American Soldiers Awarded the Soviet Order of Glory During World War II

November 22, 2025 - Reading time: 4 minutes

American soldiers receiving the Soviet Order of Glory in a rare WWII award ceremony.

American soldiers receiving the Soviet Order of Glory during a ceremonial presentation in World War II.

This rare wartime photograph captures a highly unusual and symbolic moment of Allied cooperation during World War II — the ceremonial awarding of the Soviet Order of Glory to American soldiers. The Order of Glory was among the most respected Soviet military decorations, traditionally awarded for personal courage and battlefield heroism.

The exact location and date of the ceremony remain unknown, and official Soviet records of this particular event have not been fully preserved. However, historical references point to several known American recipients of the Order of Glory. Among them is U.S. Navy serviceman Cecil R. Haycraft, who reportedly received the Order of Glory, 3rd Class.

Other sources mention Corporal Jones John Becker of the 65th Infantry Division, 3rd U.S. Army, and Sergeant Max Thompson of the 16th Infantry Regiment, 1st Infantry Division, also part of the 3rd U.S. Army. Their awards likely reflected acts of bravery, cooperation with Soviet units, or contributions to joint Allied efforts during the final stages of the war in Europe.

The existence of such photographs highlights how exceptional these decorations were. The Soviet Union rarely awarded high combat honors to foreign servicemen, making such cases extraordinary examples of wartime solidarity between two different military cultures united by a common enemy.

Today, this image stands not only as a historical document but also as visual proof of respect between Allied soldiers who fought on different fronts of the same global conflict.

Technical Photo Data:

📍 Location: Unknown
📅 Date: Unknown (World War II period)
📝 Subject: Award ceremony of U.S. servicemen receiving the Soviet Order of Glory
📷 Photographer: Unknown