Marshal of the branch


Marshal of the branch was from 1943 to 1974 the designation to a separate rank class in the general officer's rank group of the former Soviet Union'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. In modern context, it might be comparable to the NATO OF9-rank.
Marshal of the branch was nominal 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.

Introduction and sequence of ranks

The term "marshal of the branch" was calqued from the German General der Waffengattung. The first general officers of the air force, artillery, and armored troops were promoted on 16 January 1943 under the rank designation:
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:
The five ranks marshal of the branch, as well as chief marshal of the branch were created at OF9-level.

Rank insignia

The rank insignia of marshal of the branch was a large five-pointed shoulder board star. 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. 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, and the rank of chief marshal was cancelled.

Shoulder boards & epaulettes

List of marshals of the branch

Marshals of the artillery

  1. Nikolai Nikolaevich Voronov; appointed 18 January 1943
  2. Nikolai Dmitrievich Yakovlev; appointed 21 February 1944, rank removed 1952–1953
  3. Mikhail Nikolaevich Chistiakov; appointed 25 September 1944
  4. Mitrofan Ivanovich Nedelin; appointed 4 August 1953
  5. Sergei Sergeevich Varentsov; appointed 11 March 1955, degraded to major general 1963
  6. Vasili Ivanovich Kazakov; appointed 11 March 1955
  7. Konstantin Petrovich Kazakov; appointed 28 April 1962
  8. Yuri Pavlovich Bazhanov; appointed 18 June 1965
  9. Pavel Nikolaevich Kuleshov; appointed 28 October 1967
  10. Georgy Fedotovich Odintsov; appointed 22 February 1968
  11. Georgy Yefimovich Peredelsky; appointed 5 November 1973
  12. Yefim Vasilyevich Boychuk; appointed 4 November 1980
  13. Vladimir Mikhailovich Mikhalkin; appointed 15 February 1989

    Marshals of aviation

  14. Alexander Alexandrovich Novikov; appointed 17 March 1943
  15. Alexander Yevgenievich Golovanov; appointed 3 August 1943
  16. Fedor Alexeevich Astakhov; appointed 19 August 1944
  17. Fedor Yakovlevich Falaleev; appointed 19 August 1944
  18. Sergei Alexandrovich Khudyakov; appointed 19 August 1944
  19. Nikolai Semyonovich Skripko; appointed 19 August 1944
  20. Grigory Alexeevich Vorozheikin; appointed 19 August 1944
  21. Semyon Fedorovich Zhavoronkov; appointed 25 September 1944
  22. Konstantin Andreevich Vershinin; appointed 3 June 1946
  23. Pavel Fedorovich Zhigarev; appointed 3 August 1953
  24. Sergei Ignatevich Rudenko; appointed 11 March 1955
  25. Vladimir Alexandrovich Sudets; appointed 11 March 1955
  26. Stepan Akimovich Krasovsky; appointed 8 May 1959
  27. Yevgeny Yakovlevich Savitsky; appointed 6 May 1961
  28. Filipp Alexandrovich Agaltsov; appointed 28 April 1962
  29. Yevgeny Fyodorovich Loginov; appointed 28 October 1967
  30. Pavel Stepanovich Kutakhov; appointed 1969
  31. Ivan Ivanovuch Borzov; appointed 16 December 1972
  32. Alexander Pokryshkin; appointed 16 December 1972
  33. Boris Pavlovich Bugaev; appointed 5 November 1973
  34. Georgy Vasilyevich Zimin; appointed 5 November 1973
  35. Alexander Nikolayevich Yefimov; appointed 29 April 1975
  36. Ivan Ivanovich Pstygo; appointed 29 April 1975
  37. Alexander Petrovich Silantyev; appointed 19 February 1976
  38. Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov; appointed 28 October 1977
  39. Grigory Petrovich Skorikov; appointed 4 November 1980
  40. Nikolay Mikhailovich Skomorokhov; appointed 2 November 1981
  41. Pyotr Semyonovich Kirsanov; appointed 16 December 1982
  42. Anatoly Ustinovich Konstantinov; appointed 30 April 1985
  43. Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub; appointed 6 May 1985
  44. Alexander Nikitovich Volkov; appointed 15 February 1989
  45. Yevgeny Ivanovich Shaposhnikov; appointed 26 August 1991

    Marshals of the armored troops

  46. Pavel Alekseyevich Rotmistrov; appointed 21 February 1944
  47. Yakov Nikolaevich Fedorenko; appointed 21 February 1944
  48. Semyon Iliych Bogdanov; appointed 1 June 1944
  49. Pavel Semenovich Rybalko; appointed 1 June 1944
  50. Mikhail Yefimovich Katukov; appointed 26 October 1959
  51. Pavel Pavlovich Poluboyakov; appointed 28 April 1962
  52. Hamazasp Khachaturovich Babadzhanian; appointed 28 October 1967
  53. Oleg Aleksandrovich Losik; appointed 29 April 1975

    Marshals of the signal troops

  54. Ivan Terentevich Peresypkin; appointed 21 February 1944
  55. Aleksey Ivanovich Leonov; appointed 6 May 1961
  56. Andrey Ivanovich Belov; appointed 5 November 1973
  57. Nikolai Nikolaevich Alekseev; appointed 25 October 1979

    Marshals of engineer troops

  58. Mikhail Petrovich Vorobyev; appointed 21 February 1944
  59. Aleksey Ivanovich Proshlyakov; appointed 6 May 1961
  60. Viktor Kondradevich Charshenko; appointed 16 December 1972
  61. Archil Viktorovich Gelovani; appointed 28 October 1977
  62. Sergey Christoforovich Aganov; appointed 5 May 1980
  63. Nikolay Fyodorovich Sherstopalov; appointed 6 May 1981