Chief Marshal

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The ranks of Marshal of a troop arm (Russian: Маршал рода войск) and Chief Marshal of a troop arm (Russian: Главный Маршал рода войск) were senior military ranks of the Soviet Army. They were established in 1943. The rank "Marshal of a troop arm" is immediately above the rank "Colonel General". Immediately above the rank "Marshal of a troop arm" is the rank "Chief Marshal of a troop arm". Immediately above the rank "Chief Marshal of a troop arm" is the rank "Marshal of the Soviet Union".

The ranks were created as an analog to Air Marshal and Marshal of the Royal Air Force. They were used in five Soviet military branches - the Air Force, Artillery, Armoured Troops, Engineer Troops, and Signal Troops. Both "Marshal of a troop arm" and "Chief Marshal of a troop arm" are considered equivalent to the single rank General of the Army, which was used in the Infantry and Marines.

Chief Marshal ranks were largely restricted to the Artillery and Air Force, and by 1984 had ceased to be conferred in these branches as well. The ranks of Chief Marshal of Engineer Troops and of Chief Marshal of Signals, established both in 1943 and abolished both in 1984, were never conferred on anybody.

The modern Russian military has replaced both the ranks "Marshal of a troop arm" and "Chief Marshal of a troop arm" with the single rank General of the Army.

[edit] List of Chief Marshals

Chief Marshals of Aviation
- Alexander Alexandrovich Novikov (19.11.1902-3.12.1976) Appointed 21.02.1944
- Alexander Evgenievich Golovanov (7.08.1904-22.09.1975) Appointed 19.08.1944
- Pavel Fedorovich Zhigarev (19.01.1900-2.10.1963) Appointed 11.3.1955
- Konstantin Andreevich Vershinin (3.06.1900-30.12.1973) Appointed 8.05.1959
- Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov (16.08.1914-3.12.1984) Appointed 03.1972
- Boris Pavlovich Bugaev (29.07.1923- 13.01.2007) Appointed 1977. Served as Minister of Civil Aviation 1972-1987
- Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov (20.09.1923-9.06.1992) Appointed 1984. Served as commander of air defense from 1978 to 1987

Chief Marshals of Artillery
- Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov (5.05.1899-28.02.1968) Appointed 21.02.1944
- Mitrofan Ivanovich Nedelin (9.11.1902-24.10.1960) Appointed 8.05.1959
- Sergei Sergeevich Varentsov (10.08.1901-1.03.1971) Appointed 6.05.1961
- Vladimir Fedorovich Tolubko (25.11.1914-17.06.1989) Appointed 1983

Chief Marshals of Armoured Troops
- Pavel Alexeevich Rotmistrov (6.07.1901-16.04.1982) Appointed 28.04.1962
- Amazasp Khachaturovich Babadzhanian (18.2.1906-1.11.1977) Appointed 05.1975