Twice Hero of the Soviet Union – Skomorokhov Nikolai Mikhailovich

Skomorokhov Nikolai Mikhailovich – squadron commander of the 31st Fighter Aviation Regiment (295th Fighter Aviation Division, 9th Mixed Air Corps, 17th Air Army, 3rd Ukrainian Front), captain.
Born on May 19, 1920 in the village of Lapot, now the village of Belogorskoye, Krasnoarmeisky (formerly Zolotovsky) district of the Saratov region, in a peasant family. In 1930 he moved to Astrakhan with his family. Until 1935 he studied at a secondary school, then graduated from the FZU school. He worked as a fitter and turner at the Astrakhan shipbuilding plant named after the III International, graduated from a library technical school. Since 1939, he simultaneously studied at the Astrakhan flying club. In December 1940, he was drafted into the Red Army by the Zolotovsky district military registration and enlistment office of the Volga German ASSR. In March 1942 he graduated from the Bataysk Military Aviation Pilot School named after A.K. Serov (from October 1941 she acted in evacuation in the Azerbaijan SSR). He served in the reserve aviation regiment of the Air Force of the Transcaucasian Military District (Baku).
In the army on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War, the senior
pilot of the 164th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 295th Fighter
aviation division senior sergeant N.M. Skomorokhov – from the end of November
1942, took off from the airfield of the city of Adler. In January 1943 he won
first victory over the enemy. At the end of 1943 he was transferred to the 31st Fighter Aviation Regiment of the same division. From 1943 he was a flight commander, from March 1944 he was a deputy commander, and from October 1944 he was a squadron commander.
He fought as part of the 5th and 17th air armies in the Transcaucasian, North
Caucasian, from May 1943 – in the South-Western, from October 1943 – on the 3rd Ukrainian front. He took part in the defense and liberation of the Caucasus, the liberation of Ukraine, Moldova, Romania, Bulgaria, Yugoslavia, Hungary, Czechoslovakia, defeating the enemy in Austria. Member of the CPSU (b) / CPSU in 1943-1991.
By December 28, 1944, he made 483 sorties, during which he
personally shot down 25 and as part of a group of 8 enemy aircraft, as well as destroyed by assault actions: 3 enemy aircraft, 11 vehicles, 13 ammunition carts, 1 fuel depot, 9 railway cars. For the exemplary performance of the combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, by the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of February 23, 1945, Captain Skomorokhov Nikolai Mikhailovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
In the battles for the city of Budapest (Hungary), Captain Skomorokhov N.M. knocked down 2
aircraft from the “diamond squadron” of the Nazi air force.
By March 1945, he completed 520 sorties, shot down
personally 35 enemy aircraft. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 18, 1945, Major Skomorokhov Nikolai Mikhailovich was awarded the second Gold Star medal.
In total, during the Great Patriotic War, N.M. Skomorokhov made
605 sorties, conducted more than 130 air battles, personally shot down 46 fascist aircraft and 8 aircraft in a group, and also destroyed 3
enemy bomber. Incredibly, Skomorokhov himself was never wounded, his plane did not burn, was not shot down, and did not receive a single hole during the entire war.
In the postwar years he continued to serve in the Soviet Army. In 1949
graduated from the Military Academy named after M.V. Frunze. From November 1949 – commander of the 111th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment. From April 1952 – deputy commander, from January 1954 – commander of a fighter aviation division in the Air Force of the Trans-Baikal Military District.
In 1958 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff of the Armed
Forces of the USSR. From October 1958 – First Deputy Commander, from February
1961 – commander of the fighter aviation corps. From April 1968
of the year – commander of the 69th air army, since April 1972 – commander of the 17th air army. Colonel General of Aviation (1972). WITH
August 1973 – head of the Yu.A. Gagarin Air Force Academy. Since August 1988 – military inspector-advisor of the Group of General Inspectors of the USSR Ministry of Defense. Since May 1992 – retired. He was elected a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6-8 convocations (1962-
1974).
Lived in the hero city of Moscow. Since 1992 – Chairman of the Russian
Committee of Veterans of War and Military Service. Author of over 140 scientific
works, several military textbooks, two books of memoirs and two stories.
Tragically died in a car accident on October 14, 1994 in the city of
Monino, Moscow region. Buried in Moscow at Novodevichy