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Heroes of the Second World War and their exploits project. Heroes of the Great Patriotic War in color photos

The fighting has long since died down. Veterans are leaving one by one. But the heroes of the Second World War of 1941-1945 and their exploits will forever remain in the memory of grateful descendants. This article will tell you about the most prominent personalities of those years and their immortal deeds. Some were still very young, while others were no longer young. Each of the heroes has their own character and their own destiny. But all of them were united by love for the Motherland and a willingness to sacrifice themselves for its good.

Alexander Matrosov.

Orphanage student Sasha Matrosov went to war at the age of 18. Immediately after the infantry school he was sent to the front. February 1943 turned out to be “hot”. Alexander’s battalion went on the attack, and at some point the guy, along with several comrades, was surrounded. There was no way to break through to our own people - the enemy machine guns were firing too densely. Soon Sailors was the only one left alive. His comrades died under bullets. The young man had only a few seconds to make a decision. Unfortunately, it turned out to be the last in his life. Wanting to bring at least some benefit to his native battalion, Alexander Matrosov rushed to the embrasure, covering it with his body. The fire went silent. The Red Army attack was ultimately successful - the Nazis retreated. And Sasha went to heaven as a young and handsome 19-year-old guy...

Marat Kazei

When the Great Patriotic War began, Marat Kazei was only twelve. He lived in the village of Stankovo with his sister and parents. In 1941 he found himself under occupation. Marat's mother helped the partisans, providing them with her shelter and feeding them. One day the Germans found out about this and shot the woman. Left alone, the children, without hesitation, went into the forest and joined the partisans. Marat, who managed to complete only four classes before the war, helped his older comrades as best he could. He was even taken on reconnaissance missions; and he also took part in undermining German trains. In 1943, the boy was awarded the medal “For Courage” for the heroism shown during the breakthrough of the encirclement. The boy was wounded in that terrible battle. And in 1944, Kazei was returning from reconnaissance with an adult partisan. The Germans noticed them and began to fire. The senior comrade died. Marat fired back to the last bullet. And when he had only one grenade left, the teenager let the Germans get closer and blew himself up along with them. He was 15 years old.

Alexey Maresyev

The name of this man is known to every resident of the former Soviet Union. After all we're talking about about the legendary pilot. Alexey Maresyev was born in 1916 and dreamed of the sky since childhood. Even the rheumatism suffered did not become an obstacle to my dream. Despite the doctors' prohibitions, Alexey entered the flying class - they accepted him after several futile attempts. In 1941, the stubborn young man went to the front. The sky turned out to be not what he dreamed of. But it was necessary to defend the Motherland, and Maresyev did everything for this. One day his plane was shot down. Wounded in both legs, Alexei managed to land the car in territory captured by the Germans and even somehow made his way to his own. But time was lost. The legs were “devoured” by gangrene, and they had to be amputated. Where can a soldier go without both limbs? After all, she’s completely crippled... But Alexey Maresyev was not one of those. He remained in service and continued to fight the enemy. As many as 86 times the winged machine with the hero on board managed to take to the sky. Maresyev shot down 11 German planes. The pilot was lucky to survive in that terrible war and feel the heady taste of victory. He died in 2001. “The Tale of a Real Man” by Boris Polevoy is a work about him. It was Maresyev’s feat that inspired the author to write it.

Zinaida Portnova

Born in 1926, Zina Portnova faced the war as a teenager. At that time, the native Leningrad resident was visiting relatives in Belarus. Once in the occupied territory, she did not sit on the sidelines, but joined the partisan movement. She pasted leaflets, established contacts with the underground... In 1943, the Germans grabbed the girl and dragged her to their lair. During the interrogation, Zina somehow managed to take a pistol from the table. She shot her tormentors - two soldiers and an investigator. It was a heroic act, which made the Germans' attitude towards Zina even more brutal. It is impossible to convey in words the torment that the girl experienced during the terrible torture. But she was silent. The Nazis could not squeeze a word out of her. As a result, the Germans shot their captive without achieving anything from the heroine Zina Portnova.

Andrey Korzun

Andrei Korzun turned thirty in 1941. He was called to the front immediately, being sent to become an artilleryman. Korzun took part in terrible battles near Leningrad, during one of which he was seriously wounded. It was November 5, 1943. While falling, Korzun noticed that the ammunition warehouse had started to catch fire. It was urgent to put out the fire, otherwise a huge explosion threatened to take many lives. Somehow, bleeding and suffering from pain, the artilleryman crawled to the warehouse. The artilleryman had no strength left to take off his overcoat and throw it into the flames. Then he covered the fire with his body. There was no explosion. Andrei Korzun did not survive.

Leonid Golikov

Another young hero- Lenya Golikov. Born in 1926. Lived in the Novgorod region. When the war began, he left to become a partisan. This teenager had plenty of courage and determination. Leonid destroyed 78 fascists, a dozen enemy trains and even a couple of bridges. The explosion that went down in history and carried away the German general Richard von Wirtz was his doing. The car of an important rank went up in the air, and Golikov took possession of valuable documents, for which he received the Hero’s star. The brave partisan died in 1943 near the village of Ostray Luka during a German attack. The enemy significantly outnumbered our fighters, and they had no chance. Golikov fought until his last breath.
These are just six stories out of a great many that permeate the entire war. Everyone who has completed it, who has brought victory even one moment closer, is already a hero. Thanks to people like Maresyev, Golikov, Korzun, Sailors, Kazei, Portnova and millions of others Soviet soldiers The world has gotten rid of the brown plague of the 20th century. And the reward for their exploits was eternal life!

How many heroes of the Great Patriotic War were there in the Soviet Union? It would seem a strange question. In a country that survived the worst tragedy of the 20th century, everyone who defended it with weapons in their hands at the front or at the machine tool and in the field in the rear was a hero. That is, each of its 170 million multinational people who bore the weight of the war on their shoulders.

But if we ignore the pathos and return to the specifics, the question can be formulated differently. How was it noted in the USSR that a person is a hero? That’s right, the title “Hero of the Soviet Union.” And 31 years after the war, another sign of heroism appeared: full holders of the Order of Glory, that is, those awarded all three degrees of this award, were equalized with the Heroes of the Soviet Union. It turns out that the question “How many heroes of the Great Patriotic War were there in the Soviet Union?” It would be more precise to formulate this way: “How many people in the USSR were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and became full holders of the Order of Glory for exploits performed during the Great Patriotic War?”

This question can be answered with a very specific answer: a total of 14,411 people, of which 11,739 are Heroes of the Soviet Union and 2,672 full holders of the Order of Glory.

P The first Heroes of the Soviet Union during the war

The number of Heroes of the Soviet Union who received this title for their exploits during the Great Patriotic War is 11,739. This title was awarded posthumously to 3,051 of them; 82 people were subsequently deprived of their rank by court decision. 107 heroes were awarded this title twice (seven posthumously), three three times: Marshal Semyon Budyonny (all awards occurred after the war), Lieutenant Colonel Alexander Pokryshkin and Major Ivan Kozhedub. And only one - Marshal Georgy Zhukov - became Hero of the Soviet Union four times, and he earned one award even before the Great Patriotic War, and received it for the fourth time in 1956.

Among those awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union during the Great Patriotic War were representatives of all branches and types of troops in ranks from private to marshal. And every branch of the military - be it infantrymen, pilots or sailors - is proud of the first colleagues who received the highest honorary title.

Pilots

The first titles of Hero of the Soviet Union were awarded to pilots on July 8, 1941. Moreover, here too the pilots supported the tradition: six pilots were the first Heroes of the Soviet Union in the history of this award - and three pilots were the first to be awarded this title during the Great Patriotic War! On July 8, 1941, it was assigned to fighter pilots of the 158th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 41st Mixed Air Division of the Air Force of the 23rd Army of the Northern Front. Junior lieutenants Mikhail Zhukov, Stepan Zdorovtsev and Pyotr Kharitonov received awards for ramming operations carried out in the first days of the war. Stepan Zdorovtsev died the day after the award, Mikhail Zhukov died in January 1943 in a battle with nine German fighters, and Pyotr Kharitonov, seriously wounded in 1941 and returning to duty only in 1944, ended the war with 14 destroyed. enemy aircraft.

A fighter pilot in front of his P-39 Airacobra. Photo: waralbum.ru

Infantrymen

The first Hero of the Soviet Union among infantrymen on July 22, 1941 was the commander of the 1st Moscow Motorized Rifle Division of the 20th Army of the Western Front, Colonel Yakov Kreiser. He was awarded for successfully holding back the Germans on the Berezina River and in the battles for Orsha. It is noteworthy that Colonel Kreizer became the first among Jewish military personnel to receive the highest award during the war.

Tankers

On July 22, 1941, three tank crews received the country's highest award - the tank commander of the 1st Tank Regiment of the 1st tank division 14th Army of the Northern Front, senior sergeant Alexander Borisov, section commander of the 163rd reconnaissance battalion of the 104th rifle division of the 14th army of the Northern Front, junior sergeant Alexander Gryaznov (his rank was awarded posthumously) and deputy commander of the tank battalion of the 115th tank regiment 57th Tank Division of the 20th Army of the Western Front, Captain Joseph Kaduchenko. Senior Sergeant Borisov died in hospital from severe wounds a week and a half after the award. Captain Kaduchenko managed to be on the lists of the dead, was captured in October 1941, tried unsuccessfully to escape three times and was released only in March 1945, after which he fought until the Victory.

Sappers

Among the soldiers and commanders of engineer units, the first Hero of the Soviet Union became on November 20, 1941, the assistant platoon commander of the 184th separate engineer battalion of the 7th Army of the Northern Front, Private Viktor Karandakov. In the battle near Sortavala against Finnish units, he repelled three enemy attacks with fire from his machine gun, which actually saved the regiment from encirclement, the next day he led the counterattack of the squad instead of the wounded commander, and two days later he carried the wounded company commander out of the fire. In April 1942, the sapper, who lost an arm in battle, was demobilized.

Sappers neutralize German anti-tank mines. Photo: militariorgucoz.ru

Artillerymen

On August 2, 1941, the first artilleryman - Hero of the Soviet Union was the gunner of the "magpie" of the 680th Infantry Regiment of the 169th Infantry Division of the 18th Army of the Southern Front, Red Army soldier Yakov Kolchak. On July 13, 1941, in an hour of battle he managed to hit four enemy tanks with his cannon! But Yakov did not learn about the conferment of a high rank: on July 23, he was wounded and captured. He was released in August 1944 in Moldova, and Kolchak achieved victory as part of a penal company, where he fought first as a rifleman and then as a squad commander. And the former penalty box, who already had the Order of the Red Star and the medal “For Military Merit” on his chest, received a high award in the Kremlin only on March 25, 1947.

Partisans

The first Heroes of the Soviet Union from among the partisans were the leaders of the Red October partisan detachment operating on the territory of Belarus: the detachment's commissar Tikhon Bumazhkov and commander Fyodor Pavlovsky. The decree on their awarding was signed on August 6, 1941. Of the two heroes, only one survived to the Victory - Fyodor Pavlovsky, and the commissar of the Red October detachment, Tikhon Bumazhkov, who managed to receive his award in Moscow, died in December of the same year, leaving the German encirclement.

