Pilot Amet-Khan-Sultan. How he fought, what he did after the war, how he died.
The name of Amet-Khan-Sultan is known to few today. And this is twice Hero of the Soviet Union. The fighter pilot is from the Crimean Tatars on his mother’s side and from the Laks of Dagestan on his father’s side. Fought bravely. Once he rammed a German Yu-88D-1 over Yaroslavl and escaped by parachute. I was flying a Hurricane back then. He fought in the skies of Stalingrad. He was shot down but survived. He fought on many types of aircraft from I-15 to Airacobra. On free-hunting flights, I looked for fascist aces in the sky together with my fellow pilots. In 1944, he captured the Fieseler-Storch and forced it to land at a Soviet airfield. Amet-Khan-Sultan already flew over Berlin on the La-7, then the newest fighter. It was there that he shot down his last plane, the Foke-Wulf 190. This happened on April 29, 1945. The next day, the main Fuhrer of Germany committed suicide. At the age of 25 he became twice Hero of the Soviet Union. In 1947 he began working as a test pilot, and soon received 3rd class. Four years later, the first-class test pilot began to master supersonic flights. It launched test cruise missiles from the Tu-95K strategic bomber. Amet-Khan-Sultan also took part in testing ejection seats. Once there was an explosion in the air of a squib, the fuel tank was punctured, kerosene poured into the cabin of the plane, we were flying on a UTI MiG-15. Amet-Khan managed to land at the airfield. He saved the parachutist Golovin and his life. Ejection was impossible for him due to damage to the seat guide. Coolness helped the former military fighter to act skillfully and prudently in the most difficult moment.
It is very unfortunate that Amet-Khan, a fifty-year-old pilot, died while testing a new jet engine, which probably exploded at the moment of release from the fuselage and launch. His Tu-16 fell into a swamp along with its crew.
Today in Alupka there is a La-5 aircraft as a monument to the famous ace. There are 25 stars painted on its side with white paint. This is based on the number of opponents destroyed by Amet-Khan. In fact, he personally shot down only 30 aircraft, not counting group victories. Conducted 150 air combats.
As a child, the future pilot watched the flight of eagles soaring over the mountains. He graduated from the “trade”, began working as a mechanic, and then as a boiler room assistant in a depot, and at the same time worked at the flying club of the city of Simferopol. He entered the Kachin pilot school in 1939, immediately deciding to join fighter aviation. Good reaction and excellent vision contributed to this. And a fighter pilot’s poor character is not a hindrance, but a help. I met the beginning of the war in the Odessa Military District. At that time he was piloting the I-153 biplane (the plane’s nickname was “Swallow”). He defeated a column of fascist troops on it near Chisinau during an attack. In the fall of 1941, he retrained to fly an English aircraft of the Hurricane model. After ramming over Yaroslavl, the Junkers jumped out with a parachute and landed near the village of Dymokurtsy. He broke his head when he rammed it. The Germans also jumped out of their bomber with parachutes, landed in the Volga, but were caught by Soviet soldiers. For the air ramming, Amet-Khan-Sultan was awarded a personalized watch and an order. While fighting on the Yak-7A near Stalingrad, the pilot shot down several enemy aircraft, including the Me-109. In his spare time, during breaks between battles, Amet-Khan enthusiastically played chess. In the sky, this man beat the German aces and von barons in aerobatics, since he himself was the Sultan. He made a very tangible contribution to the victory over Germany.
The apotheosis of heroism - four times Hero L. Brezhnev against the backdrop of V. Lenin;
issued the Upper Volta stamp.
The resolution of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR dated April 16, 1934 established the highest degree of distinction - the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. This provision was first approved on July 29, 1936. It introduced the procedure for presenting Heroes with a certificate from the Central Executive Committee and the Order of Lenin, the highest award of the USSR.
