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Marshal of the branch (or "marshal of the
branch of service
Military branch (also service branch or armed service) is according to common standard a subdivision of the national armed forces of a sovereign nation or state.
Types of branches
Unified armed forces
The Canadian Armed Forces is the unifi ...
"; russian: Ма́ршал ро́да во́йск, Marshal roda voysk) was from 1943 to 1974 the designation to a separate rank class in the general officer's rank group of the former
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
'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. Marshal of the branch was nominally the equivalent rank level to army general. 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.
Establishment
The term "marshal of the branch" was
calque
In linguistics, a calque () or loan translation is a word or phrase borrowed from another language by literal word-for-word or root-for-root translation. When used as a verb, "to calque" means to borrow a word or phrase from another language wh ...
d from the German (
general of the branch
A general of the branch, general of the branch of service or general of the ... (where instead of the ellipsis an appropriate name of the military branch is being put) is a three or four-star general officer rank in some armies. Several nations di ...
). The ranks of marshal of aviation, artillery and armoured troops branches were established on February 4, 1943, with a large, approximately 50mm wide, shoulder board star (the same star as the at-the-time equivalent rank of marshal of the Soviet Union's shoulder board star).
[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.] When the rank of chief marshal was established on October 27, 1943, the size of the shoulder board's stars for marshals was made about 10mm smaller establishing the superiority of the
marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union.
The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...
insignia. Also, on October 27, 1943, the ranks of marshal of the branches engineer troops and signals were established. On the uniform tie, marshals wore the marshal's star of the 2nd level.
In the branches, the rank of colonel general was followed by the next higher rank of marshal of the branch. While the rank of marshal of a branch was apparently equal to the one of general of the army (who was only entitled to the four small shoulder board stars), the marshals of branches had the marshal's star of the 2nd level on the tie and the large 40mm star on the shoulder boards, but the general of the army had neither. Generals of the army were given the 40mm star shoulder board and the marshal's star of the 2nd level on the tie in 1974.
Marshals of 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 artillery and marshal of aviation were replaced by the one of general of the army (or army aviation), and the rank of chief marshal was cancelled.
Rank insignia
The rank insignia of marshal of the branch was a large (~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
List of marshals of the branch
Marshals of the artillery
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Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov; appointed 18 January 1943 (chief marshal 1944)
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Nikolai Dmitrievich Yakovlev; appointed 21 February 1944, rank removed 1952–1953
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Mikhail Nikolaevich Chistiakov; appointed 25 September 1944
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Mitrofan Ivanovich Nedelin
Mitrofan Ivanovich Nedelin (russian: Митрофа́н Ива́нович Неде́лин; – 24 October 1960) was a Soviet military commander who served as Chief marshal of the branch, Chief Marshal of the Artillery in the Soviet Armed Forc ...
; appointed 4 August 1953 (chief marshal 1955)
#
Sergei Sergeevich Varentsov
Sergius is a male given name of Ancient Roman origin after the name of the Latin ''gens'' Sergia or Sergii of regal and republican ages. It is a common Christian name, in honor of Saint Sergius, or in Russia, of Saint Sergius of Radonezh, and ...
; appointed 11 March 1955 (chief marshal 1961), degraded to major general 1963
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Vasili Ivanovich Kazakov; appointed 11 March 1955
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Konstantin Petrovich Kazakov; appointed 28 April 1962
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Yuri Pavlovich Bazhanov; appointed 18 June 1965
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Pavel Nikolaevich Kuleshov; appointed 28 October 1967
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Georgy Fedotovich Odintsov; appointed 22 February 1968
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Georgy Yefimovich Peredelsky; appointed 5 November 1973
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Yefim Vasilyevich Boychuk; appointed 4 November 1980
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Vladimir Mikhailovich Mikhalkin; appointed 15 February 1989
Marshals of aviation
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Alexander Alexandrovich Novikov; appointed 17 March 1943 (chief marshal 1944)
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Alexander Yevgenievich Golovanov; appointed 3 August 1943 (chief marshal 1944)
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Fedor Alexeevich Astakhov; appointed 19 August 1944
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Fedor Yakovlevich Falaleev; appointed 19 August 1944
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Sergei Alexandrovich Khudyakov; appointed 19 August 1944
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Nikolai Semyonovich Skripko; appointed 19 August 1944
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Grigory Alexeevich Vorozheikin; appointed 19 August 1944
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Semyon Fedorovich Zhavoronkov; appointed 25 September 1944
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Konstantin Andreevich Vershinin; appointed 3 June 1946 (chief marshal … 1959)
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Pavel Fedorovich Zhigarev
Pavel Fyodorovich Zhigarev (Па́вел Фёдорович Жи́гарев; November 6, 1900 – August 2, 1963) was the commander-in-chief of the Soviet Air Forces (VVS) twice (1941–1942, 1949–1957), and also served as the Chief Marshal of ...