Marines

On August 13, 1941, senior sergeant Vasily Kislyakov, commander of the Northern Fleet naval volunteer detachment, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He received a high award for his actions in mid-July 1941, when he led a platoon in place of the killed commander and, first together with his comrades, and then alone, held an important height. By the end of the war, Captain Kislyakov had several landings on the Northern Front, participating in the Petsamo-Kirkenes, Budapest and Vienna offensive operations.

Marine soldiers in the Kerch area. Photo: Alexander Brodsky / RIA Novosti

Political instructors

The first decree conferring the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on political workers of the Red Army was issued on August 15, 1941. This document awarded the highest award to the deputy political instructor of the radio company of the 415th separate communications battalion of the 22nd Estonian Territorial Rifle Corps of the North-Western Front, Arnold Meri, and the secretary of the party bureau of the 245th howitzer artillery regiment of the 37th rifle division of the 19th Army of the Western Front, Sr. political instructor Kirill Osipov. Meri was awarded for the fact that, twice wounded, he managed to stop the retreat of the battalion and led the defense of the corps headquarters. In July-August 1941, Osipov actually worked as a liaison officer for the command of a division fighting in encirclement, and crossed the front line several times, delivering important information.

Doctors

Among the army doctors who received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the first was the medical instructor of the 14th motorized rifle regiment of the 21st motorized rifle division of the NKVD troops of the Northern Front, Private Anatoly Kokorin. The high award was awarded to him on August 26, 1941 - posthumously. During the battle with the Finns, he was the last one left in the ranks and blew himself up with a grenade to avoid being captured.

Border guards

Although the Soviet border guards were the first to take on the enemy attack on June 22, 1941, the Heroes of the Soviet Union appeared among them only two months later. But there were six people at once: junior sergeant Ivan Buzytskov, lieutenant Kuzma Vetchinkin, senior lieutenant Nikita Kaimanov, senior lieutenant Alexander Konstantinov, junior sergeant Vasily Mikhalkov and lieutenant Anatoly Ryzhikov. Five of them served in Moldova, senior lieutenant Kaimanov - in Karelia. All six received awards for their heroic actions in the early days of the war - which, in general, is not surprising. And all six reached the end of the war and continued to serve after the Victory - in the same border troops.

Signalmen

The first Hero of the Soviet Union among signalmen appeared on November 9, 1941 - he became the commander of the radio department of the 289th anti-tank fighter regiment of the Western Front, junior sergeant Pyotr Stemasov. He was awarded for his feat on October 25 near Moscow - during the battle he replaced a wounded gunner and, together with his crew, knocked out nine enemy tanks, after which he led the soldiers out of encirclement. And then he fought until the Victory, which he met as an officer.

Field communications. Photo: pobeda1945.su

Cavalrymen

On the same day as the first signalman hero, the first cavalry hero appeared. On November 9, 1941, the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously awarded to the commander of the 134th Cavalry Regiment of the 28th Cavalry Division of the Reserve Army of the Southern Front, Major Boris Krotov. He was awarded the highest award for his exploits during the defense of Dnepropetrovsk. How difficult those battles were can be imagined from one episode: the last feat of the regiment commander was the blowing up of an enemy tank that had broken through into the depths of the defense.

Paratroopers

The “Winged Infantry” received its first Heroes of the Soviet Union on November 20, 1941. They were the commander of the reconnaissance company squad of the 212th Airborne Brigade of the 37th Army of the Southwestern Front, Sergeant Yakov Vatomov, and the rifleman of the same brigade, Nikolai Obukhov. Both received awards for their exploits in August-September 1941, when the paratroopers fought heavy battles in eastern Ukraine.

Sailors

Later than everyone else - only on January 17, 1942 - the first Hero of the Soviet Union appeared in the Soviet Navy. The highest award was posthumously awarded to Red Navy gunner Ivan Sivko of the 2nd volunteer detachment of sailors of the Northern Fleet. Ivan accomplished his feat, which was so highly appreciated by the country, as part of the infamous landing in the Great Western Litsa Bay. Covering the retreat of his colleagues, he, fighting alone, destroyed 26 enemies, and then blew himself up with a grenade along with the Nazis who surrounded him.

Soviet sailors, heroes of the storming of Berlin. Photo: radionetplus.ru

Generals

The first Red Army general to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was on July 22, 1941, the commander of the 19th Tank Division of the 22nd Mechanized Corps of the 5th Army of the Southwestern Front, Major General Kuzma Semenchenko. His division took an active part in the largest tank battle Great Patriotic War - the battle of Dubno - and after heavy fighting she was surrounded, but the general was able to lead his subordinates through the front line. By mid-August 1941, only one tank remained in the division, and in early September it was disbanded. And General Semenchenko fought until the end of the war and in 1947 retired with the same rank in which he began to fight.

“The fight is not for glory...”

During the Great Patriotic War, there was the most honorable soldier's award - the Order of Glory. Both her ribbon and her statute were very reminiscent of another soldier’s award - the insignia of the Order of St. George, “soldier’s Egory,” especially revered in the army Russian Empire. In total, the Order of Glory for a year and a half of the war - from the moment of its establishment on November 8, 1943 until the Victory - and after war time More than a million people were awarded. Of these, almost a million received the order of the third degree, over 46 thousand - the second, and 2,672 people - the first degree; they became full holders of the order.

Of the 2,672 full holders of the Order of Glory, 16 people were subsequently deprived of the award by court decision for various reasons. Among those deprived was the only holder of five Orders of Glory - 3rd, three 2nd and 1st degrees. In addition, 72 people were nominated for four Orders of Glory, but, as a rule, did not receive an “excess” award.

Order of Glory 1st, 2nd and 3rd degree. Photo: Central Museum of the Armed Forces

The first full holders of the Order of Glory were the sapper of the 1134th Infantry Regiment of the 338th Infantry Division, Corporal Mitrofan Pitenin, and the squad commander of the 110th Separate Reconnaissance Company of the 158th Infantry Division, Senior Sergeant Shevchenko. Corporal Pitenin was nominated for the first order in November 1943 for fighting in Belarus, the second in April 1944, and the third in July of the same year. But he did not have time to receive the last award: on August 3, he died in battle. And senior sergeant Shevchenko received all three orders in 1944: in February, April and July. He ended the war in 1945 with the rank of sergeant major and was soon demobilized, returning home not only with three Orders of Glory on his chest, but also with the Orders of the Red Star and the Patriotic War of both degrees.

And there were also four people who received both signs of the highest recognition of military heroism - both the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the title of full holder of the Order of Glory. The first is the senior pilot of the 140th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment of the 8th Guards Assault Aviation Division of the 1st Assault Aviation Corps of the 5th Air Army of the Guard, Senior Lieutenant Ivan Drachenko. He received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1944, and became a full holder of the Order of Glory after being re-awarded (double award of the Order of the 2nd degree) in 1968.

The second is the commander of the gun of the 369th separate anti-tank artillery division of the 263rd rifle division of the 43rd army of the 3rd Belorussian Front, foreman Nikolai Kuznetsov. In April 1945, he received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, and after being re-awarded in 1980 (double award of the Order of the 2nd degree) he became a full holder of the Order of Glory.

The third was the commander of the gun crew of the 175th Guards Artillery and Mortar Regiment of the 4th Guards Cavalry Division of the 2nd Guards Cavalry Corps of the 1st Belorussian Front, Senior Sergeant Andrei Aleshin. He became a Hero of the Soviet Union at the end of May 1945, and a full holder of the Order of Glory after being re-awarded (double award of the Order of the 3rd degree) in 1955.

Finally, the fourth is the foreman of the company of the 293rd Guards Rifle Regiment of the 96th Guards Rifle Division of the 28th Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front Guard, foreman Pavel Dubinda. He probably has the most unusual fate of all four heroes. A sailor, he served on the cruiser "Chervona Ukraine" on the Black Sea, after the death of the ship - in the Marine Corps, defended Sevastopol. Here he was captured, from which he escaped and in March 1944 he was re-enlisted in the active army, but in the infantry. He became a full holder of the Order of Glory by March 1945, and in June of the same year he received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By the way, among his awards was the rare Order of Bohdan Khmelnitsky, 3rd degree - a kind of “soldier’s” military order.

Multinational heroism

The Soviet Union was really multinational country: in the data of the last pre-war census of 1939, 95 nationalities appear, not counting the column “others” (other peoples of the North, other peoples of Dagestan). Naturally, among the Heroes of the Soviet Union and full holders of the Order of Glory there were representatives of almost all Soviet nationalities. Among the former there are 67 nationalities, among the latter (according to clearly incomplete data) there are 39 nationalities.

The number of heroes awarded the highest ranks among a particular nationality generally corresponds to the ratio of the number of fellow tribesmen to the total number of the pre-war USSR. Thus, the leaders in all lists were and remain Russians, followed by Ukrainians and Belarusians. But then the situation is different. For example, in the top ten awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians are followed (in order) by Tatars, Jews, Kazakhs, Armenians, Georgians, Uzbeks and Mordovians. And in the top ten full holders of the Order of Glory, after Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians, there are (also in order) Tatars, Kazakhs, Armenians, Mordovians, Uzbeks, Chuvashs and Jews.

The key to victory over fascism was the unity and cohesion of the peoples of the USSR. Photo: all-retro.ru

But judging by these statistics which people were more heroic and which were less is meaningless. Firstly, many of the nationalities of the heroes were accidentally or even deliberately indicated incorrectly or were absent (for example, the nationality was often hidden by the Germans and Jews, and the option “ Crimean Tatar" was simply not in the 1939 census documents). And secondly, even today, not all documents relating to the awarding of heroes of the Great Patriotic War have been brought together and taken into account. This colossal topic is still waiting for its researcher, who will certainly confirm: heroism is a property of each individual person, and not of this or that nation.

National composition of the Heroes of the Soviet Union who received this title for their exploits during the Great Patriotic War*

Russians - 7998 (including 70 - twice, 2 - three times and 1 - four times)

Ukrainians - 2019 (including 28 - twice),

Belarusians – 274 (including 4 twice),

Tatars - 161

Jews - 128 (including 1 twice)

Kazakhs - 98 (including 1 twice)

Armenians - 91 (including 2 twice)

Georgians - 90

Uzbeks - 67

Mordva - 66

Chuvash - 47

Azerbaijanis - 41 (including 1 twice)

Bashkirs - 40 (including 1 - twice)

Ossetians - 34 (including 1 twice)

Mari - 18

Turkmens - 16

Lithuanians - 15

Tajiks - 15

Latvians - 12

Kyrgyz - 12

Karelians - 11 (including 1 twice)

Udmurts - 11

Estonians - 11

Avars - 9

Poles - 9

Buryats and Mongols - 8

Kalmyks - 8

Kabardians - 8

Crimean Tatars - 6 (including 1 twice)

Chechens - 6

Moldovans - 5

Abkhazians - 4

Lezgins - 4

French - 4

Karachais - 3

Tuvans - 3

Circassians - 3

Balkars -2

Bulgarians - 2

Dargins - 2

Kumyks - 2

Khakass - 2

Abazinets - 1

Adjaran - 1

Altaian - 1

Assyrian - 1

Spaniard - 1

Chinese (Dungan) - 1

Korean - 1

Slovak - 1

Tuvinian – 1

* The list is incomplete, compiled using data from the “Heroes of the Country” project (http://www.warheroes.ru/main.asp) and data from the writer Gennady Ovrutsky (http://www.proza.ru/2009/08/16/ 901).

