Hero of the Soviet Union - the highest rank, the highest distinction and achievement, which only can be achieved in the Soviet Union.The award in the form of gold stars, the respect and honor given to those who made a real feat in time of war or other hostilities, as well as in time of peace, but, most likely, it was the rare exception rather than the rule.Get one such title was not easy, what to speak of those who are awarded it several times?
Hero of the Soviet Union ... such extremely brave was already 154 people.Of these, 23 have survived - this data as of November 2014.
first two characters of the USSR
They were pilots.His awards they have received more in 1939 during clashes with Japanese fighters.This is Colonel Kravchenko, and Corps Commander Major Gritsevets Smushkevich.Unfortunately, the fate of them was ruthless.The pilot, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, Gritsevets, knocking in the sky a dozen enemy fighters, died a month after receiving the award.
plane crash also claimed the life and Kravchenko.Incidentally, he was the youngest lieutenant general in the Soviet Union.He was then only 28 years old.During the war, he commanded an entire air division in the Japanese sky eliminated 7 enemy aircraft.During one flight, he jumped out of the burning car, but his parachute failed to open due perebitogo shrapnel cable.
With regard Smushkevich, after all the valor shown by him in Spain in 1937 and receiving the highest awards, it in June 1941, was taken into custody by representatives of the NKVD.Hero accused of plotting and carrying out propaganda aimed at reducing the defense capability of the Red Army.He was shot a few months after his arrest.
Boris Safonov
One of those who first received the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union", and this was known to the whole world the pilot.He distinguished himself in the first aerial combat with the Nazis in 1941.They say that the Germans, when they noticed his plane on the horizon, passed each other a message: "Safonov in the air."This was the signal for all enemy fighters immediately return to base.With the Soviet pilots were afraid to not only go into battle alone, even a group of planes trying to deal with him in the sky.
Soviet attack aircraft, combat vehicles which were brightly colored, becoming the first targets of the Nazis.They can easily be seen, they provoke aggression and caused the enemy.Safonov on board were already two huge inscription: "Death to the fascists" and "For Stalin".Despite this, he managed for a long time not only to survive, but also to have the highest rates shot down enemy fighters.Feats Safonov noted in Great Britain.He received the highest aviation award of this country - "For outstanding achievements, flight."The hero died in May 1942 in the battle.
Leonov Viktor
were two namesake, who have received this high award.And I want to tell you about these brave men, so different, but such important deeds are inscribed in golden letters in the history of our homeland.First - Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Leonov.In 1944, his party, fearlessly attacking the enemy and capturing the Germans captured, created all the conditions for Soviet troops successfully landed in the port city and freed Liinakhamari Finnish Petsamo and Kirkenes Norwegian.
second time he showed courage and bravery in fact already in peacetime.In 1945, while continuing confrontation between the Soviet and Japanese states his squad several times took captive thousands of soldiers and officers, many days led battles with the enemy and got a hold of warehouses with ammunition.For all these achievements, he again received the highest award.Hero of the Soviet Union Viktor Leonov and after the war he continued to serve the motherland.He died in 2003.
Alexei Leonov Arkhipovich
Namesake Viktor did not run under fire and exploded bunkers, but his actions do not only glorify himself, but also the entire Soviet Union.Alexei Arkhipovich - the famous astronaut.The high award he received for being the first in the history of humanity ventured out into open space.His famous "walk" lasted 12 minutes and 9 seconds.He showed his prowess, when, due to a damaged bloated space suit could not return to the ship.But having taken the power in his fist, and be smart in unforeseen circumstances, he guessed to pump excess pressure from his robes and came on board.
the second time the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union," he was awarded for the fact that, as commander of spacecraft "Soyuz 19", he successfully performed the operation for docking with the US Apollo.This had not seen a Soviet cosmonauts, nor their fellow astronauts.Therefore feat Leonov gave impetus to the further development of an active stellar spaces.He became an example for all young astronauts, and is so still, as among the living heroes.In 2014, he was 80 years old.
feat Kazakhs
This nation has played a big role in the destruction of fascism and the Third Reich.Like other Soviet republics, Kazakhstan during the Second World War did everything for the front.On the battlefield volunteers left more than a million ordinary soldiers.It mobilized 50 regiments and battalions, seven brigades, 4 cavalry and 12 infantry divisions.Kazakhs were among the first who broke into the town hall in Berlin, painted the walls of the Reichstag.Many of them, without thinking of himself, their bodies covered the enemy bunkers and threw off their planes to the German "freight trains".
Five of them several times awarded the highest award.Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Kazakhstan Talgat Begeldinov, Leonid Beda, Sergei Lugansky, Ivan Pavlov.For example, the first on the list, ass-attack aircraft, shot down hundreds of enemy aircraft.About Begeldinov pilots and nowadays legendary.Another Kazakh, Vladimir Janibekov, was fifth on the list, but after the war.He became known as an outstanding astronaut.In addition, during the war, about 500 representatives of this nation have become the heroes of the Soviet Union once, and their exploits and will never be forgotten.
