)		 General of the army
(Генерал армии)
Red Army Badge.svg
Marshal of the branch
(Ма́ршал ро́да во́йск)
higher rank:
Chief marshal of the branch

(Главный ма́ршал ро́да во́йск)

Rank insignia

The rank insignia of marshal of the branch was a large (c.50mm wide) five-pointed shoulder board star (at the time the same star was used on the shoulder boards of marshals of the Soviet Union). A marshal of the branch wore the second level five-pointed marshal's star on his uniform necktie.

When the rank of chief marshal of the branch was established, the size of the shoulder board stars for marshals was made about 10mm smaller, indicating the superiority of the marshal of the Soviet Union. The first level marshal's star was worn on the uniform tie of chief marshals of the branch and marshals of the Soviet Union.

In the branches, the rank of colonel general was succeeded by the rank of marshal of the branch, while the rank of marshal of a branch was apparently equal to the rank of general of the army (who was only entitled to the four small shoulder board stars). Marshals of branch, chief marshals of the branch and general of the army were at the OF9-level, generals of the army had neither marshals' stars on shoulder boards or uniform ties. However, in 1974 generals of the army were given the 40mm star shoulder board and the marshal's star of the second level on the tie.

Marshals of the branches were normally eligible for promotion to chief marshal of branch, however, neither was eligible for promotion to marshal of the Soviet Union. After 1984, the rank of marshal was preserved only in the air force and artillery. Later, the rank of marshal stopped being conferred even in these branches. The regulations of Russian Army, confirmed in 1993, unified the system of general ranks in all the branches. The ranks of marshal of the artillery and marshal of the aviation were replaced by the one of general of the army (or army aviation), and the rank of chief marshal was cancelled.

Shoulder boards & epaulettes

Designation Marshal of the branch
... to
service
uniform
basic		 Shoulder boards 1943 – 1955
RA A F9MarsArtil 1955.jpg RA AF F9MarsAvia 1955.jpg RA A F9MarsArmor 1955.jpg RA A F9MarsComs 1955.jpg RA A F9MarsEngin 1955.jpg
... to
dress
uniform		 Shoulder boards 1955 – 1974
SA A-artil F9Mars 1974v.png SA AF F9Mars 1974v.svg SA A-armour F9Mars 1974v.png SA A-sign F9Mars 1974v.png SA A-engin F9Mars 1974v.png
Rank designation Marshal
of the
artillery		 Marshal
of the
aviation		 Marshal
of the
armored
troops		 Marshal
of the
signal
troops		 Marshal
of the
engineer
troops
Emblem RAF A emb- Rocket forces and artillery.jpg RAF AF branch insignia1.jpg RAF A emb-Armoured forces1936.gif Communication1936 forces emb n9618.png Engineer1924 forces emb n9619.png
NATO-equivalent OF-9

List of marshals of the branch

Marshals of the artillery

  1. Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov; appointed 18 January 1943 (chief marshal 1944)
  2. Nikolai Dmitrievich Yakovlev; appointed 21 February 1944, rank removed 1952-1953
  3. Mikhail Nikolaevich Chistiakov; appointed 25 September 1944
  4. Mitrofan Ivanovich Nedelin; appointed 4 August 1953 (chief marshal 1955)
  5. Sergei Sergeevich Varentsov; appointed 11 March 1955 (chief marshal 1961), degraded to major general 1963
  6. Vasili Ivanovich Kazakov; appointed 11 March 1955
  7. Konstantin Petrovich Kazakov; appointed 28 April 1962
  8. Yuri Pavlovich Bazhanov; appointed 18 June 1965
  9. Pavel Nikolaevich Kuleshov; appointed 28 October 1967
  10. Georgy Fedotovich Odintsov; appointed 22 February 1968
  11. Georgy Yefimovich Peredelsky; appointed 5 November 1973
  12. Yefim Vasilyevich Boychuk; appointed 4 November 1980
  13. Vladimir Mikhailovich Mikhalkin; appointed 15 February 1989