On August 1, 1939, the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR “On additional insignia for Heroes of the Soviet Union” was issued. Articles 1 and 2 of the Decree stated: “For the purpose of special distinction of citizens awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, a medal “Hero of the Soviet Union” is established, which is awarded simultaneously with the conferment of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the presentation of the Order of Lenin.” Article 3 of the Decree introduced a major change to the 1936 Regulations, according to which the title of Hero could be awarded only once: “A Hero of the Soviet Union who has performed a secondary heroic feat ┘ is awarded the second medal “Hero of the Soviet Union”, and ┘ a bronze bust is constructed in the Hero’s homeland " Article 4 introduced the procedure for the construction of his bronze bust at the Palace of Soviets in Moscow, the construction of which was then in full swing on the site of the bombed Cathedral of Christ the Savior. The issuance of Orders of Lenin when awarding the second and third medals was not provided for.
The description of the medal was approved by the Decree of October 16, 1939, which also changed the name of the medal: from that moment on it was called the Gold Star medal.
The regulations on the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in a new edition appeared on May 14, 1973, some changes were made to it by the Decree of July 18, 1980. What was new in it was that when the Hero of the Soviet Union was repeatedly and subsequently awarded the Gold Star medal to him Each time the Order of Lenin is awarded. In addition, the previous limitation on the number of awards of the “Gold Star” to one person (three times) was lifted, thanks to which Brezhnev was able to become a four-time Hero of the Soviet Union (Zhukov became a four-time Hero in 1956, bypassing the then-current Decree of 1939).
In 1988, this provision was changed again, and the procedure for awarding the Order of Lenin to a Hero of the Soviet Union was established only upon the first presentation of the Gold Star medal.
Many books and articles are dedicated to the heroes of the Soviet Union. Much has been written about thrice and four times Heroes. But less has been written about the twice Heroes of the Soviet Union. Let's try to fill this gap.
For the first time, three pilots became twice Heroes for military exploits shown in battles with Japanese invaders on the Khalkhin Gol River in 1939: Major S. Gritsevets and Colonel G. Kravchenko (Decree of August 29), as well as Corporal Commander Ya. Smushkevich ( Decree of November 17). The fate of all three was tragic.
Gritsevets shot down 12 enemy aircraft in the sky of Khalkhin Gol. He died in a plane crash less than a month after the award. Kravchenko, who commanded a fighter air regiment at Khalkhin Gol and shot down 7 Japanese aircraft during the conflict, in 1940 became the youngest lieutenant general of the Red Army (at 28 years old). During the Great Patriotic War, he successfully commanded an air division, but on February 23, 1943, he died after jumping out of a downed plane and failing to use a parachute (his pilot cable was broken by a shrapnel). Smushkevich was arrested in the spring of 1941 and executed in the fall of the same year.
In 1940, the number of twice Heroes increased by two people. The head of the rescue expedition to remove the icebreaker "Georgy Sedov" from the ice, Hero of the Soviet Union I. Papanin became a twice Hero, and it is not entirely clear why - after all, his activities as a leader were not at all associated with a risk to life. The second “Golden Star” for the battles in Finland was received by the pilot division commander S. Denisov.
During the Great Patriotic War, 103 people became Heroes twice, seven of them posthumously. Pilot Hero of the Soviet Union, Lieutenant Colonel S. Suprun, by Decree of July 22, 1941, was the first to be awarded the second Gold Star medal during the Great Patriotic War. In June 1942, the first twice Hero appeared, both times awarded this title during the war. This was also a pilot, commander of the Northern Fleet fighter regiment, Lieutenant Colonel B. Safonov.
Among the twice Heroes were three Marshals of the Soviet Union (A. Vasilevsky, I. Konev, K. Rokossovsky), one Chief Marshal of Aviation (A. Novikov), 21 generals and 76 officers. There were no soldiers or sergeants among the twice-Heroes.