National composition of full holders of the Order of Glory who received this title for their exploits during the Great Patriotic War**

Russians - 1276

Ukrainians - 285

Belarusians - 62

Tatars - 48

Kazakhs - 30

Armenians - 19

Mordva - 16

Uzbeks - 12

Chuvash - 11

Azerbaijanis - 8

Bashkirs - 7

Kyrgyz - 7

Udmurts - 6

Turkmens - 5

Buryats - 4

Georgians - 4

Mari - 3

Poles - 3

Karelians - 2

Latvians - 2

Moldovans - 2

Ossetians - 2

Tajiks - 2

Khakass - 2

Abazinets - 1

Kabardian - 1

Kalmyk - 1

Chinese - 1

Crimean Tatar - 1

Lithuanian -1

Meskhetian Turk - 1

Chechen - 1

** The list is incomplete, compiled using data from the “Heroes of the Country” project (http://www.warheroes.ru/main.asp).

The war demanded from the people the greatest effort and enormous sacrifices on a national scale, revealing the fortitude and courage of the Soviet people, the ability to sacrifice themselves in the name of freedom and independence of the Motherland. During the war years, heroism became widespread and became the norm of behavior of Soviet people. Thousands of soldiers and officers immortalized their names during the defense Brest Fortress, Odessa, Sevastopol, Kyiv, Leningrad, Novorossiysk, in the battle of Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, in the North Caucasus, the Dnieper, in the foothills of the Carpathians, during the storming of Berlin and in other battles.

For heroic deeds in the Great Patriotic War, over 11 thousand people were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (some posthumously), of which 104 were awarded twice, three three times (G.K. Zhukov, I.N. Kozhedub and A.I. Pokryshkin ). The first to receive this title during the war were Soviet pilots M.P. Zhukov, S.I. Zdorovtsev and P.T. Kharitonov, who rammed fascist planes on the outskirts of Leningrad.

Total in wartime ground forces over eight thousand heroes were trained, including 1,800 artillerymen, 1,142 tank crews, 650 engineering troops, over 290 signalmen, 93 air defense soldiers, 52 military logistics soldiers, 44 doctors; in the Air Force - over 2,400 people; in the Navy - over 500 people; partisans, underground fighters and Soviet intelligence officers - about 400; border guards - over 150 people.

Among the Heroes of the Soviet Union are representatives of most nations and nationalities of the USSR

Representatives of nations	Number of heroes
Russians	8160
Ukrainians	2069
Belarusians	309
Tatars	161
Jews	108
Kazakhs	96
Georgian	90
Armenians	90
Uzbeks	69
Mordovians	61
Chuvash	44
Azerbaijanis	43
Bashkirs	39
Ossetians	32
Tajiks	14
Turkmens	18
Litokians	15
Latvians	13
Kyrgyz	12
Udmurts	10
Karelians	8
Estonians	8
Kalmyks	8
Kabardians	7
Adyghe people	6
Abkhazians	5
Yakuts	3
Moldovans	2
results	11501

Among the military personnel awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, privates, sergeants, foremen - over 35%, officers - about 60%, generals, admirals, marshals - over 380 people. There are 87 women among the wartime Heroes of the Soviet Union. The first to receive this title was Z. A. Kosmodemyanskaya (posthumously).

About 35% of Heroes of the Soviet Union at the time of awarding the title were under 30 years of age, 28% were between 30 and 40 years old, 9% were over 40 years old.

Four Heroes of the Soviet Union: artilleryman A.V. Aleshin, pilot I.G. Drachenko, rifle platoon commander P.Kh. Dubinda, artilleryman N.I. Kuznetsov - were also awarded Orders of Glory of all three degrees for their military exploits. Over 2,500 people, including 4 women, became full holders of the Order of Glory of three degrees. During the war, over 38 million orders and medals were awarded to the defenders of the Motherland for courage and heroism. The Motherland highly appreciated the labor feat of the Soviet people in the rear. During the war years, 201 people were awarded the title of Hero of Socialist Labor, about 200 thousand were awarded orders and medals.

Viktor Vasilievich Talalikhin

Born on September 18, 1918 in the village. Teplovka, Volsky district, Saratov region. Russian. After graduating from the factory school, he worked at the Moscow meat processing plant and at the same time studied at the flying club. Graduated from the Borisoglebok Military Aviation School for Pilots. He took part in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939–1940. He made 47 combat missions, shot down 4 Finnish aircraft, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Star (1940).

In the battles of the Great Patriotic War from June 1941. Made more than 60 combat missions. In the summer and autumn of 1941, he fought near Moscow. For military distinctions he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner (1941) and the Order of Lenin.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal was awarded to Viktor Vasilyevich Talalikhin by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated August 8, 1941 for the first in the history of aviation night ram enemy bomber.

Soon Talalikhin was appointed squadron commander and was awarded the rank of lieutenant. The glorious pilot took part in many air battles near Moscow, shooting down five more enemy aircraft personally and one in a group. He died a heroic death in an unequal battle with fascist fighters on October 27, 1941.

V.V. was buried Talalikhin with military honors Novodevichy Cemetery in Moscow. By order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR dated August 30, 1948, he was forever included in the lists of the first squadron of the fighter aviation regiment, with which he fought the enemy near Moscow.

Streets in Kaliningrad, Volgograd, Borisoglebsk in the Voronezh region and other cities, a sea vessel, State Pedagogical Technical University No. 100 in Moscow, and a number of schools were named after Talalikhin. An obelisk was erected at the 43rd kilometer of the Warsaw Highway, over which the unprecedented night fight took place. A monument was erected in Podolsk, and a bust of the Hero was erected in Moscow.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

(1920–1991), Air Marshal (1985), Hero of the Soviet Union (1944 – twice; 1945). During the Great Patriotic War in fighter aviation, squadron commander, deputy regiment commander, spent 120 air battles; shot down 62 planes.

Three times Hero of the Soviet Union, Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub, flying the La-7, shot down 17 enemy aircraft (including the Me-262 jet fighter) out of the 62 he shot down during the war on La brand fighters. Kozhedub fought one of the most memorable battles on February 19, 1945 (sometimes the date is given as February 24).

On this day, he went on a free hunt together with Dmitry Titarenko. On the Oder traverse, the pilots noticed a plane quickly approaching from the direction of Frankfurt an der Oder. The plane flew along the river bed at an altitude of 3500 m at a speed much greater than the La-7 could reach. It was Me-262. Kozhedub instantly made a decision. The Me-262 pilot relied on the speed qualities of his machine and did not control the airspace in the rear hemisphere and below. Kozhedub attacked from below on a head-on course, hoping to hit the jet in the belly. However, Titarenko opened fire before Kozhedub. Much to Kozhedub’s surprise, the wingman’s premature shooting was beneficial.

The German turned to the left, towards Kozhedub, the latter could only catch the Messerschmitt in his sights and press the trigger. Me-262 turned into fire ball. In the cockpit of the Me 262 was non-commissioned officer Kurt-Lange from 1./KG(J)-54.

On the evening of April 17, 1945, Kozhedub and Titarenko carried out their fourth combat mission of the day to the Berlin area. Immediately after crossing the front line north of Berlin, the hunters discovered a large group of FW-190s with suspended bombs. Kozhedub began to gain altitude for the attack and reported to command post about establishing contact with a group of forty Focke-Wolwofs with suspended bombs. The German pilots clearly saw the couple Soviet fighters went into the clouds and did not expect them to appear again. However, the hunters appeared.

From behind, from above, Kozhedub in the first attack shot down the leading four Fokkers at the back of the group. The hunters sought to give the enemy the impression that they were in the air significant amount Soviet fighters. Kozhedub threw his La-7 right into the thick of the enemy planes, turning Lavochkin left and right, the ace fired in short bursts from his cannons. The Germans succumbed to the trick - the Focke-Wulfs began to free them from bombs that were interfering with air combat. However, the Luftwaffe pilots soon established the presence of only two La-7s in the air and, taking advantage of the numerical advantage, took advantage of the guardsmen. One FW-190 managed to get behind Kozhedub’s fighter, but Titarenko opened fire before the German pilot - the Focke-Wulf exploded in the air.

By this time, help arrived - the La-7 group from the 176th regiment, Titarenko and Kozhedub were able to leave the battle with the last remaining fuel. On the way back, Kozhedub saw a single FW-190 trying to drop bombs on Soviet troops. The ace dived and shot down an enemy plane. This was the last, 62nd, German plane shot down by the best Allied fighter pilot.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub also distinguished himself in the battle on Kursk Bulge.

Kozhedub's total account does not include at least two aircraft - American P-51 Mustang fighters. In one of the battles in April, Kozhedub tried to drive away German fighters from the American “Flying Fortress” with cannon fire. The US Air Force escort fighters misunderstood the La-7 pilot's intentions and opened barrage fire from a long distance. Kozhedub, apparently, also mistook the Mustangs for Messers, escaped from under fire in a coup and, in turn, attacked the “enemy.”

He damaged one Mustang (the plane, smoking, left the battle and, having flown a little, fell, the pilot jumped out with a parachute), the second P-51 exploded in the air. Only after the successful attack did Kozhedub notice the white stars of the US Air Force on the wings and fuselages of the planes he had shot down. After landing, the regiment commander, Colonel Chupikov, advised Kozhedub to keep quiet about the incident and gave him the developed film of the photographic machine gun. The existence of a film with footage of burning Mustangs became known only after the death of the legendary pilot. A detailed biography of the hero on the website: www.warheroes.ru "Unknown Heroes"

Alexey Petrovich Maresyev

Maresyev Alexey Petrovich fighter pilot, deputy squadron commander of the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, guard senior lieutenant.

Born on May 20, 1916 in the city of Kamyshin, Volgograd Region, into a working-class family. Russian. At the age of three he was left without a father, who died shortly after returning from the First World War. After finishing 8th grade high school Alexey entered the federal educational institution, where he received a specialty as a mechanic. Then he applied to the Moscow Aviation Institute, but instead of the institute, he went on a Komsomol voucher to build Komsomolsk-on-Amur. There he sawed wood in the taiga, built barracks, and then the first residential areas. At the same time he studied at the flying club. He was drafted into the Soviet army in 1937. Served in the 12th aviation border detachment. But, according to Maresyev himself, he did not fly, but “took up the tails” of the planes. He really took to the air already at the Bataysk Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which he graduated in 1940. He served as a pilot instructor there.

He made his first combat mission on August 23, 1941 in the Krivoy Rog area. Lieutenant Maresyev opened his combat account at the beginning of 1942 - he shot down a Ju-52. By the end of March 1942, he brought the count of downed fascist planes to four. April 4 at air combat over the Demyansk bridgehead (Novgorod region), Maresyev’s fighter was shot down. He attempted to land on the ice of a frozen lake, but released his landing gear early. The plane began to quickly lose altitude and fell into the forest.

Maresyev crawled to his side. His feet were frostbitten and they had to be amputated. However, the pilot decided not to give up. When he received prosthetics, he trained long and hard and got permission to return to duty. I learned to fly again in the 11th reserve air brigade in Ivanovo.

