Last Lieutenant ground attack Degtyareva

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via Victory. Oper.ru

70 years ago, July 9, 1942, attack aircraft pilot Lieutenant Vasily Degtyarev missing. I do not come back from the ninth sortie. Hot on the trail to find out something about his fate was not possible, and the mother's pilot flew the appropriate notice.





Lt. Degtyarev - the last page of the list of irrecoverable losses 244th ShAD.



In February 1943, the Red Army left the location connected Rognedinskaya Partisan Brigade. Among the various reports he delivered a partisan request for assignment Degtyarev pilot to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. So comrades learned about the last fight lieutenant.

IL-2 Degtyareva was hit by antiaircraft fire during ground attack airfield Seshcha / Olsuf'ev. Probably, and the pilot was injured. The plane turned back and pulled uncertainly to his, but stayed in the air for long and got into woodland in the occupied territory.

Right before gently landed on the belly of aircraft engaged in physical training German training battalion, stationed in the village Golubeya and ready to ship to the Caucasus. Pohvatali weapons, the Germans joyful crowd rushed to the aircraft for easy prey. Lt. Degtyarev pulled the trigger and fired in the oncoming crowd remnants of ammunition. Two and two ShVAK ShKAS finally worked out perfectly. Battalion met hurricane density of 60 bullets and shells dvadtsatimillimetrovyh about 25 per second. The Germans fled to the sides, leaving the killed, wounded and dying. Observe what is happening partisan scout Evdokia Terekhova estimated that scatter failed 170 (one hundred and seventy) Nazis.

The pilot fell out of the cab; the plane began to smoke and broke. Far leave a wounded lieutenant was not necessary; there is evidence that he tracked down the local policeman, who brought upon him enraged the Germans. From personal TT Lt. Degtyarev dumped at least four more enemies, then shot himself.

The commander of the local partisan connections Ivan Mural decided decent burial of the hero, but in the search for the body guerrillas pilot group found an unlikely scene: Lieutenant Degtyareva funeral with military honors conducted a commander of a German battalion. Attached to the premium business article about the heroism Degtyareva published in the army newspaper "Stalin's pilot" from February 11, 1943



Presentation on Hero signed by the divisional commander, army commander and the commander of the Western Front, Colonel-General (later Marshal, Chief of the General Staff of the USSR Armed Forces) Sokolovsky. However, at the top, in the People's Commissariat of Defense Air Force Commander Air Marshal Novikov rejected it. Now it is difficult to say why: whether the description found it incredible feat, or, as some believe, played a role fact "enemy" of the funeral. After 70 years, it is difficult to judge; but I will take the liberty to assume that without proper verification or Sokolovsky, no member of the military council of the front Bulganin unlikely to put their signatures to the presentation.



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In accordance with the marshal's order, the question has been resolved "on the spot"; order of the troops of the 1st VA №077 / N of 11 December 1943 awarded posthumously Lieutenant Degtyaryova Order of the Patriotic War I degree (in the database 'feat of the people "Degtyareva awarded Order of Red Banner stated incorrectly).

Presentation on Hero were implemented only 11 November 1990. His role in this was played by indifferent Moscow journalist Taras Stepanchuk, explore the history of the lieutenant Degtyareva the end of the 1950s.

Biographical information: L. Vasily Degtyarev (January 14, 1915 - July 9, 1942), lieutenant, commander of the 571 th ShAP 244th ShAD 1st BA (Western Front). The Ukrainian, who was born in the village Belogorodka Sviatoshynsky Kyiv today district of Kyiv region. in the family of an employee, in 1936 he graduated from technical school in Pyatigorsk. He worked as a car mechanic. It drafted into the Red Army in 1936, in 1939 he graduated from the 1-st Chkalov Military Aviation School. He served as an instructor pilot. In the army in June 1942 9 He made sorties, according to official statistics killed 2 aircraft, hangar 2, 2 cars, 8 emplacements in favor, 11 field guns, 21 car, 12 vehicles, fuel tanks 1, scattered and destroyed up infantry regiment. July 9, 1942 was hit by FOR and not returned from combat flight. Made an emergency landing in the occupied territory, he took the fight and shot himself to avoid capture.
Promoted to the rank of the Hero of the Soviet Union, April 24 1943 g .; awarded the Order of Patriotic War I degree (posthumously). The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded the Presidential Decree of the USSR 11 November 1990 r .; Gold Star and the Order of Lenin handed over to relatives.
Forever enrolled in the lists of parts.

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