It must be said that in 1944, Decrees were promulgated on awarding the fighter pilot Major N. Gulaev (during the war years he made 250 sorties, personally shot down 57 enemy aircraft in 69 air battles) with the third “Golden Star”, as well as a number of pilots with the second “Gold Star”, but none of them received awards due to the row they created in the restaurant on the eve of receiving the awards. The decrees were annulled.
After the war, the number of Twice Heroes continued to increase. In 1948, Lieutenant Colonel (future Chief Marshal of Aviation) A. Koldunov was awarded the second Gold Star medal. During the war, Koldunov made 412 combat missions and shot down 46 enemy aircraft in 96 air battles.
In 1957, the famous pilot V. Kokkinaki was awarded the title of twice Hero of the Soviet Union for testing aircraft technology, the first he received back in 1938.
Marshals of the Soviet Union S. Timoshenko, R. Malinovsky, I. Bagramyan, K. Moskalenko and M. Zakharov received the second “Gold Star” after the war in connection with various anniversaries, and Admiral of the Fleet of the Soviet Union S. Gorshkov, Marshals of the Soviet Union K. Voroshilov and A. Grechko generally became twice Heroes only in peacetime.
In 1968, pilot-cosmonaut G. Beregovoy was awarded the title of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, and he received the first “Golden Star” during the Great Patriotic War for 186 combat missions to attack enemy troops. In 1969, the first twice Heroes appeared who received both awards for space flights: Colonel V. Shatalov and A. Eliseev. Both “Golden Stars” were received by them within one year (Decrees of January 22 and October 22).
Two years later, both were the first in the world to make a space flight for the third time, but they were not given third “Golden Stars”: perhaps because this flight was unsuccessful and was interrupted on the second day. Subsequently, cosmonauts who made their third and even fourth flight into space did not receive additional stars, but were awarded the Order of Lenin. A total of 35 people received the title of twice Hero for space exploration.
The last twice Hero was the commander of a tank brigade (back during the war), Major General A. Aslanov, who was awarded the second rank posthumously by Decree of June 21, 1991.
A total of 154 people became Heroes of the Soviet Union twice. The vast majority of them - 71 people were pilots; It’s also worth considering that out of 35 cosmonauts, 19 were also Air Force officers. Among the twice Heroes are 15 tank crews, three sailors, and two partisans. The only woman among the twice Heroes is pilot-cosmonaut S. Savitskaya, by the way, the daughter of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Air Marshal E. Savitsky.
In 1944, Colonel A. Pokryshkin became the first three times Hero of the Soviet Union, who during the war years made more than 650 combat missions and personally shot down 59 (according to unofficial data, 75) enemy aircraft in 156 air battles. In 1945, Marshal of the Soviet Union G. Zhukov and Guard Major I. Kozhedub, who flew 330 combat missions and shot down 62 enemy aircraft in 120 air battles, became three Heroes (this does not include the two American P-51s he shot down in the spring of 1945. ).
After the war, in connection with various anniversaries, Marshal of the Soviet Union S. Budyonny became a Hero three times and L. Brezhnev four times a Hero.
Four times Heroes of the Soviet Union are not deprived of philately attention. Eight countries dedicated eleven stamps and blocks to Brezhnev, all of which were issued during his lifetime. Zhukov's portrait can be seen on seven stamps from six countries (one stamp from Grenada was issued during his lifetime).
Three times the Heroes were less fortunate. The USSR Post dedicated one stamp to Budyonny. The only stamp in honor of the best Soviet ace Kozhedub was issued in the “Heroes del aire” series by the post of Equatorial Guinea. But there are no stamps dedicated to the first three times Hero Pokryshkin.
Of the twice Heroes, the stamps represent all the cosmonauts, eight Marshals of the Soviet Union (see “NG” No. 201 of September 20, 2005), as well as nine more officers and generals, six of them are pilots.
The concept of “twice, three times, four times Hero” seems somewhat unnatural today; it would probably be more correct to talk about awarding several Gold Star medals. But this is a fact of our history, and it cannot be ignored.