In June 1943, Maresyev returned to duty. He fought on the Kursk Bulge as part of the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment and was deputy squadron commander. In August 1943, during one battle, Alexey Maresyev shot down three enemy FW-190 fighters at once.

On August 24, 1943, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Guard Senior Lieutenant Maresyev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Later he fought in the Baltic states and became a regiment navigator. In 1944 he joined the CPSU. In total, he made 86 combat missions, shot down 11 enemy aircraft: 4 before being wounded and seven with amputated legs. In June 1944, Guard Major Maresyev became an inspector-pilot of the Directorate of Higher educational institutions Air Force. Boris Polevoy's book "The Tale of a Real Man" is dedicated to the legendary fate of Alexei Petrovich Maresyev.

In July 1946, Maresyev was honorably discharged from the Air Force. In 1952 he graduated from the Higher Party School under the CPSU Central Committee, in 1956 he graduated from graduate school at the Academy social sciences under the Central Committee of the CPSU, received the title of Candidate of Historical Sciences. In the same year, he became the executive secretary of the Soviet War Veterans Committee, and in 1983, first deputy chairman of the committee. He worked in this position until last day own life.

Retired Colonel A.P. Maresyev was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Red Banner, the Patriotic War, 1st degree, two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of People's Friendship, the Red Star, the Badge of Honor, "For Services to the Fatherland" 3rd degree, medals, and foreign orders. He was an honorary soldier of a military unit, an honorary citizen of the cities of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Kamyshin, and Orel. A small planet is named after him solar system, public fund, youth patriotic clubs. He was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Author of the book "On the Kursk Bulge" (M., 1960).

Even during the war, Boris Polevoy’s book “The Tale of a Real Man” was published, the prototype of which was Maresyev (the author changed only one letter in his last name). In 1948, based on the book at Mosfilm, director Alexander Stolper made a film of the same name. Maresyev was even offered to play himself main role, but he refused and this role was played by professional actor Pavel Kadochnikov.

Died suddenly on May 18, 2001. He was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery. May 18, 2001 at the Theater Russian army A gala evening was planned to mark Maresyev's 85th birthday, but an hour before the start, Alexei Petrovich had a heart attack. He was taken to the intensive care unit of one of the Moscow clinics, where he died without regaining consciousness. The gala evening still took place, but it began with a minute of silence.

Krasnoperov Sergey Leonidovich

Krasnoperov Sergei Leonidovich was born on July 23, 1923 in the village of Pokrovka, Chernushinsky district. In May 1941, he volunteered to join the ranks Soviet army. I studied at the Balashov Aviation Pilot School for a year. In November 1942, attack pilot Sergei Krasnoperov arrived at the 765th attack air regiment, and in January 1943 he was appointed deputy squadron commander of the 502nd attack air regiment of the 214th attack air division of the North Caucasus Front. In this regiment in June 1943 he joined the ranks of the party. For military distinctions he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the Red Star, and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded on February 4, 1944. Killed in action on June 24, 1944. "March 14, 1943. Attack pilot Sergei Krasnoperov makes two sorties one after another to attack the port of Temrkzh. Leading six "silts", he set fire to a boat at the pier of the port. On the second flight, an enemy shell hit the engine. A bright flame for a moment, like it seemed to Krasnoperov, the sun eclipsed and immediately disappeared in thick black smoke. Krasnoperov turned off the ignition, turned off the gas and tried to fly the plane to the front line. However, after a few minutes it became clear that it would not be possible to save the plane. And under the wing there was a complete swamp. There was only one way out. : to land. As soon as the burning car touched the marsh hummocks with its fuselage, barely had the pilot time to jump out of it and run slightly to the side, an explosion roared.

A few days later, Krasnoperov was again in the air, and in the combat log of the flight commander of the 502nd assault aviation regiment, junior lieutenant Krasnoperov Sergei Leonidovich, short note: "03/23/43". In two sorties he destroyed a convoy in the area of the station. Crimean. Destroyed 1 vehicles, created 2 fires." On April 4, Krasnoperov stormed manpower and firepower in the area of 204.3 meters. In the next flight, he stormed artillery and firing points in the area of Krymskaya station. At the same time, he destroyed two tanks and one gun and a mortar.

One day, a junior lieutenant received an assignment for a free flight in pairs. He was the leader. Secretly, in a low-level flight, a pair of “silts” penetrated deep into the enemy’s rear. They noticed cars on the road and attacked them. They discovered a concentration of troops - and suddenly brought down destructive fire on the heads of the Nazis. The Germans unloaded ammunition and weapons from a self-propelled barge. Combat approach - the barge flew into the air. The regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, wrote about Sergei Krasnoperov: “Such heroic exploits of Comrade Krasnoperov are repeated in every combat mission. The pilots of his flight have become masters of assault. The flight is united and occupies a leading position. The command always entrusts him with the most difficult and responsible tasks. heroic deeds he created military glory for himself, enjoys well-deserved military authority among the personnel of the regiment." And indeed. Sergei was only 19 years old, and for his exploits he was already awarded the Order of the Red Star. He was only 20, and his chest was decorated with the Golden Star of the Hero .

Sergei Krasnoperov made seventy-four combat missions during the days of fighting on the Taman Peninsula. As one of the best, he was trusted to lead groups of “silts” on assault 20 times, and he always carried out a combat mission. He personally destroyed 6 tanks, 70 vehicles, 35 carts with cargo, 10 guns, 3 mortars, 5 anti-aircraft artillery points, 7 machine guns, 3 tractors, 5 bunkers, an ammunition depot, sunk a boat, a self-propelled barge, and destroyed two crossings across the Kuban.

Matrosov Alexander Matveevich

Sailors Alexander Matveevich - rifleman of the 2nd battalion of the 91st separate rifle brigade (22nd Army, Kalinin Front), private. Born on February 5, 1924 in the city of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk). Russian. Member of the Komsomol. Lost his parents early. Was raised in Ivanovo for 5 years orphanage(Ulyanovsk region). Then he was brought up in the Ufa children's labor colony. After finishing 7th grade, he remained to work in the colony as an assistant teacher. In the Red Army since September 1942. In October 1942 he entered the Krasnokholmsky Infantry School, but soon most of the cadets were sent to the Kalinin Front.

In the active army since November 1942. He served in the 2nd battalion of the 91st separate rifle brigade. For some time the brigade was in reserve. Then she was transferred near Pskov to the area of Bolshoi Lomovatoy Bor. Straight from the march, the brigade entered the battle.

On February 27, 1943, the 2nd battalion received the task of attacking a strong point in the area of the village of Chernushki (Loknyansky district, Pskov region). As soon as our soldiers passed through the forest and reached the edge, they came under heavy enemy machine-gun fire - three enemy machine guns in bunkers covered the approaches to the village. One machine gun was suppressed by an assault group of machine gunners and armor-piercers. The second bunker was destroyed by another group of armor-piercing soldiers. But the machine gun from the third bunker continued to fire at the entire ravine in front of the village. Attempts to silence him were unsuccessful. Then Private A.M. Sailors crawled towards the bunker. He approached the embrasure from the flank and threw two grenades. The machine gun fell silent. But as soon as the fighters went on the attack, the machine gun came to life again. Then Matrosov stood up, rushed to the bunker and closed the embrasure with his body. At the cost of his life, he contributed to the accomplishment of the unit’s combat mission.

A few days later, the name of Matrosov became known throughout the country. Matrosov’s feat was used by a journalist who happened to be with the unit for a patriotic article. At the same time, the regiment commander learned about the feat from the newspapers. Moreover, the date of the hero’s death was moved to February 23, timing the feat to coincide with Soviet Army Day. Despite the fact that Matrosov was not the first to commit such an act of self-sacrifice, it was his name that was used to glorify the heroism of Soviet soldiers. Subsequently, over 300 people accomplished the same feat, but this was no longer widely publicized. His feat became a symbol of courage and military valor, fearlessness and love for the Motherland.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously awarded to Alexander Matveevich Matrosov on June 19, 1943. He was buried in the city of Velikiye Luki. On September 8, 1943, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, the name of Matrosov was assigned to the 254th Guards rifle regiment, he himself was forever enlisted (one of the first in the Soviet Army) on the lists of the 1st company of this unit. Monuments to the Hero were erected in Ufa, Velikiye Luki, Ulyanovsk, etc. The museum of Komsomol glory of the city of Velikiye Luki, streets, schools, pioneer squads, motor ships, collective farms and state farms were named after him.

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov

In the battles near Volokolamsk, the 316th Infantry Division of General I.V. especially distinguished itself. Panfilova. Reflecting continuous enemy attacks for 6 days, they knocked out 80 tanks and killed several hundred soldiers and officers. The enemy's attempts to capture the Volokolamsk region and open the way to Moscow from the west failed. For heroic actions, this formation was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and transformed into the 8th Guards, and its commander, General I.V. Panfilov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was not lucky enough to witness the complete defeat of the enemy near Moscow: on November 18, near the village of Gusenevo, he died a brave death.

Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov, Guard Major General, commander of the 8th Guards Rifle Red Banner (formerly 316th) Division, was born on January 1, 1893 in the city of Petrovsk, Saratov Region. Russian. Member of the CPSU since 1920. From the age of 12 he worked for hire, and in 1915 he was drafted into the tsarist army. In the same year he was sent to the Russian-German front. He joined the Red Army voluntarily in 1918. Was enlisted in the 1st Saratov infantry regiment 25th Chapaevskaya Division. He took part in the civil war, fought against Dutov, Kolchak, Denikin and the White Poles. After the war, he graduated from the two-year Kyiv United Infantry School and was assigned to the Central Asian Military District. He took part in the fight against the Basmachi.

The Great Patriotic War found Major General Panfilov at the post of military commissar of the Kyrgyz Republic. Having formed the 316th Infantry Division, he went to the front with it and fought near Moscow in October - November 1941. For military distinctions he was awarded two Orders of the Red Banner (1921, 1929) and the medal "XX Years of the Red Army".

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded posthumously to Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov on April 12, 1942 for his skillful leadership of division units in battles on the outskirts of Moscow and his personal courage and heroism.

In the first half of October 1941, the 316th Division arrived as part of the 16th Army and took up defense on a wide front on the outskirts of Volokolamsk. General Panfilov was the first to widely use a system of deeply layered artillery anti-tank defense, created and skillfully used mobile barrage detachments in battle. Thanks to this, the resilience of our troops increased significantly, and all attempts of the 5th German Army Corps to break through the defenses were unsuccessful. For seven days, the division, together with the cadet regiment S.I. Mladentsev and loyal units anti-tank artillery successfully repelled enemy attacks.

Giving important After the capture of Volokolamsk, the Nazi command sent another motorized corps to this area. Only under pressure from superior enemy forces were units of the division forced to leave Volokolamsk at the end of October and take up defense east of the city.

On November 16, fascist troops launched a second “general” attack on Moscow. A fierce battle began again near Volokolamsk. On this day, at the Dubosekovo crossing, there were 28 Panfilov soldiers under the command of political instructor V.G. Klochkov repelled the attack of enemy tanks and held the occupied line. Enemy tanks were also unable to penetrate in the direction of the villages of Mykanino and Strokovo. General Panfilov's division firmly held its positions, its soldiers fought to the death.

