Golovachev, Pavel Yakovlevich

Born in the village of Koshelyovo, Buda-Koshelev Volost, Mogilev Province, now Buda-Koshelev District, Gomel Region, into a peasant family. Belarusian. Member of the CPSU since 1943.

After graduating in 1935 in the city of Gomel, the school of factory apprenticeship, he worked as a turner and miller at a timber processing plant. He was a forward of the factory football team. At the same time he studied at the Gomel flying club. In 1938, on a Komsomol ticket, he was sent to the 8th Odessa Military Aviation Pilot School named after P. D. Osipenko, from which he graduated at the end of 1940.

Sent to serve in the 168th Fighter Aviation Regiment stationed in the Crimea.

The Great Patriotic War

Golovachev’s grave at the Eastern Cemetery in Minsk.
I met the beginning of the Great Patriotic War near Iasi. He flew to attack the enemy troops on the I-16. On the second day of the war, he shot down his first plane – Me-109, but he himself was wounded.

In October 1941, he was transferred to the 69th Odessa Aviation Regiment under the command of Hero of the Soviet Union L. L. Shestakov.

Fought in the skies of Stalingrad. Shot down several enemy planes on LaGG-3. After the Battle of Stalingrad, he was appointed flight commander.

He distinguished himself in battles near Rostov-on-Don and in the Donbass. In March 1943, over Bataysk, as part of a group of Yak-1 fighters, he entered into battle with 100 enemy bombers and 60 fighters. Skillfully maneuvering, protecting each other from unexpected attacks, our pilots destroyed 42 enemy aircraft, losing 3 of their own. In this fight, Golovachev brought his personal score to 18 victories.

He fought in the skies of the Crimea and near Melitopol.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 1270) to the flight commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (6th Guards Fighter Aviation Division, 8th Air Army, 4th Ukrainian Front) Guard Senior Lieutenant Pavel Yakovlevich Golovachev was awarded November 1, 1943 for 225 sorties, 92 air battles and 17 personally shot down enemy aircraft.

Liberated Belarus, Lithuania.

During the first battles in East Prussia on December 30, 1944, being in a free search on a La-7 fighter paired with N.I. entered into battle with him. 4 times he attacked the enemy, but Ju-188, maneuvering, all the time left the fire. Golovachev managed to hit the gunner and set fire to the plane, but the German pilot was able to bring down the flames. When the ammunition ran out, Golovachev moved the gas sector to the stop and, approaching, slashed the tail of the Junkers with a propeller. He collapsed down. Waking up after the impact, he brought his fighter out of a steep dive and with great difficulty reached his airfield. It was his 20th victory. For the courage shown in this battle, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.

Until the end of the assault on Koenigsberg, he shot down 10 more enemy aircraft on the same plane, after which he handed it over to the museum.

For the second Gold Star medal, the deputy squadron commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Guards, Captain P. Ya. Golovachev, was presented for exemplary performance of command assignments on the front against the German invaders, giving the right to receive the second rank of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was awarded the high rank on June 29, 1945 for 385 sorties and 26 personally shot down enemy aircraft while being the squadron commander of the 900th Fighter Aviation Regiment, adding to the account of personal victories for 4 enemy aircraft shot down, including 2 Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger aircraft on April 25, 1945 west of Berlin[1].

In total, during the war, Captain Golovachev completed 457 sorties, conducted 125 air battles, in which he shot down 30 enemy aircraft [1].

post-war period
After the war he continued to serve in the Air Force. In 1951 he graduated from the Red Banner Air Force Academy [2], in 1959 – from the Military Academy of the General Staff. Aviation Major General (1957) Golovachev served in senior positions in the Soviet Army.

After a short illness, he died on July 2, 1972. He was buried in Minsk at the Eastern Cemetery[3].

Awards
He was awarded two orders of Lenin, six orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, 2 orders of the Red Star, and medals.

Memory
The bronze bust was installed in his homeland – in the village of Koshelevo.

In the city of Gomel, a monument to the Hero was erected, a memorial plaque at JSC Gomeldrev, a street, a school, a college were named after him (the Gomel State Construction Lyceum named after P. Ya. Golovachev was liquidated in 2012), a museum was created.

In the city of Gorodok, Lviv region, a memorial plaque was installed on the street named after him.