Purse, Fedor Fedorovich

Born on September 13, 1913 in the village of Radostnoye, Krasnodonsky District, Lugansk Region, in a peasant family.

Member of the CPSU (b) since 1942. He graduated from the 4th grade of a rural school, worked on the collective farm as the head of the farm. In 1933 he left for the city of Lugansk , worked at the Lugansk (since 1935 Voroshilovgrad) steam locomotive plant. At the same time he studied at evening high school, studied at the flying club.

In the Soviet Army since 1935. He graduated from the school of junior aviation specialists, served as a radio operator-gunner on a bomber, participated in the national revolutionary war of the Spanish people. Upon returning to his homeland, he entered the Kharkov Military Aviation School. He graduated on the eve of the war.

At the time of Nazi Germany’s attack on the Soviet Union, Lieutenant Koshel was the communications chief of the squadron of the 52nd Regiment of Long-Range Bomber Aviation. From the first days involved in sorties. A year later he became the navigator of the link of the 749th long-range bomber regiment (since 1943 - 9 guards).

As part of the crew, B. Chistov makes combat sorties not only to the deep rear of the enemy (Danzig, Königsberg), but also to carry out bombing attacks on enemy columns in the near rear. Long-range IL-4 bombers deliver accurate bombing attacks on the enemy near Stalingrad, in the battle of Kursk, near Leningrad.

In group departures, when their crew was appointed leader, they successfully coped with the task of lighting and marking targets. Lieutenant Koshel was one of the first in the regiment to master night photography. And this required knowledge of tactics and techniques for operational camouflage of the enemy, skillful work with on-board photo equipment.

The combat contribution of the navigator of the guard Captain F. Koshel to the destruction of enemy manpower and equipment in the fortified areas near Volkhov, Kirishi and Tosno, where siege artillery of high power was concentrated, at the airfields of Siversky and Luga was highly appreciated by Rodina. He was presented to a high rank. By August 1943, Captain Wallet made 207 sorties, of which 144 were night flights and 10 to the rear of the enemy. Spent 1365 hours in the sky.

By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of September 18, 1943, Captain Fyodor Fedorovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (No. 1734) for exemplary fulfillment of command tasks and courage and heroism in battles with Nazi invaders of the guard )

On August 23, 1944, Major Fyodor Koshel, navigator of the heavy bombers of the Guard, was mortally wounded during the next flight. Killed and crew commander Major Davydov. They are buried on the Walk of Fame in the city of Bila Tserkva . One of the streets here is named after Fedor Koshel.

By order of the Minister of Defense of the USSR of January 4, 1966, Hero of the Soviet Union Guard Major Koshel was forever enlisted in the lists of personnel of the N-th aviation unit.

• Gold Star Medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
• Order of Lenin .
• Two orders of the Red Banner .
• Order of the Patriotic War I degree .

• Yurchenko P.A. Wings over the flame. - “Prapor”, Kharkov, 1978.
• Bulkin S.P. Heroes of the Fatherland. - 2nd ed. - Donetsk: Donbass, 1977.
• Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary / Prev. ed. collegium I. N. Shkadov . - M .: Military Publishing , 1987.- T. 1 / Abaev - Lyubichev /. - 911 p. - 100,000 copies. - ISBN comp., Reg. RCP No. 87-95382.
• Kochetov A.V. Street is named after them. 3rd ed., Ext., Revised. Barnaul, 1978.
• Feats that have become a legend. - Donetsk: Donbas, 1985.

• Purse, Fedor Fedorovich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ".