The Medal for Labor Valor (Russia)

• Time Period: Interwar Medals
• Year of Institution: 27 December 1938
• Country: Russia & USSR

The Medal for Labor Valor (or Медаль «За трудовую доблесть» in Russian) was a civilian labor award of the Soviet Union established on December 27, 1938 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR and bestowed to especially deserving workers to recognize and honor dedicated and valorous labor or significant contributions in the fields of science, culture or the manufacturing industry.

The medal’s statute was amended three times by further decrees. During its existence of just over fifty years, it was bestowed to almost two million deserving citizens, including workers, farmers, specialists of the national economy, workers of science, culture, education, health and other to citizens of the USSR, and in exceptional cases, to foreign nationals.

The first investiture took place on January 15, 1939 where the Medal “For Labor Valor” was presented to 22 employees of the Kalinin armaments plant number 8 for exceptional service to the country in the creation and development of new weapons for the Workers’ and Peasants’ Red Army. The medal ceased to be awarded following the December 1991 dissolution of the Soviet Union.

The Medal for Labor Valor Medal Design

The medal measured 34 mm in diameter (some struck in 1945 measured 35 mm), was circular and struck from .925 silver with a raised rim on both sides.

In the upper obverse, a ruby-red enameled 19.2 mm wide five pointed star with a silver hammer and sickle at its center. Below the star, the inscription in two rows of sunken and red enameled 2.8 mm high letters “FOR VALOUR LABOUR” («ЗА ТРУДОВУЮ ДОБЛЕСТЬ»), at the very bottom, the relief inscription in 3.3 mm high letters “USSR” («СССР»). On the otherwise plain reverse, the relief inscription on two rows of 2.5 mm high letters “LABOUR IN THE USSR – A MATTER OF HONOUR” («ТРУД В СССР — ДЕЛО ЧЕСТИ»).

Early awards hung from a small triangular mount covered with a red ribbon with a threaded stub and screw for attachment to clothing. Following the 1943 decree, the medal was secured by a ring through the medal suspension loop to a standard Soviet pentagonal mount covered by a 24mm wide lilac coloured silk moiré ribbon with 2 mm wide red edge stripes.