Marshal of the branch

Marshal of the branch
(1943 to 1974)
Small marshal's star (since 1943)
Rank insignia Soviet Armed Forces
Introduction 1943
Rank group General officer
Navy -
NATO
equivalent 		OF-9
Marshal of the aviation, Alexander Jefimow
Uniform marshal of the artillery „Odinzov, Gregorij Fedorovich“ (1900—1972)
“Militay historical museum“ … St. Petersburg

Marsha 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 of the former Soviet Union´s armed forces.

However, in that period of time marshal of the branc' 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]

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

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

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)

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
... to
dress
uniform		 Shoulder boards 1955 – 1974
Rank designation Marshal
of the
artillery		 Marshal
of the
aviation		 Marshal
of the
armored
troops		 Marshal
of the
signal
truppe		 Marshal
of the
engineer
troops
Emblem
NATO-equivalent OF-9

List of marshals of the branch

Marshals of the artillery

  1. Voronov, Nikolai Nikolaevich; appointed 18 January 1943 (chief marshal 1944)
  2. Yakovlev, Nikolai Dmitrievich; appointed 21 February 1944, rank removed 1952-1953
  3. Chistiakov, Mikhail Nikolaevich; appointed 25 September 1944
  4. Nedelin, Mitrofan Ivanovich; appointed 4 August 1953 (chief marshal 1955)
  5. Varentsov, Sergei Sergeevich; appointed 11 March 1955 (chief marshal 1961), degraded to major general 1963
  6. Kazakov, Vasili Ivanovich; appointed 11 March 1955

Marshals of the 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. Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov; appointed 1969 (chief marshal 1972)
  15. Boris Pavlovich Bugaev; appointed 5 November 1973 (chief marshal 1977)
  16. Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov; appointed 18 October 1973 (chief marshal 1984)
  17. Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub; appointed 6 May 1985
  18. 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, Andey Ivanivich; 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. Proshljakov, Aleksez 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, Nikoloay Fjodorovich; 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.