Marshals of aviation

  1. Alexander Alexandrovich Novikov; appointed 17 March 1943 (chief marshal 1944)
  2. Alexander Evgenievich Golovanov; appointed 3 August 1943 (chief marshal 1944)
  3. Fedor Alexeevich Astakhov; appointed 19 August 1944
  4. Fedor Yakovlevich Falaleev; appointed 19 August 1944
  5. Sergei Alexandrovich Khudyakov; appointed 19 August 1944
  6. Nikolai Semenovich Skripko; appointed 19 August 1944
  7. Grigory Alexeevich Vorozheikin; appointed 19 August 1944
  8. Semen Fedorovich Zhavoronkov; appointed 25 September 1944
  9. Konstantin Andreevich Vershinin; appointed 3 June 1946 (chief marshal … 1959)
  10. Pavel Fedorovich Zhigarev; appointed 3 August 1953 (chief marshal … 1955)
  11. Sergei Ignatevich Rudenko; appointed 11 March 1955
  12. Vladimir Alexandrovich Sudets; appointed 11 March 1955
  13. Stepan Akimovich Krasovsky; appointed 8 May 1959
  14. Yevgeniy Yakovlevich Savitskiy; appointed 6 May 1961
  15. Filipp Alexandrovich Agaltsov; appointed 28 April 1962
  16. Yevgeny Fyodorovich Loginov; appointed 28 October 1967
  17. Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov; appointed 1969 (chief marshal 1972)
  18. Ivan Ivanovuch Borzov; appointed 16 December 1972
  19. Alexander Pokryshkin; appointed 16 December 1972
  20. Boris Pavlovich Bugaev; appointed 5 November 1973 (chief marshal 1977)
  21. Georgy Vasilyevich Zimin; appointed 5 November 1973
  22. Alexander Nikolayevich Yefimov; appointed 29 April 1975
  23. Ivan Ivanovich Pstygo; appointed 29 April 1975
  24. Alexander Petrovich Silantyev; appointed 19 February 1976
  25. Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov; appointed 28 October 1977 (chief marshal 1984)
  26. Grigory Petrovich Skorikov; appointed 4 November 1980
  27. Nikolay Mikhailovich Skomorokhov; appointed 2 November 1981
  28. Pyotr Semyonovich Kirsanov; appointed 16 December 1982
  29. Anatoly Ustinovich Konstantinov; appointed 30 April 1985
  30. Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub; appointed 6 May 1985
  31. Alexander Nikitovich Volkov; appointed 15 February 1989
  32. Yevgeny Ivanovich Shaposhnikov; appointed 26 August 1991

Marshals of the armored troops

  1. Rotmistrov, Pavel Alexeevich; appointed 21 February 1944 (chief marshal 1962)
  2. Fedorenko, Yakov Nikolaevich; appointed 21 February 1944
  3. Bogdanov, Semen Iliich; appointed 1 January 1944
  4. Rybalko, Pavel Semenovich; appointed 1 June 1944
  5. Katukov, Mikhail Efimovich; appointed 26 October 1959
  6. Polubojakov, Pavel Pavlovich; appointed 28 April 1962
  7. Babadzhanian, Hamazasp Khachaturovich; appointed 28 October 1967 (chief marshal 1975)
  8. Losik, Oleg Aleksandrovich; appointed 29 April 1975

Marshals of the signal troops

  1. Peresypkin, Ivan Terentevich; appointed 21 February 1944
  2. leonov, Aleksey Ivanovich; appointed 6 May 1961
  3. Belov, Andrey Ivanovich; appointed 5 November 1973
  4. Alekseev, Nikolay Nikolayevich; appointed 25 October 1979

Marshals of engineer troops

  1. Vorobiev, Mikhail Petrovich; appointed 21 February 1944
  2. Proshlyakov, Aleksey Ivanovich; appointed 6 May 1961
  3. Charshenko, Viktor Kondradevich; appointed 16 December 1972
  4. Gelovani, Archil Viktorovich; appointed 28 October 1977
  5. Aganov, Sergey Christoforovich; appointed 5 May 1980
  6. Sherstopalov, Nikolay Fyodorovich; appointed 6 May 1981

See also

Sources / references

  1. ↑ The abbreviation "OF" stands for German Offizier, English officer or French officier
  2. ↑ Disposal of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet” from January 16, 1943 … on introduction of the new of ranks marshal of the aviation, marshal of the artillery and marshal of the armored troops.
  3. ↑ Disposal of the "Presidium of the Supreme Soviet” from October 9, 1943 … on introduction of the ranks of marshal of the communications troops and marshal of the engineer troops, as well as the introduction of the rank of chief marshal of the branch.
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