; appointed 3 August 1953 (chief marshal … 1955)
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Sergei Ignatevich Rudenko; appointed 11 March 1955
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Vladimir Alexandrovich Sudets; appointed 11 March 1955
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Stepan Akimovich Krasovsky; appointed 8 May 1959
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Yevgeny Yakovlevich Savitsky; appointed 6 May 1961
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Filipp Alexandrovich Agaltsov; appointed 28 April 1962
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Yevgeny Fyodorovich Loginov; appointed 28 October 1967
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Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov; appointed 1969 (chief marshal 1972)
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Ivan Ivanovuch Borzov; appointed 16 December 1972
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Alexander Pokryshkin
Alexander is a male given name. The most prominent bearer of the name is Alexander the Great, the king of the Ancient Greek kingdom of Macedonia who created one of the largest empires in ancient history.
Variants listed here are Aleksandar, Al ...
; appointed 16 December 1972
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Boris Pavlovich Bugaev; appointed 5 November 1973 (chief marshal 1977)
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Georgy Vasilyevich Zimin; appointed 5 November 1973
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Alexander Nikolayevich Yefimov; appointed 29 April 1975
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Ivan Ivanovich Pstygo
Ivan () is a Slavic male given name, connected with the variant of the Greek name (English: John) from Hebrew meaning 'God is gracious'. It is associated worldwide with Slavic countries. The earliest person known to bear the name was Bulgari ...
; appointed 29 April 1975
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Alexander Petrovich Silantyev; appointed 19 February 1976
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Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov; appointed 28 October 1977 (chief marshal 1984)
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Grigory Petrovich Skorikov; appointed 4 November 1980
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Nikolay Mikhailovich Skomorokhov; appointed 2 November 1981
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Pyotr Semyonovich Kirsanov; appointed 16 December 1982
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Anatoly Ustinovich Konstantinov; appointed 30 April 1985
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Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub
Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub (Russian: Иван Hикитович Кожедуб; Ukrainian: Іван Микитович Кожедуб; 8 June 1920 – 8 August 1991) was a Soviet World War II fighter ace. Universally credited with over 60 solo vi ...
; appointed 6 May 1985
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Alexander Nikitovich Volkov; appointed 15 February 1989
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Yevgeny Ivanovich Shaposhnikov; appointed 26 August 1991
Marshals of the armored troops
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Pavel Alekseyevich Rotmistrov; appointed 21 February 1944 (chief marshal 1962)
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Yakov Nikolaevich Fedorenko; appointed 21 February 1944
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Semyon Iliych Bogdanov; appointed 1 June 1945
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Pavel Semenovich Rybalko; appointed 1 June 1945
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Mikhail Yefimovich Katukov; appointed 26 October 1959
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Pavel Pavlovich Poluboyakov; appointed 28 April 1962
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Hamazasp Khachaturovich Babadzhanian; appointed 28 October 1967 (chief marshal 1975)
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Oleg Aleksandrovich Losik; appointed 29 April 1975
Marshals of the signal troops
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Ivan Terentevich Peresypkin; appointed 21 February 1944
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Aleksey Ivanovich Leonov; appointed 6 May 1961
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Andrey Ivanovich Belov; appointed 5 November 1973
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Nikolai Nikolaevich Alekseev
Nikolai or Nikolay is an East Slavic variant of the masculine name Nicholas. It may refer to:
People Royalty
* Nicholas I of Russia (1796–1855), or Nikolay I, Emperor of Russia from 1825 until 1855
* Nicholas II of Russia (1868–1918), or Niko ...
; appointed 25 October 1979
Marshals of engineer troops
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Mikhail Petrovich Vorobyev; appointed 21 February 1944
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Aleksey Ivanovich Proshlyakov; appointed 6 May 1961
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Viktor Kondradevich Charshenko; appointed 16 December 1972
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Archil Viktorovich Gelovani; appointed 28 October 1977
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Sergey Christoforovich Aganov; appointed 5 May 1980
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Nikolay Fyodorovich Sherstopalov; appointed 6 May 1981
See also
*
Marshal of the Soviet Union
Marshal of the Soviet Union (russian: Маршал Советского Союза, Marshal sovetskogo soyuza, ) was the highest military rank of the Soviet Union.
The rank of Marshal of the Soviet Union was created in 1935 and abolished in 19 ...
*
Chief marshal of the branch
Chief marshal of the branch (russian: Главный маршал рода войск, Glavny marshal roda voysk) was a senior military rank of the Soviet Armed Forces. It was immediately above the rank of Marshal of the branch. Both ranks were ...
*
Ranks and insignia of the Soviet Armed Forces 1943–1955
Rank is the relative position, value, worth, complexity, power, importance, authority, level, etc. of a person or object within a ranking, such as:
Level or position in a hierarchical organization
* Academic rank
* Diplomatic rank
* Hierarchy
* ...
, and
1955–1991
References
{{reflist
Military ranks of Russia
Military ranks of the Soviet Union