Air Force Academy
Double, Triple and Quadruple Heroes
The concept of “twice, thrice, four times Hero” today seems somewhat strange, probably it would be more correct to talk about awarding several Gold Star medals. But this is a fact of our history, and it cannot be bypassed.
For the first time, three pilots became Heroes twice for the feats of arms shown in battles with the Japanese interventionists on the Khalkhin Gol River in 1939: Major Sergei Ivanovich Gritsevets and Colonel Grigory Panteleevich Kravchenko (Decree of August 29), as well as commander Yakov Vladimirovich Smushkevich (Decree dated 17 November). The fate of all three was tragic. Continue reading
Koldunov Alexander Ivanovich
Soviet military figure. Chief Air Marshal of the USSR. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. During the Great Patriotic War, he was one of the best Soviet fighter aces.
Alexander Koldunov was born on September 20, 1923 in the village of Moshchinovo, Smolensk region. He graduated from high school in the city of Elektrougli, Moscow Region. He studied at the flying club in Reutov. Since 1941 in the Workers ‘and Peasants’ Red Army. During the Great Patriotic War in March 1943 he graduated from the Kachin Red Banner Military Aviation School of Myasnikov. Continue reading
Evstigneev Kirill Alekseevich
Born on February 4 (17), 1917 in the village of Khokhly (now the Shumikhinsky district of the Kurgan region). In 1932-1934. lived in the village of Maloye Dyuryagino (now the Shumikhinsky district) and at the place of work of his father in the Kirov region, since 1934 – in the village of Shumikha (now the city of the Kurgan region). In 1935, after graduating from the 7th grade of the school, he left for Chelyabinsk and entered the school of the FZU of the tractor plant, which he graduated the following year. In 1936-1938. worked at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant as a metal turner and adjuster of automatic lathes. Continue reading
