17 Americans who took part in the Northern convoys for the delivery of goods and military equipment to the USSR during the Great Patriotic War received the Ushakov medal. This was reported on the Facebook page of the Russian Embassy in the United States.
“The presentation of the state awards of the Russian Federation is a recognition of the personal courage and bravery of American veterans,” the statement said. The diplomats recalled that under the Lend-Lease program, tanks, cars and food were sent from the countries of the anti-Hitler coalition to the Soviet Union across the North Atlantic.
It is noted that the supplies of the allies were accompanied by battles with ships of the fleet of the Third Reich, as well as attacks by enemy aircraft and submarines. “The aid rendered by the allies is held sacred in Russia,” Moscow officials said. The decree on awarding American veterans in August was signed by Russian President Vladimir Putin.
During the war, northern convoys delivered cargoes to the USSR under the Lend-Lease program from the USA, Canada and Great Britain across the North Atlantic. In Russia, the Ushakov Medal, which was established in 1944, is awarded to servicemen of the navy and maritime security agencies of the FSB Border Service.