The highest degree of distinction in the USSR was the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. It was awarded to citizens who accomplished a feat during military operations or distinguished themselves by other outstanding services to their Motherland. As an exception, it could have been appropriated in peacetime.
The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was established by the Decree of the USSR Central Executive Committee of April 16, 1934. Later, on August 1, 1939, as an additional insignia for Heroes of the USSR, it was approved in the form of a five-pointed star mounted on a rectangular block, which was issued to the recipients along with a diploma from the Presidium of the USSR Armed Forces. At the same time, it was established that those who repeated a feat worthy of the title of Hero would be awarded the second Order of Lenin and the second Gold Star medal. When the hero was re-awarded, his bronze bust was installed in his homeland. The number of awards with the title Hero of the Soviet Union was not limited.
The list of the first Heroes of the Soviet Union was opened on April 20, 1934 by polar explorer pilots: A. Lyapidevsky, S. Levanevsky, N. Kamanin, V. Molokov, M. Vodopyanov, M. Slepnev and I. Doronin. Participants in the rescue of passengers in distress on the legendary steamship Chelyuskin.
Eighth on the list was M. Gromov (September 28, 1934). The crew of the aircraft he led set a world record for flight range along a closed curve at a distance of more than 12 thousand kilometers. The next Heroes of the USSR were the pilots: crew commander Valery Chkalov, who together with G. Baidukov and A. Belyakov made a long non-stop flight along the Moscow - Far East route.
It was for military exploits that for the first time 17 commanders of the Red Army (Decree of December 31, 1936) who participated in the Spanish Civil War became Heroes of the Soviet Union. Six of them were tank crews, the rest were pilots. Three of them were awarded the title posthumously. Two of the recipients were foreigners: Bulgarian V. Goranov and Italian P. Gibelli. In total, for battles in Spain (1936-39), the highest honor was awarded 60 times.
In August 1938, this list was supplemented by 26 more people who showed courage and heroism during the defeat of the Japanese interventionists in the area of Lake Khasan. About a year later, the first presentation of the Gold Star medal took place, which was received by 70 fighters for their exploits during battles in the area of the river. Khalkhin Gol (1939). Some of them became twice Heroes of the Soviet Union.
After the start of the Soviet-Finnish conflict (1939-40), the list of Heroes of the Soviet Union increased by another 412 people. Thus, before the start of the Great Patriotic War, 626 citizens received the Hero, among whom were 3 women (M. Raskova, P. Osipenko and V. Grizodubova).
More than 90 percent of the total number of Heroes of the Soviet Union appeared in the country during the Great Patriotic War. 11 thousand 657 people were awarded this high title, 3051 of them posthumously. This list includes 107 fighters who became twice heroes (7 were awarded posthumously), and the total number of those awarded included 90 women (49 - posthumously).
The attack of Nazi Germany on the USSR caused an unprecedented rise in patriotism. The Great War brought a lot of grief, but it also revealed the heights of courage and strength of character of seemingly ordinary ordinary people.