Svetlana Savitskaya
The list of 95 names of Heroes of the Soviet Union of the fair sex.But only one of them, Svetlana Savitskaya, failed to receive the highest award several times.Woman, twice Hero of the Soviet Union, it absorbed with mother's milk desire to be the best.Many qualities of character are passed by genes, many of the strong personality brought up in herself.
Her father Eugene Sawicki, by the way, also double hero during the war was the Marshal.Behind mother also many sorties and shot down planes Nazis.Not surprisingly, the daughter of parents enrolled in flight school.But Dad's ties woman never used, but only sought to herself.She became the second woman in space after Tereshkova.Not once worked in the open space, he wiped his nose American astronauts.On account of its nine world records in jet aircraft, three in the group jump from the stratosphere with a parachute.Savitskaya was awarded the title of world champion of aerobatics on piston aircraft.
Amet-Khan Sultan
The famous pilot remembered and revered in his native Dagestan.In his honor, then called the airport, streets, squares and parks.But Soviet citizens long ago argued that the Hero of the Soviet Union, Amet-Khan Sultan has another home: the city of Yaroslavl.He admitted an honorary citizen of the municipality, then he put a monument.Old-timers remember this young boy of 21 who was not afraid to go to ram an enemy aircraft just above the rooftops, and thus save the city by bombing.
catapult the pilot picked up by locals and bandaged his wounds.A padded German Messer dragged him to the center and put on display as an example of valor and courage of ordinary Soviet youth.Throughout the war, he again and again showed his heroism, so the awards he received, absolutely deserved.Hero of the Soviet Union reached to Berlin and his last fight held April 29, 1945, just a week before the Great Victory.
Ivan Boyko
heroes were not only among the pilots.In World War II caused a stir several times and tankers, among them Ivan Boyko.He fought in Belarus, Smolensk and Kursk direction.He commanded a tank regiment, who distinguished himself in the Ukrainian front during the Zhitomir-Berdychevskoy operation.After passing about 300 kilometers, the tankers were released hundreds of cities.They captured 150 Germans with all their guns and war machines.The defeat of several enemy trains, strategically important cargo from which captured.
second time near the tank regiment distinguished Ukrainian cities of Chernivtsi and Novoselytsia.The fighters under the leadership of Boyko, not only liberated the settlements, but also captured a lot of enemy soldiers and officers.Hero of the Soviet Union ended the war on the ruins of the Reichstag.The city Kazatin valiant tankman a memorial bust, he became an honorary citizen of Chernivtsi.It has numerous medals, awards and other awards.He died in 1975 in Kiev.
Sergei Gorshkov
title "Hero of the Soviet Union" among the Maritime fraternity turns out not so many soldiers and officers.But Sergei Gorshkov succeeded.He led the first amphibious assault landing on the Black Sea, which further contributed to the successful counter-offensive of the Red Army in the area.He commanded the Azov and the Danube Flotilla.In 1944 he was promoted to Vice Admiral.
Sergei Gorshkov took part in the battles for the liberation of Hungary from the invaders.His last military operation was taking Gerena, which he called the perfect springboard for an attack to the Balaton.After reaching the lake, the Red Army could encircle Budapest and drive out the enemy.Operation was successfully completed.And in early 1945 Gorshkov was assigned to command the Black Sea Fleet.In this position he met the victory over the Third Reich.Higher reward he received for exceptional courage, bravery and valor during the struggle against the invaders, for his leadership his troops.
Athanasius Shilin
first time received the highest award of the winter of 1944 for the successful crossing of the Dnieper.Then he showed the courage that helped our soldiers to keep a foothold on the right bank.In this battle, Shilin alone managed to eliminate two machine-gun calculation Germans, two officers and 11 soldiers.When Fritz surrounded him, he did not hesitate to draw fire.Because of this, our troops managed to consolidate the bridgehead and push the enemy far back.
The second time he was awarded as the head of the group, which has successfully explored a territory and destroy the weapon of the Nazis.As a result, the enemy was foiled plan on taking Magnushevskom bridgehead.He personally stormed the strongholds of the enemy, and in battle on Polish soil, being wounded and almost unconscious, threw a bunch of grenades into the bunker and destroyed it.Because of this, the Red Army launched its offensive.
twice Hero of the Soviet Union ... The list includes the names of the pilots and astronauts, sea wolves and tank crews, artillerymen and guerrillas.But even more than those who showed exceptional courage polёg unknown, was exiled or arrested, despite his merits and loyal service to the Fatherland.Remember you need not only the awarded participants of the war, and all, without exception, and the rank and file officers, each of them is a hero.
