Polar Bear Expedition Americans in Russia. RPPC. Private Collection.

Updates in italic bold.

Top row: McAver, Krueger

Bottom row: Johnson and ‘Tom’.

With their mix of names, I think these four were Americans. Per the conversation below there’s a good chance these four were of the ‘Polar Bear Expedition’, American infantry soldiers of the 339th Regiment fighting the Bolsheviki in 1918. 

The wires on the front of the man to the left (Johnson) are probably to hold a backpack in place. They were in a studio but it isn’t hard to imagine the piles of snow outside.

Universal Postal Union of Russia.

Interesting also that the only translation on the back is in French. I’ve tried to date this postcard but with no luck. There just aren’t too many from Russia floating around that I’ve seen. My guess is this was taken anywhere between 1910-1920.

Here are a few pictures of the soldiers from the book “The History of the American Expedition Fighting the Bolsheviki”, by Joel R. Moore and Harry H. Mead and Lewis E. Jahns. Thank you Mrbflaneur for pointing me in that direction!