For the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command and the massive heroism of its personnel, the 316th Division was awarded the Order of the Red Banner on November 17, 1941, and the next day it was reorganized into the 8th Guards Rifle Division.

Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello

Nikolai Frantsevich was born on May 6, 1908 in Moscow, into a working-class family. Graduated from 5th grade. Worked as a mechanic at the Murom Locomotive Plant construction machines. In the Soviet Army in May 1932. In 1933 he graduated from Lugansk military school pilots in bomber units. In 1939 he took part in the battles on the river. Khalkhin - Gol and the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. In the active army since June 1941, the squadron commander of the 207th Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (42nd Bomber Aviation Division, 3rd Bomber Aviation Corps DBA), Captain Gastello, carried out another mission flight on June 26, 1941. His bomber was hit and caught fire. He flew the burning plane into a concentration of enemy troops. The enemy suffered heavy losses from the explosion of the bomber. For the accomplished feat, on July 26, 1941, he was posthumously awarded the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Gastello's name is forever included in the lists of military units. At the site of the feat on the Minsk-Vilnius highway, a memorial monument was erected in Moscow.

Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya (“Tanya”)

Zoya Anatolyevna ["Tanya" (09/13/1923 - 11/29/1941)] - Soviet partisan, Hero of the Soviet Union was born in Osino-Gai, Gavrilovsky district, Tambov region in the family of an employee. In 1930 the family moved to Moscow. She graduated from the 9th grade of school No. 201. In October 1941, Komsomol member Kosmodemyanskaya voluntarily joined a special partisan detachment, acting on instructions from the headquarters of the Western Front in the Mozhaisk direction.

Twice she was sent behind enemy lines. At the end of November 1941, while performing a second combat mission near the village of Petrishchevo (Russian district of the Moscow region), she was captured by the Nazis. Despite cruel torture, she did not reveal military secrets and did not give her name.

On November 29, she was hanged by the Nazis. Her devotion to the Motherland, courage and dedication became an inspiring example in the fight against the enemy. On February 6, 1942, he was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova

Manshuk Mametova was born in 1922 in the Urdinsky district of the West Kazakhstan region. Manshuk’s parents died early, and the five-year-old girl was adopted by her aunt Amina Mametova. Manshuk spent her childhood in Almaty.

When the Great Patriotic War began, Manshuk was studying at a medical institute and at the same time working in the secretariat of the Council of People's Commissars of the Republic. In August 1942, she voluntarily joined the Red Army and went to the front. In the unit where Manshuk arrived, she was left as a clerk at the headquarters. But the young patriot decided to become a front-line fighter, and a month later Senior Sergeant Mametova was transferred to the rifle battalion of the 21st Guards Rifle Division.

Her life was short, but bright, like a flashing star. Manshuk died in battle for the honor and freedom of her native country when she was twenty-one and had just joined the party. The short military journey of the glorious daughter of the Kazakh people has ended immortal feat, committed by her at the walls of the ancient Russian city of Nevel.

On October 16, 1943, the battalion in which Manshuk Mametova served received an order to repel an enemy counterattack. As soon as the Nazis tried to repel the attack, Senior Sergeant Mametova’s machine gun started working. The Nazis rolled back, leaving hundreds of corpses. Several fierce attacks of the Nazis had already been drowned out at the foot of the hill. Suddenly the girl noticed that two neighboring machine guns had fallen silent - the machine gunners had been killed. Then Manshuk, quickly crawling from one firing point to another, began to fire at the advancing enemies from three machine guns.

The enemy transferred mortar fire to the position of the resourceful girl. A nearby explosion of a heavy mine knocked over the machine gun behind which Manshuk lay. Wounded in the head, the machine gunner lost consciousness for some time, but the triumphant cries of the approaching Nazis forced her to wake up. Instantly moving to a nearby machine gun, Manshuk lashed out with a shower of lead at the chains of the fascist warriors. And again the enemy’s attack failed. This ensured the successful advancement of our units, but the girl from distant Urda remained lying on the hillside. Her fingers froze on the Maxima trigger.

On March 1, 1944, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, senior sergeant Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Aliya Moldagulova

Aliya Moldagulova was born on April 20, 1924 in the village of Bulak, Khobdinsky district, Aktobe region. After the death of her parents, she was raised by her uncle Aubakir Moldagulov. I moved with his family from city to city. She studied at the 9th secondary school in Leningrad. In the fall of 1942, Aliya Moldagulova joined the army and was sent to sniper school. In May 1943, Aliya submitted a report to the school command with a request to send her to the front. Aliya ended up in the 3rd company of the 4th battalion of the 54th Rifle Brigade under the command of Major Moiseev.

By the beginning of October, Aliya Moldagulova had 32 killed fascists.

In December 1943, Moiseev’s battalion received an order to drive the enemy out of the village of Kazachikha. By capturing this settlement, the Soviet command hoped to cut the railway line along which the Nazis were transporting reinforcements. The Nazis resisted fiercely, skillfully taking advantage of the terrain. The slightest advance our companies were paid at a high price, and yet slowly but steadily our fighters approached the enemy’s fortifications. Suddenly a lone figure appeared ahead of the advancing chains.

Suddenly a lone figure appeared ahead of the advancing chains. The Nazis noticed the brave warrior and opened fire with machine guns. Seizing the moment when the fire weakened, the fighter rose to his full height and carried the entire battalion with him.

After a fierce battle, our fighters took possession of the heights. The daredevil lingered in the trench for some time. Traces of pain appeared on his pale face, and strands of black hair came out from under his earflap hat. It was Aliya Moldagulova. She destroyed 10 fascists in this battle. The wound turned out to be minor, and the girl remained in service.

In an effort to restore the situation, the enemy launched counterattacks. On January 14, 1944, a group of enemy soldiers managed to break into our trenches. Got started hand-to-hand combat. Aliya mowed down the fascists with well-aimed bursts from her machine gun. Suddenly she instinctively felt danger behind her. She turned around sharply, but it was too late: German officer shot first. Gathering her last strength, Aliya raised her machine gun and the Nazi officer fell to the cold ground...

The wounded Aliya was carried out by her comrades from the battlefield. The fighters wanted to believe in a miracle, and vying with each other to save the girl, they offered blood. But the wound was fatal.

On June 4, 1944, Corporal Aliya Moldagulova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Sevastyanov Alexey Tikhonovich

Aleksey Tikhonovich Sevastyanov, flight commander of the 26th Fighter Aviation Regiment (7th Fighter Aviation Corps, Leningrad Air Defense Zone), junior lieutenant. Born on February 16, 1917 in the village of Kholm, now Likhoslavl district, Tver (Kalinin) region. Russian. Graduated from the Kalinin Freight Car Building College. In the Red Army since 1936. In 1939 he graduated from the Kachin Military Aviation School.

Participant of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941. In total, during the war years, junior lieutenant Sevastyanov A.T. made more than 100 combat missions, shot down 2 enemy aircraft personally (one of them with a ram), 2 in a group and an observation balloon.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded posthumously to Alexei Tikhonovich Sevastyanov on June 6, 1942.

On November 4, 1941, junior lieutenant Sevastyanov was on patrol on the outskirts of Leningrad in an Il-153 aircraft. At about 10 p.m., an enemy air raid on the city began. Despite anti-aircraft fire, one He-111 bomber managed to break through to Leningrad. Sevastyanov attacked the enemy, but missed. He went on the attack a second time and opened fire at close range, but again missed. Sevastyanov attacked for the third time. Having come close, he pressed the trigger, but no shots were fired - the cartridges had run out. In order not to miss the enemy, he decided to ram. Approaching the Heinkel from behind, he cut off its tail unit with a propeller. Then he left the damaged fighter and landed by parachute. The bomber crashed near the Tauride Garden. The crew members who parachuted out were taken prisoner. Sevastyanov’s fallen fighter was found in Baskov Lane and restored by specialists from the 1st repair base.

April 23, 1942 Sevastyanov A.T. died in an unequal air battle, defending the “Road of Life” through Ladoga (shot down 2.5 km from the village of Rakhya, Vsevolozhsk region; a monument was erected in this place). He was buried in Leningrad at the Chesme Cemetery. Enlisted forever in the lists of the military unit. A street in St. Petersburg and a House of Culture in the village of Pervitino, Likhoslavl district, are named after him. Dedicated to his feat documentary"Heroes don't die."

Matveev Vladimir Ivanovich

Matveev Vladimir Ivanovich Squadron commander of the 154th Fighter Aviation Regiment (39th Fighter Aviation Division, Northern Front) - captain. Born on October 27, 1911 in St. Petersburg in a working-class family. Russian Member of the CPSU(b) since 1938. Graduated from 5th grade. He worked as a mechanic at the Red October factory. In the Red Army since 1930. In 1931 he graduated from the Leningrad Military Theoretical School of Pilots, and in 1933 from the Borisoglebsk Military Aviation School of Pilots. Participant in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939–1940.

With the beginning of the Great Patriotic War at the front. Captain Matveev V.I. On July 8, 1941, when repelling an enemy air raid on Leningrad, having used up all the ammunition, he used a ram: with the end of the plane of his MiG-3 he cut off the tail of the fascist aircraft. An enemy plane crashed near the village of Malyutino. He landed safely at his airfield. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal was awarded to Vladimir Ivanovich Matveev on July 22, 1941.

He died in an air battle on January 1, 1942, covering the “Road of Life” along Ladoga. He was buried in Leningrad.

Polyakov Sergey Nikolaevich

Sergei Polyakov was born in 1908 in Moscow, into a working-class family. He graduated from 7 classes of junior high school. Since 1930 in the Red Army, he graduated from the military aviation school. Participant civil war in Spain 1936 - 1939. In air battles he shot down 5 Franco planes. Participant of the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War from the first day. The commander of the 174th Assault Aviation Regiment, Major S.N. Polyakov, made 42 combat missions, delivering precision strikes on enemy airfields, equipment and manpower, destroying 42 and damaging 35 aircraft.

Muravitsky Luka Zakharovich

Luka Muravitsky was born on December 31, 1916 in the village of Dolgoe, now Soligorsk district of the Minsk region, into a peasant family. He graduated from 6 classes and the FZU school. Worked on the Moscow metro. Graduated from the Aeroclub. In the Soviet Army since 1937. Graduated from the Borisoglebsk military pilot school in 1939.B.ZYu

Participant of the Great Patriotic War since July 1941. Junior Lieutenant Muravitsky began his combat activities as part of the 29th IAP of the Moscow Military District. This regiment met the war on outdated I-153 fighters. Quite maneuverable, they were inferior to enemy aircraft in speed and firepower. Analyzing the first air battles, the pilots came to the conclusion that they needed to abandon the pattern of straightforward attacks, and fight on turns, in a dive, on a “slide” when their “Seagull” gained additional speed. At the same time, it was decided to switch to flights in “twos”, abandoning the officially established flight of three aircraft.

The very first flights of the twos showed their clear advantage. So, at the end of July, Alexander Popov, together with Luka Muravitsky, returning from escorting the bombers, met with six “Messers”. Our pilots were the first to rush into the attack and shot down the leader of the enemy group. Stunned by the sudden blow, the Nazis hastened to get away.

