| Hero of the Soviet Union | |
|---|---|
 Gold star medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union | |
| Type | Highest degree of distinction |
| Awarded for | Heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society |
| Presented by |  Soviet Union |
| Eligibility | Soviet and foreign citizens |
| Status | No longer awarded |
| Established | 16 April 1934 |
| First awarded | 20 April 1934 |
| Last awarded | 24 December 1991 |
| Total | 12,777 |
| Precedence | |
| Next (lower) | Hero of Socialist Labour |
| Related | Hero of the Russian Federation |
The title Hero of the Soviet Union (Russian: Герой Советского Союза, romanized: Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.[1] The title was awarded both to civilian and military persons.
- ^ Prokhorov, Aleksandr Mikhaĭlovich (1982). Great Soviet Encyclopedia, Volume 6. New York: Macmillan. p. 594. OCLC 810278.