So, who would have expected heroism from the elderly Pskov peasant Matvey Kuzmin. In the very first days of the war, he came to the military registration and enlistment office, but they brushed him off because he was too old: “go, grandfather, to your grandchildren, we’ll figure it out without you.” Meanwhile, the front was inexorably moving east. The Germans entered the village of Kurakino, where Kuzmin lived. In February 1942, an elderly peasant was unexpectedly called to the commandant's office - the battalion commander of the 1st Mountain Rifle Division found out that Kuzmin was an excellent tracker with perfect knowledge of the terrain and ordered him to assist the Nazis - to lead a German detachment to the rear of the advanced battalion of the Soviet 3rd Shock Army . “If you do everything right, I’ll pay you well, but if you don’t, blame yourself...” “Yes, of course, of course, don’t worry, your honor,” Kuzmin feignedly whined. But an hour later, the cunning peasant sent his grandson with a note to our people: “The Germans ordered a detachment to be led to your rear, in the morning I will lure them to the fork near the village of Malkino, meet me.” That same evening, the fascist detachment with its guide set off. Kuzmin led the Nazis in circles and deliberately exhausted the invaders: they forced them to climb steep hillsides and wade through dense bushes. “What can you do, your honor, well, there is no other way here...” At dawn, tired and cold fascists found themselves at the Malkino fork. "That's it, guys, they're here." “How did you come!?” “So, let’s rest here and then we’ll see...” The Germans looked around - they had been walking all night, but they had moved only a couple of kilometers from Kurakino and were now standing on the road in an open field, and twenty meters in front of them was a forest, where, now they understood for sure, there was a Soviet ambush. “Oh, you…” – the German officer pulled out a pistol and emptied the entire clip into the old man. But at that same second, a rifle salvo rang out from the forest, then another, Soviet machine guns began to chatter, and a mortar fired. The Nazis rushed about, screamed, and shot randomly in all directions, but not one of them escaped alive. The hero died and took with him 250 Nazi occupiers. Matvey Kuzmin became the oldest Hero of the Soviet Union, he was 83 years old.
And the youngest gentleman of the highest Soviet rank, Valya Kotik, joined the partisan detachment at the age of 11. At first he was a liaison for an underground organization, then he took part in military operations. With his courage, fearlessness and strength of character, Valya amazed his seasoned senior comrades. In October 1943, the young hero saved his squad by noticing the approaching punitive forces in time, he raised the alarm and was the first to enter the battle, killing several Nazis, including a German officer. On February 16, 1944, Valya was mortally wounded in battle. The young hero was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. He was 14 years old.
The entire people, young and old, rose up to fight the fascist infection. Soldiers, sailors, officers, even children and old people selflessly fought against the Nazi invaders. Therefore, it is not surprising that the vast majority of awards with the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union occur during the war years.
In the post-war period, the title of GSS was awarded quite rarely. But even before 1990, awards continued for exploits during the Great Patriotic War, which were not carried out at the time for various reasons, intelligence officer Richard Sorge, F.A. Poletaev, the legendary submariner A.I. Marinesko and many others.
For military courage and dedication, the title of GSS was awarded to participants in combat operations performing international duty in North Korea, Hungary, Egypt - 15 awards; in Afghanistan, 85 internationalist soldiers received the highest honor, of which 28 were posthumous.
A special group, awarding military equipment test pilots, polar explorers, participants in the exploration of the depths of the World Ocean - 250 people in total. Since 1961, the title of GSS has been awarded to cosmonauts; over 30 years, 84 people who have completed a space flight have been awarded it. Six people were awarded for eliminating the consequences of the accident at the Chernobyl nuclear power plant
It should also be noted that in the post-war years, a vicious tradition arose of awarding high military honors for “armchair” achievements dedicated to anniversary birthdays. This is how repeatedly noted heroes like Brezhnev and Budyonny appeared. “Gold Stars” were also awarded as friendly political gestures; due to this, the list of Heroes of the USSR was supplemented by the heads of the allied states Fidel Castro, Egyptian President Nasser and some others.
The list of Heroes of the Soviet Union was completed on December 24, 1991, by captain 3rd rank, underwater specialist L. Solodkov, who participated in a diving experiment for long-term work at a depth of 500 meters under water.
In total, during the existence of the USSR, 12 thousand 776 people received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. Of these, 154 people were awarded it twice, 3 people three times. and four times – 2 people. The first twice Heroes were military pilots S. Gritsevich and G. Kravchenko. Three times Heroes: air marshals A. Pokryshkin and I. Kozhedub, as well as Marshal of the USSR S. Budyonny. There are only two four-time Heroes on the list - USSR Marshals G. Zhukov and L. Brezhnev.
In history, there are known cases of deprivation of the title of Hero of the Soviet Union - 72 in total, plus 13 canceled Decrees on conferring this title as unfounded.