On each of his planes, Luka Muravitsky painted the inscription “For Anya” on the fuselage with white paint. At first the pilots laughed at him, and the authorities ordered the inscription to be erased. But before each new flight, “For Anya” appeared again on the starboard side of the plane’s fuselage... No one knew who Anya was, whom Luka remembered, even going into battle...

Once, before a combat mission, the regiment commander ordered Muravitsky to immediately erase the inscription and more so that it would not be repeated! Then Luka told the commander that this was his beloved girl, who worked with him at Metrostroy, studied at the flying club, that she loved him, they were going to get married, but... She crashed while jumping from a plane. The parachute did not open... She may not have died in battle, Luka continued, but she was preparing to become an air fighter, to defend her Motherland. The commander resigned himself.

Participating in the defense of Moscow, Flight Commander of the 29th IAP Luka Muravitsky achieved brilliant results. He was distinguished not only by sober calculation and courage, but also by his willingness to do anything to defeat the enemy. So on September 3, 1941, while operating on the Western Front, he rammed an enemy He-111 reconnaissance aircraft and made a safe landing on the damaged aircraft. At the beginning of the war, we had few planes and that day Muravitsky had to fly alone - to cover the railway station where the train with ammunition was being unloaded. Fighters, as a rule, flew in pairs, but here there was one...

At first everything went calmly. The lieutenant vigilantly monitored the air in the area of the station, but as you can see, if there are multilayer clouds overhead, it’s raining. When Muravitsky made a U-turn over the outskirts of the station, in the gap between the tiers of clouds he saw a German reconnaissance plane. Luka sharply increased the engine speed and rushed across the Heinkel-111. The Lieutenant’s attack was unexpected; the Heinkel had not yet had time to open fire when a machine-gun burst pierced the enemy and he, descending steeply, began to run away. Muravitsky caught up with the Heinkel, opened fire on it again, and suddenly the machine gun fell silent. The pilot reloaded, but apparently ran out of ammunition. And then Muravitsky decided to ram the enemy.

He increased the speed of the plane - the Heinkel was getting closer and closer. The Nazis are already visible in the cockpit... Without reducing speed, Muravitsky approaches almost closely to the fascist plane and hits the tail with the propeller. The jerk and propeller of the fighter cut the metal of the tail unit of the He-111... The enemy plane crashed into the ground behind the railway track in a vacant lot. Luka also hit his head hard on the dashboard, the sight and lost consciousness. I woke up and the plane was falling to the ground in a tailspin. Gathering all his strength, the pilot hardly stopped the rotation of the machine and brought it out of a steep dive. He could not fly further and had to land the car at the station...

Having received medical treatment, Muravitsky returned to his regiment. And again there are fights. The flight commander flew into battle several times a day. He was eager to fight and again, as before his injury, the words “For Anya” were carefully written on the fuselage of his fighter. By the end of September, the brave pilot already had about 40 aerial victories, won personally and as part of a group.

Soon, one of the squadrons of the 29th IAP, which included Luka Muravitsky, was transferred to the Leningrad Front to reinforce the 127th IAP. The main task of this regiment was to escort transport aircraft along the Ladoga highway, covering their landing, loading and unloading. Operating as part of the 127th IAP, Senior Lieutenant Muravitsky shot down 3 more enemy aircraft. On October 22, 1941, for the exemplary performance of combat missions of the command, for the courage and courage shown in battles, Muravitsky was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. By this time, his personal account already included 14 downed enemy aircraft.

On November 30, 1941, the flight commander of the 127th IAP, Senior Lieutenant Maravitsky, died in an unequal air battle, defending Leningrad... The overall result of his combat activities, in various sources, is assessed differently. The most common number is 47 (10 victories won personally and 37 as part of a group), less often - 49 (12 personally and 37 in a group). However, all these figures do not fit in with the number of personal victories – 14, given above. Moreover, one of the publications generally states that Luka Muravitsky won his last victory in May 1945, over Berlin. Unfortunately, there is no exact data yet.

Luka Zakharovich Muravitsky was buried in the village of Kapitolovo, Vsevolozhsk district Leningrad region. A street in the village of Dolgoye is named after him.

The war demanded from the people the greatest effort and enormous sacrifices on a national scale, revealing the fortitude and courage of the Soviet people, the ability to sacrifice themselves in the name of freedom and independence of the Motherland. During the war years, heroism became widespread and became the norm of behavior of Soviet people. Thousands of soldiers and officers immortalized their names during the defense of the Brest Fortress, Odessa, Sevastopol, Kiev, Leningrad, Novorossiysk, in the battle of Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, in the North Caucasus, the Dnieper, in the foothills of the Carpathians, during the storming of Berlin and in other battles.

In total, over eight thousand heroes were trained in the ground forces during wartime, including 1,800 artillerymen, 1,142 tank crews, 650 engineering troops, over 290 signalmen, 93 air defense soldiers, 52 military logistics soldiers, 44 doctors; in the Air Force - over 2,400 people; in the Navy - over 500 people; partisans, underground fighters and Soviet intelligence officers - about 400; border guards - over 150 people.

Among the Heroes of the Soviet Union are representatives of most nations and nationalities of the USSR

About 35% of Heroes of the Soviet Union at the time of awarding the title were under 30 years of age, 28% were between 30 and 40 years old, 9% were over 40 years old.

Viktor Vasilievich Talalikhin

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal was awarded to Viktor Vasilyevich Talalikhin by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 8, 1941 for the first night ramming of an enemy bomber in the history of aviation.

V.V. was buried Talalikhin with military honors at the Novodevichy cemetery in Moscow. By order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR dated August 30, 1948, he was forever included in the lists of the first squadron of the fighter aviation regiment, with which he fought the enemy near Moscow.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

The German turned to the left, towards Kozhedub, the latter could only catch the Messerschmitt in his sights and press the trigger. Me-262 turned into a fireball. In the cockpit of the Me 262 was non-commissioned officer Kurt-Lange from 1./KG(J)-54.

On the evening of April 17, 1945, Kozhedub and Titarenko carried out their fourth combat mission of the day to the Berlin area. Immediately after crossing the front line north of Berlin, the hunters discovered a large group of FW-190s with suspended bombs. Kozhedub began to gain altitude for the attack and reported to the command post that contact had been made with a group of forty Focke-Wolwofs with suspended bombs. The German pilots clearly saw a pair of Soviet fighters go into the clouds and did not imagine that they would appear again. However, the hunters appeared.

From behind, from above, Kozhedub in the first attack shot down the leading four Fokkers at the back of the group. The hunters sought to give the enemy the impression that there were a significant number of Soviet fighters in the air. Kozhedub threw his La-7 right into the thick of the enemy planes, turning Lavochkin left and right, the ace fired in short bursts from his cannons. The Germans succumbed to the trick - the Focke-Wulfs began to free them from bombs that were interfering with air combat. However, the Luftwaffe pilots soon established the presence of only two La-7s in the air and, taking advantage of the numerical advantage, took advantage of the guardsmen. One FW-190 managed to get behind Kozhedub’s fighter, but Titarenko opened fire before the German pilot - the Focke-Wulf exploded in the air.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub also distinguished himself in the Battle of Kursk.

Alexey Petrovich Maresyev

Maresyev Alexey Petrovich fighter pilot, deputy squadron commander of the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, guard senior lieutenant.

Born on May 20, 1916 in the city of Kamyshin, Volgograd Region, into a working-class family. Russian. At the age of three he was left without a father, who died shortly after returning from the First World War. After graduating from the 8th grade of high school, Alexey entered the federal educational institution, where he received a specialty as a mechanic. Then he applied to the Moscow Aviation Institute, but instead of the institute, he went on a Komsomol voucher to build Komsomolsk-on-Amur. There he sawed wood in the taiga, built barracks, and then the first residential areas. At the same time he studied at the flying club. He was drafted into the Soviet army in 1937. Served in the 12th aviation border detachment. But, according to Maresyev himself, he did not fly, but “took up the tails” of the planes. He really took to the air already at the Bataysk Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which he graduated in 1940. He served as a pilot instructor there.

He made his first combat mission on August 23, 1941 in the Krivoy Rog area. Lieutenant Maresyev opened his combat account at the beginning of 1942 - he shot down a Ju-52. By the end of March 1942, he brought the count of downed fascist planes to four. On April 4, in an air battle over the Demyansk bridgehead (Novgorod region), Maresyev’s fighter was shot down. He attempted to land on the ice of a frozen lake, but released his landing gear early. The plane began to quickly lose altitude and fell into the forest.

On August 24, 1943, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Guard Senior Lieutenant Maresyev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Later he fought in the Baltic states and became a regiment navigator. In 1944 he joined the CPSU. In total, he made 86 combat missions, shot down 11 enemy aircraft: 4 before being wounded and seven with amputated legs. In June 1944, Guard Major Maresyev became an inspector-pilot of the Air Force Higher Educational Institutions Directorate. Boris Polevoy's book "The Tale of a Real Man" is dedicated to the legendary fate of Alexei Petrovich Maresyev.

In July 1946, Maresyev was honorably discharged from the Air Force. In 1952, he graduated from the Higher Party School under the CPSU Central Committee, in 1956, he completed graduate school at the Academy of Social Sciences under the CPSU Central Committee, and received the title of Candidate of Historical Sciences. In the same year, he became the executive secretary of the Soviet War Veterans Committee, and in 1983, first deputy chairman of the committee. He worked in this position until the last day of his life.

Retired Colonel A.P. Maresyev was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Red Banner, the Patriotic War, 1st degree, two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of People's Friendship, the Red Star, the Badge of Honor, "For Services to the Fatherland" 3rd degree, medals, and foreign orders. He was an honorary soldier of a military unit, an honorary citizen of the cities of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Kamyshin, and Orel. A minor planet of the solar system, a public foundation, and youth patriotic clubs are named after him. He was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Author of the book "On the Kursk Bulge" (M., 1960).

Even during the war, Boris Polevoy’s book “The Tale of a Real Man” was published, the prototype of which was Maresyev (the author changed only one letter in his last name). In 1948, based on the book at Mosfilm, director Alexander Stolper made a film of the same name. Maresyev was even offered to play the main role himself, but he refused and this role was played by professional actor Pavel Kadochnikov.

Died suddenly on May 18, 2001. He was buried in Moscow at the Novodevichy cemetery. On May 18, 2001, a gala evening was planned at the Russian Army Theater to mark Maresyev’s 85th birthday, but an hour before the start, Alexei Petrovich suffered a heart attack. He was taken to the intensive care unit of one of the Moscow clinics, where he died without regaining consciousness. The gala evening still took place, but it began with a minute of silence.

Krasnoperov Sergey Leonidovich

Krasnoperov Sergei Leonidovich was born on July 23, 1923 in the village of Pokrovka, Chernushinsky district. In May 1941, he volunteered to join the Soviet Army. I studied at the Balashov Aviation Pilot School for a year. In November 1942, attack pilot Sergei Krasnoperov arrived at the 765th attack air regiment, and in January 1943 he was appointed deputy squadron commander of the 502nd attack air regiment of the 214th attack air division of the North Caucasus Front. In this regiment in June 1943 he joined the ranks of the party. For military distinctions he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner, the Red Star, and the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd degree.

