Defence of Odessa Medal

Date: 22nd December 1942
Campaign: World War II
Reciptent:
Medal Composite: Brass
Number Issued: 38,000

Awarded to all servicemen of the Soviet Army, Navy, Ministry of Internal Affairs Troops (MVD) and civil citizens who took part in the defence of Odessa from 10th August 1941 to 16 October 1941. The defence was brave, they repelled 16 divisions of Germans forces, being outnumbered by the Germans 5 to 1!. The city finally fell to the Germans after 73 days, however Odessa was awarded the title of "Hero City" on 1st May 1945 and became only the fourth city to bear this title. The others being Leningrad, Stalingrad and Sevastopol.
The Obverse of the medal has a depiction of a soldier and sailor charging with fixed bayonets across a field. A lighthouse is depicted in the background and the small letters of CCCP (USSR) are shown. The russian words for "For the Defence of Odessa" runs around the rim. The reverse has the russian for "For the Soviet Motherland".

Below is a map showing the location of Odessa