Kovalenko, Alexander Andreevich

Born February 7, 1909 in a working class family in Kiev . He graduated from 7 classes. He worked as a glassblower at the Kiev glass factory. Member of the CPSU since 1932

After graduating from the Kachin Aviation Military School in 1933, he took part in the liberation campaign of Soviet troops in Western Belarus (1939) and the Soviet-Finnish War (1939-1940). During the Great Patriotic War he served in the units of the air forces of the Northern Fleet , commanded a squadron of the 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment , whose commander in 1941-1942. was B. F. Safonov .

By May 1942, the commander of the squadron of the 2nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (Northern Fleet Air Force) of the Vardia, Captain A. A. Kovalenko made 146 sorties, personally shot down 9 in 22 air battles and in the group of 6 enemy aircraft (the award list says 11 personal and 7 group victories) ^[1] . By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of June 14, 1942, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

By January 1943, the Guard Major A. A. Kovalenko carried out 207 sorties, conducted 38 air battles, personally shot down 11 and in a group of 6 aircraft ^[2] . This month he was suspended from combat due to health reasons. He was sent to study at the Higher Courses of the Navy Air Force Officers, which he graduated in 1944. Since January 1944, he served as an assistant commander of the 3rd training aviation regiment for flight training and aerial combat of the Northern Fleet Air Force.

Since 1945, the Guard Lieutenant Colonel A. A. Kovalenko was in stock. He died on June 21, 1984. He was buried at Kuntsevsky cemetery in Moscow.

• Gold Star Medal (June 14, 1942).
• Order of Lenin (June 14, 1942).
• Order of the Red Banner (September 8, 1941).
• Order of the Red Banner (February 13, 1942).
• Order of the Patriotic War I degree .
• Cross “For Outstanding Merit” (Great Britain; March 19, 1942).

The bust of A. A. Kovalenko, among the 53 North Sea pilots awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union , is installed in the village. Safonovo on the Alley of Heroes near the SF Air Force Museum .

The name of the Hero of the Soviet Union Alexander Andreevich Kovalenko was assigned to the MiG-31 aircraft of the 174th Guards Red Banner Pechenga Fighter Aviation Regiment named after B.F.Safonova.

• Boyko V.S. Wings of the Northern Fleet. - Murmansk: Murmansk book publishing house, 1976. - 317 p.
• Gerasimenko D. Ya., Kolker I.I., Nekhoroshkov F.A. Glorified by the heroes of the Northern Fleet. Dedicated to the 30th anniversary of the defeat of the Nazi invaders in the Arctic. - Murmansk: Murmansk book publishing house, 1974. - 208 p.

• Kovalenko, Alexander Andreevich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ".
• A. A. Kovalenko Site of the 174th Guards Red Banner Pechenga Fighter Aviation Regiment named after B. F. Safonov .
• Museum of the Air Force of the SF Photo album about the history of the museum of the Air Force of the SF.
• Kovalenko A. A. Aviation Encyclopedia "Corner of the Sky".