A few days later, Krasnoperov was again in the air, and in the combat log of the flight commander of the 502nd assault aviation regiment, junior lieutenant Sergei Leonidovich Krasnoperov, a short entry appeared: “03.23.43.” In two sorties he destroyed a convoy in the area of the station. Crimean. Destroyed 1 vehicles, created 2 fires." On April 4, Krasnoperov stormed manpower and firepower in the area of 204.3 meters. In the next flight, he stormed artillery and firing points in the area of Krymskaya station. At the same time, he destroyed two tanks and one gun and a mortar.

One day, a junior lieutenant received an assignment for a free flight in pairs. He was the leader. Secretly, in a low-level flight, a pair of “silts” penetrated deep into the enemy’s rear. They noticed cars on the road and attacked them. They discovered a concentration of troops - and suddenly brought down destructive fire on the heads of the Nazis. The Germans unloaded ammunition and weapons from a self-propelled barge. Combat approach - the barge flew into the air. The regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, wrote about Sergei Krasnoperov: “Such heroic deeds of Comrade Krasnoperov are repeated in every combat mission. The pilots of his flight became masters of assault. The flight is united and occupies a leading position. The command always entrusts him with the most difficult and responsible tasks. With his heroic exploits, he created military glory for himself and enjoys well-deserved military authority among the regiment’s personnel.” Indeed. Sergei was only 19 years old, and for his exploits he had already been awarded the Order of the Red Star. He was only 20, and his chest was decorated with the Golden Star of the Hero.

Matrosov Alexander Matveevich

Sailors Alexander Matveevich - rifleman of the 2nd battalion of the 91st separate rifle brigade (22nd Army, Kalinin Front), private. Born on February 5, 1924 in the city of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk). Russian. Member of the Komsomol. Lost his parents early. He was raised for 5 years in the Ivanovo orphanage (Ulyanovsk region). Then he was brought up in the Ufa children's labor colony. After finishing 7th grade, he remained to work in the colony as an assistant teacher. In the Red Army since September 1942. In October 1942 he entered the Krasnokholmsky Infantry School, but soon most of the cadets were sent to the Kalinin Front.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously awarded to Alexander Matveevich Matrosov on June 19, 1943. He was buried in the city of Velikiye Luki. On September 8, 1943, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, the name of Matrosov was assigned to the 254th Guards Rifle Regiment, and he himself was forever included (one of the first in the Soviet Army) in the lists of the 1st company of this unit. Monuments to the Hero were erected in Ufa, Velikiye Luki, Ulyanovsk, etc. The museum of Komsomol glory of the city of Velikiye Luki, streets, schools, pioneer squads, motor ships, collective farms and state farms were named after him.

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov

In the battles near Volokolamsk, the 316th Infantry Division of General I.V. especially distinguished itself. Panfilova. Reflecting continuous enemy attacks for 6 days, they knocked out 80 tanks and killed several hundred soldiers and officers. The enemy's attempts to capture the Volokolamsk region and open the way to Moscow from the west failed. For heroic actions, this formation was awarded the Order of the Red Banner and transformed into the 8th Guards, and its commander, General I.V. Panfilov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was not lucky enough to witness the complete defeat of the enemy near Moscow: on November 18, near the village of Gusenevo, he died a brave death.

Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov, Guard Major General, commander of the 8th Guards Rifle Red Banner (formerly 316th) Division, was born on January 1, 1893 in the city of Petrovsk, Saratov Region. Russian. Member of the CPSU since 1920. From the age of 12 he worked for hire, and in 1915 he was drafted into the tsarist army. In the same year he was sent to the Russian-German front. He joined the Red Army voluntarily in 1918. He was enlisted in the 1st Saratov Infantry Regiment of the 25th Chapaev Division. He took part in the civil war, fought against Dutov, Kolchak, Denikin and the White Poles. After the war, he graduated from the two-year Kyiv United Infantry School and was assigned to the Central Asian Military District. He took part in the fight against the Basmachi.

In the first half of October 1941, the 316th Division arrived as part of the 16th Army and took up defense on a wide front on the outskirts of Volokolamsk. General Panfilov was the first to widely use a system of deeply layered artillery anti-tank defense, created and skillfully used mobile barrage detachments in battle. Thanks to this, the resilience of our troops increased significantly, and all attempts of the 5th German Army Corps to break through the defenses were unsuccessful. For seven days, the division, together with the cadet regiment S.I. Mladentseva and dedicated anti-tank artillery units successfully repelled enemy attacks.

Attaching great importance to the capture of Volokolamsk, the Nazi command sent another motorized corps to this area. Only under pressure from superior enemy forces were units of the division forced to leave Volokolamsk at the end of October and take up defense east of the city.

Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello

Nikolai Frantsevich was born on May 6, 1908 in Moscow, into a working-class family. Graduated from 5th grade. He worked as a mechanic at the Murom Steam Locomotive Construction Machinery Plant. In the Soviet Army in May 1932. In 1933 he graduated from the Lugansk military pilot school in bomber units. In 1939 he took part in the battles on the river. Khalkhin - Gol and the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. In the active army since June 1941, the squadron commander of the 207th Long-Range Bomber Aviation Regiment (42nd Bomber Aviation Division, 3rd Bomber Aviation Corps DBA), Captain Gastello, carried out another mission flight on June 26, 1941. His bomber was hit and caught fire. He flew the burning plane into a concentration of enemy troops. The enemy suffered heavy losses from the explosion of the bomber. For the accomplished feat, on July 26, 1941, he was posthumously awarded the Title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Gastello's name is forever included in the lists of military units. At the site of the feat on the Minsk-Vilnius highway, a memorial monument was erected in Moscow.

Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya (“Tanya”)

Zoya Anatolyevna ["Tanya" (09/13/1923 - 11/29/1941)] - Soviet partisan, Hero of the Soviet Union was born in Osino-Gai, Gavrilovsky district, Tambov region in the family of an employee. In 1930 the family moved to Moscow. She graduated from the 9th grade of school No. 201. In October 1941, Komsomol member Kosmodemyanskaya voluntarily joined a special partisan detachment, acting on instructions from the headquarters of the Western Front in the Mozhaisk direction.

Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova

Manshuk Mametova was born in 1922 in the Urdinsky district of the West Kazakhstan region. Manshuk’s parents died early, and the five-year-old girl was adopted by her aunt Amina Mametova. Manshuk spent her childhood in Almaty.

Her life was short, but bright, like a flashing star. Manshuk died in battle for the honor and freedom of her native country when she was twenty-one and had just joined the party. The short military journey of the glorious daughter of the Kazakh people ended with an immortal feat she performed near the walls of the ancient Russian city of Nevel.

On March 1, 1944, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, senior sergeant Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Aliya Moldagulova

By the beginning of October, Aliya Moldagulova had 32 killed fascists.

In December 1943, Moiseev’s battalion received an order to drive the enemy out of the village of Kazachikha. By capturing this settlement, the Soviet command hoped to cut the railway line along which the Nazis were transporting reinforcements. The Nazis resisted fiercely, skillfully taking advantage of the terrain. The slightest advance of our companies came at a high price, and yet slowly but steadily our fighters approached the enemy’s fortifications. Suddenly a lone figure appeared ahead of the advancing chains.

In an effort to restore the situation, the enemy launched counterattacks. On January 14, 1944, a group of enemy soldiers managed to break into our trenches. Hand-to-hand combat ensued. Aliya mowed down the fascists with well-aimed bursts from her machine gun. Suddenly she instinctively felt danger behind her. She turned sharply, but it was too late: the German officer fired first. Gathering her last strength, Aliya raised her machine gun and the Nazi officer fell to the cold ground...

On June 4, 1944, Corporal Aliya Moldagulova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Sevastyanov Alexey Tikhonovich

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded posthumously to Alexei Tikhonovich Sevastyanov on June 6, 1942.

April 23, 1942 Sevastyanov A.T. died in an unequal air battle, defending the “Road of Life” through Ladoga (shot down 2.5 km from the village of Rakhya, Vsevolozhsk region; a monument was erected in this place). He was buried in Leningrad at the Chesme Cemetery. Enlisted forever in the lists of the military unit. A street in St. Petersburg and a House of Culture in the village of Pervitino, Likhoslavl district, are named after him. The documentary "Heroes Don't Die" is dedicated to his feat.

Matveev Vladimir Ivanovich

He died in an air battle on January 1, 1942, covering the “Road of Life” along Ladoga. He was buried in Leningrad.

Polyakov Sergey Nikolaevich

Sergei Polyakov was born in 1908 in Moscow, into a working-class family. He graduated from 7 classes of junior high school. Since 1930 in the Red Army, he graduated from the military aviation school. Participant in the Spanish Civil War 1936 – 1939. In air battles he shot down 5 Franco planes. Participant of the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War from the first day. The commander of the 174th Assault Aviation Regiment, Major S.N. Polyakov, made 42 combat missions, delivering precision strikes on enemy airfields, equipment and manpower, destroying 42 and damaging 35 aircraft.

On December 23, 1941, he died while performing another combat mission. On February 10, 1943, for the courage and courage shown in battles with enemies, Sergei Nikolaevich Polyakov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously). During his service, he was awarded the Order of Lenin, the Red Banner (twice), the Red Star, and medals. He was buried in the village of Agalatovo, Vsevolozhsk district, Leningrad region.

Muravitsky Luka Zakharovich

Luka Muravitsky was born on December 31, 1916 in the village of Dolgoe, now Soligorsk district of the Minsk region, into a peasant family. He graduated from 6 classes and the FZU school. Worked on the Moscow metro. Graduated from the Aeroclub. In the Soviet Army since 1937. Graduated from the Borisoglebsk military pilot school in 1939.B.ZYu

On November 30, 1941, flight commander of the 127th IAP, Senior Lieutenant Maravitsky, died in an unequal air battle, defending Leningrad... The overall result of his combat activity, in various sources, is assessed differently. The most common number is 47 (10 victories won personally and 37 as part of a group), less often - 49 (12 personally and 37 in a group). However, all these figures do not fit in with the number of personal victories – 14, given above. Moreover, one of the publications generally states that Luka Muravitsky won his last victory in May 1945, over Berlin. Unfortunately, there is no exact data yet.

Luka Zakharovich Muravitsky was buried in the village of Kapitolovo, Vsevolozhsk district, Leningrad region. A street in the village of Dolgoye is named after him.

The war demanded from the people the greatest effort and enormous sacrifices on a national scale, revealing the fortitude and courage of the Soviet people, the ability to sacrifice themselves in the name of freedom and independence of the Motherland. During the war years, heroism became widespread and became the norm of behavior of Soviet people. Thousands of soldiers and officers immortalized their names during the defense of the Brest Fortress, Odessa, Sevastopol, Kiev, Leningrad, Novorossiysk, in the battle of Moscow, Stalingrad, Kursk, in the North Caucasus, the Dnieper, in the foothills of the Carpathians, during the storming of Berlin and in other battles.