Biographies and exploits of Heroes of the Soviet Union and holders of Soviet orders:
Died in 1945 in an air battle in East Prussia. Navigator of the 75th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment of the 1st Guards Assault Aviation Division of the 1st Air Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front, guard captain. Twice Soviet Union.
The feat of Nikolai Semeiko.
An Il-2 attack pilot was one of the most dangerous professions during the Second World War. Unlike bombers, they stormed enemy positions at low level flight at an altitude of only 50-250 meters at a speed of up to 300 km/h, attracting fire not only from anti-aircraft guns, but also from everything that was fired from the ground, and after the assault Enemy fighters were waiting for them, from which there was only one defense - to stand in a circle, covering each other's tail, and slowly return to their airfield.
For their enemies, they became “black death”, and in Soviet aviation, flights on the Il-2 were equated... to a penal battalion.“Many pilots convicted by the decision of the tribunal during the Second World War, instead of a penal battalion, were sent as riflemen to the Il-2, 30 sorties on which were equivalent to 1 year of a penal battalion,” Artem Drabkin recorded the memories of front-line soldiers in the book “I Fought on the Il-2 We were called "suicide bombers".
The youngest of the 154 twice Heroes in the entire history of the Soviet Union was a 22-year-old who flew 227 combat missions (equivalent to 7.5 years in a penal battalion), as a result of which he personally destroyed and damaged seven tanks, 10 artillery pieces, five aircraft at enemy airfields, 19 vehicles with troops and cargo, a steam locomotive, blew up two ammunition depots, suppressed 17 anti-aircraft artillery firing points, destroyed many other military equipment and enemy personnel.
He walked the battle path from Stalingrad, Donbass, to Koenigsberg.
He was awarded 7 military orders, and 2 Hero Stars were given to the family... after his death.
1945 - Hero of the Soviet Union with the presentation of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal for courage and heroism shown in battles with the Nazi invaders;
1945 - Hero of the Soviet Union with the Golden Star medal. Posthumously;
Three Orders of the Red Banner;
Order of Bohdan Khmelnytsky, 3rd degree;
Order of Alexander Nevsky;
1st degree;
Lots of medals.
Mykola Semeyko was born into a military family and always considered himself Ukrainian;
On April 19, 1945, according to the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council, Nikolai Semeiko was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal for courage and heroism shown in battles with the Nazi invaders. However, the famous attack pilot was not destined to pin the highest awards of the USSR to his chest, since the very next day after this decree he died in an air battle in East Prussia;
East Prussia on the map. The core of Prussia with its capital city of Königsberg (now Kaliningrad) now belongs to Russia, forming the Kaliningrad region.
2 months and 10 days after Semeiko’s death, he was awarded the title of Hero for the second time, but this time posthumously.
Biography of Nikolai Semeiko.
1940 - Nikolai Semeiko joined the Red Army;
1942 - graduated from the Voroshilovgrad Military Aviation School of Pilots and Advanced Courses for Command Staff;
1943 - member of the CPSU (b);
Since March 1943, he has been on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. He was a crew commander, flight commander, deputy commander, commander and navigator of a squadron of the 75th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment, having begun combat activities near Stalingrad, took part in the battles on the Mius River, as well as in the battles for the liberation of Donbass, Crimea, as part of the troops of the Southern, 4th Ukrainian and 3rd Belorussian fronts;
October 1944 - navigator of a squadron of the 75th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment and navigator of the same regiment of the 1st Guards Assault Aviation Division of the 1st Air Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front;
On April 20, 1945, Nikolai Illarionovich Semeiko died during an air battle in East Prussia.
Perpetuating the memory of Nikolai Semeiko.
Bronze bust in Slavyansk;
The medium fishing trawler of Project 502E is named after him - tail number KI-8059;
School No. 12, where Nikolai Semeiko studied, now bears his name.