Among the Heroes of the Soviet Union are representatives of most nations and nationalities of the USSR

Representatives of nations	Number of heroes
Russians	8160
Ukrainians	2069
Belarusians	309
Tatars	161
Jews	108
Kazakhs	96
Georgian	90
Armenians	90
Uzbeks	69
Mordovians	61
Chuvash	44
Azerbaijanis	43
Bashkirs	39
Ossetians	32
Tajiks	14
Turkmens	18
Litokians	15
Latvians	13
Kyrgyz	12
Udmurts	10
Karelians	8
Estonians	8
Kalmyks	8
Kabardians	7
Adyghe people	6
Abkhazians	5
Yakuts	3
Moldovans	2
results	11501

About 35% of Heroes of the Soviet Union at the time of awarding the title were under 30 years of age, 28% were between 30 and 40 years old, 9% were over 40 years old.

Viktor Vasilievich Talalikhin

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal was awarded to Viktor Vasilyevich Talalikhin by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of August 8, 1941 for the first night ramming of an enemy bomber in the history of aviation.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

On the evening of April 17, 1945, Kozhedub and Titarenko carried out their fourth combat mission of the day to the Berlin area. Immediately after crossing the front line north of Berlin, the hunters discovered a large group of FW-190s with suspended bombs. Kozhedub began to gain altitude for the attack and reported to the command post that contact had been made with a group of forty Focke-Wolwofs with suspended bombs. The German pilots clearly saw a pair of Soviet fighters go into the clouds and did not imagine that they would appear again. However, the hunters appeared.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub also distinguished himself in the Battle of Kursk.

Alexey Petrovich Maresyev

Maresyev Alexey Petrovich fighter pilot, deputy squadron commander of the 63rd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, guard senior lieutenant.

Born on May 20, 1916 in the city of Kamyshin, Volgograd Region, into a working-class family. Russian. At the age of three he was left without a father, who died shortly after returning from the First World War. After graduating from the 8th grade of high school, Alexey entered the federal educational institution, where he received a specialty as a mechanic. Then he applied to the Moscow Aviation Institute, but instead of the institute, he went on a Komsomol voucher to build Komsomolsk-on-Amur. There he sawed wood in the taiga, built barracks, and then the first residential areas. At the same time he studied at the flying club. He was drafted into the Soviet army in 1937. Served in the 12th aviation border detachment. But, according to Maresyev himself, he did not fly, but “took up the tails” of the planes. He really took to the air already at the Bataysk Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which he graduated in 1940. He served as a pilot instructor there.

He made his first combat mission on August 23, 1941 in the Krivoy Rog area. Lieutenant Maresyev opened his combat account at the beginning of 1942 - he shot down a Ju-52. By the end of March 1942, he brought the count of downed fascist planes to four. On April 4, in an air battle over the Demyansk bridgehead (Novgorod region), Maresyev’s fighter was shot down. He attempted to land on the ice of a frozen lake, but released his landing gear early. The plane began to quickly lose altitude and fell into the forest.

On August 24, 1943, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, Guard Senior Lieutenant Maresyev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Later he fought in the Baltic states and became a regiment navigator. In 1944 he joined the CPSU. In total, he made 86 combat missions, shot down 11 enemy aircraft: 4 before being wounded and seven with amputated legs. In June 1944, Guard Major Maresyev became an inspector-pilot of the Air Force Higher Educational Institutions Directorate. Boris Polevoy's book "The Tale of a Real Man" is dedicated to the legendary fate of Alexei Petrovich Maresyev.

Retired Colonel A.P. Maresyev was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, the Red Banner, the Patriotic War, 1st degree, two Orders of the Red Banner of Labor, the Order of People's Friendship, the Red Star, the Badge of Honor, "For Services to the Fatherland" 3rd degree, medals, and foreign orders. He was an honorary soldier of a military unit, an honorary citizen of the cities of Komsomolsk-on-Amur, Kamyshin, and Orel. A minor planet of the solar system, a public foundation, and youth patriotic clubs are named after him. He was elected as a deputy of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR. Author of the book "On the Kursk Bulge" (M., 1960).

Even during the war, Boris Polevoy’s book “The Tale of a Real Man” was published, the prototype of which was Maresyev (the author changed only one letter in his last name). In 1948, based on the book at Mosfilm, director Alexander Stolper made a film of the same name. Maresyev was even offered to play the main role himself, but he refused and this role was played by professional actor Pavel Kadochnikov.

Krasnoperov Sergey Leonidovich

One day, a junior lieutenant received an assignment for a free flight in pairs. He was the leader. Secretly, in a low-level flight, a pair of “silts” penetrated deep into the enemy’s rear. They noticed cars on the road and attacked them. They discovered a concentration of troops - and suddenly brought down destructive fire on the heads of the Nazis. The Germans unloaded ammunition and weapons from a self-propelled barge. Combat approach - the barge flew into the air. The regiment commander, Lieutenant Colonel Smirnov, wrote about Sergei Krasnoperov: “Such heroic deeds of Comrade Krasnoperov are repeated in every combat mission. The pilots of his flight became masters of assault. The flight is united and occupies a leading position. The command always entrusts him with the most difficult and responsible tasks. With his heroic exploits, he created military glory for himself and enjoys well-deserved military authority among the regiment’s personnel.” Indeed. Sergei was only 19 years old, and for his exploits he had already been awarded the Order of the Red Star. He was only 20, and his chest was decorated with the Golden Star of the Hero.

Matrosov Alexander Matveevich

Sailors Alexander Matveevich - rifleman of the 2nd battalion of the 91st separate rifle brigade (22nd Army, Kalinin Front), private. Born on February 5, 1924 in the city of Yekaterinoslav (now Dnepropetrovsk). Russian. Member of the Komsomol. Lost his parents early. He was raised for 5 years in the Ivanovo orphanage (Ulyanovsk region). Then he was brought up in the Ufa children's labor colony. After finishing 7th grade, he remained to work in the colony as an assistant teacher. In the Red Army since September 1942. In October 1942 he entered the Krasnokholmsky Infantry School, but soon most of the cadets were sent to the Kalinin Front.

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was posthumously awarded to Alexander Matveevich Matrosov on June 19, 1943. He was buried in the city of Velikiye Luki. On September 8, 1943, by order of the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR, the name of Matrosov was assigned to the 254th Guards Rifle Regiment, and he himself was forever included (one of the first in the Soviet Army) in the lists of the 1st company of this unit. Monuments to the Hero were erected in Ufa, Velikiye Luki, Ulyanovsk, etc. The museum of Komsomol glory of the city of Velikiye Luki, streets, schools, pioneer squads, motor ships, collective farms and state farms were named after him.

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov

Ivan Vasilyevich Panfilov, Guard Major General, commander of the 8th Guards Rifle Red Banner (formerly 316th) Division, was born on January 1, 1893 in the city of Petrovsk, Saratov Region. Russian. Member of the CPSU since 1920. From the age of 12 he worked for hire, and in 1915 he was drafted into the tsarist army. In the same year he was sent to the Russian-German front. He joined the Red Army voluntarily in 1918. He was enlisted in the 1st Saratov Infantry Regiment of the 25th Chapaev Division. He took part in the civil war, fought against Dutov, Kolchak, Denikin and the White Poles. After the war, he graduated from the two-year Kyiv United Infantry School and was assigned to the Central Asian Military District. He took part in the fight against the Basmachi.

In the first half of October 1941, the 316th Division arrived as part of the 16th Army and took up defense on a wide front on the outskirts of Volokolamsk. General Panfilov was the first to widely use a system of deeply layered artillery anti-tank defense, created and skillfully used mobile barrage detachments in battle. Thanks to this, the resilience of our troops increased significantly, and all attempts of the 5th German Army Corps to break through the defenses were unsuccessful. For seven days, the division, together with the cadet regiment S.I. Mladentseva and dedicated anti-tank artillery units successfully repelled enemy attacks.

Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello

Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya (“Tanya”)

Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova

Her life was short, but bright, like a flashing star. Manshuk died in battle for the honor and freedom of her native country when she was twenty-one and had just joined the party. The short military journey of the glorious daughter of the Kazakh people ended with an immortal feat she performed near the walls of the ancient Russian city of Nevel.

On March 1, 1944, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, senior sergeant Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Aliya Moldagulova

By the beginning of October, Aliya Moldagulova had 32 killed fascists.

In December 1943, Moiseev’s battalion received an order to drive the enemy out of the village of Kazachikha. By capturing this settlement, the Soviet command hoped to cut the railway line along which the Nazis were transporting reinforcements. The Nazis resisted fiercely, skillfully taking advantage of the terrain. The slightest advance of our companies came at a high price, and yet slowly but steadily our fighters approached the enemy’s fortifications. Suddenly a lone figure appeared ahead of the advancing chains.

On June 4, 1944, Corporal Aliya Moldagulova was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

Sevastyanov Alexey Tikhonovich

The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded posthumously to Alexei Tikhonovich Sevastyanov on June 6, 1942.

April 23, 1942 Sevastyanov A.T. died in an unequal air battle, defending the “Road of Life” through Ladoga (shot down 2.5 km from the village of Rakhya, Vsevolozhsk region; a monument was erected in this place). He was buried in Leningrad at the Chesme Cemetery. Enlisted forever in the lists of the military unit. A street in St. Petersburg and a House of Culture in the village of Pervitino, Likhoslavl district, are named after him. The documentary "Heroes Don't Die" is dedicated to his feat.

Matveev Vladimir Ivanovich

He died in an air battle on January 1, 1942, covering the “Road of Life” along Ladoga. He was buried in Leningrad.

Polyakov Sergey Nikolaevich

Sergei Polyakov was born in 1908 in Moscow, into a working-class family. He graduated from 7 classes of junior high school. Since 1930 in the Red Army, he graduated from the military aviation school. Participant in the Spanish Civil War 1936 – 1939. In air battles he shot down 5 Franco planes. Participant of the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940. On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War from the first day. The commander of the 174th Assault Aviation Regiment, Major S.N. Polyakov, made 42 combat missions, delivering precision strikes on enemy airfields, equipment and manpower, destroying 42 and damaging 35 aircraft.

Muravitsky Luka Zakharovich

Luka Zakharovich Muravitsky was buried in the village of Kapitolovo, Vsevolozhsk district, Leningrad region. A street in the village of Dolgoye is named after him.

Diagnostics and diseases. Medicines from A to Z

Heroes of the Second World War and their exploits project. Heroes of the Great Patriotic War in color photos

Viktor Vasilievich Talalikhin

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

Alexey Petrovich Maresyev

Krasnoperov Sergey Leonidovich

Matrosov Alexander Matveevich

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov

Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello

Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya (“Tanya”)

Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova

Aliya Moldagulova

Sevastyanov Alexey Tikhonovich

Matveev Vladimir Ivanovich

Polyakov Sergey Nikolaevich

Muravitsky Luka Zakharovich

Viktor Vasilievich Talalikhin

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

Alexey Petrovich Maresyev

Krasnoperov Sergey Leonidovich

Matrosov Alexander Matveevich

Ivan Vasilievich Panfilov

Nikolai Frantsevich Gastello

Zoya Anatolyevna Kosmodemyanskaya (“Tanya”)

Manshuk Zhiengalievna Mametova

Aliya Moldagulova

Sevastyanov Alexey Tikhonovich

Matveev Vladimir Ivanovich

Polyakov Sergey Nikolaevich

Muravitsky Luka Zakharovich