Ignashkin, Gavriil Ivanovich

Gabriel Ignashkin was born on February 10 (23), 1917 in the village of Kutma (now the Bolkhovsky district of the Oryol region ). He lived in Krasnodar , where in 1936 he graduated from high school. In the same year, Ignashkin was called up for service in the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army . In 1938, he graduated from the Stalingrad Military Aviation Pilot School, after which he was sent to serve in the Kiev Military District . Since June 1941 - on the fronts of World War II. On August 28, 1941, he was seriously wounded and was treated for a long time in the hospital. Participated in the Battle of Stalingrad , was repeatedly leading in the groups that attacked German tank units ^[1] .

Early in the morning of June 20, 1942, ten Soviet attack aircraft under the command of Lieutenant Gavriil Ignashkin rose from the front-line airfield of the 431st assault aviation regiment. They headed for the Bulatzelovka station in the Shevchenkovsky district, where the enemy’s tank and motorized infantry divisions were concentrated.

Ten kilometers before the target, the Soviet attack aircraft were blocked by strong anti-aircraft fire. An experienced commander, skillfully maneuvering, maintained combat order and put the aircraft on course.

Here is the Bulatzelovka. Along the street are columns of tanks, cars, artillery. The first to turn around abruptly and dive into the tanks was Ignashkin’s plane. Other attack aircraft rushed after him. The bombs hit exactly on target, and soon a sea of ​​fire spilled on the site of the fascist tanks. On that day, our pilots destroyed more than 40 tanks, about 60 vehicles, up to 300 enemy soldiers and officers.

Enemy anti-aircraft gunners severely damaged the aircraft of the group commander - he received more than sixty bullet and fragmentation holes. Despite this, the brave officer successfully completed the combat mission and safely returned to his airfield. ^[2]

By August 1942, Lieutenant Gabriel Ignashkin commanded the squadron of the 431st assault air regiment of the 228th assault air division of the 8th air army of the Stalingrad Front . By that time, he had made 93 sorties to attack clusters of military equipment and manpower of the enemy, his military installations, inflicting heavy losses ^[1] .

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 5, 1942, for “exemplary performance of command missions on the front of the battle against the German invaders and shown courage and heroism”, Lieutenant Gavriil Ignashkin was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal " Under the number 764 ^[1] .

After the war, Ignashkin continued to serve in the Soviet Army. In 1947, he graduated from the Higher Officer Flight Tactical Courses. In 1963, with the rank of lieutenant colonel, he was transferred to the reserve. He lived in Kiev . He died on January 26, 2005, was buried at the Baikov cemetery in Kiev ^[1] .

He was also awarded three orders of the Red Banner , the Order of Alexander Nevsky , two orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, two orders of the Red Star , a number of medals ^[1] .

• Vorobyov V. Ignashkin Gavriil Ivanovich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ". Date of treatment March 10, 2017.
• 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.
• Battle of Stalingrad. Chronicle, facts, people .: 2 book. - Moscow: OLMA-PRESS, 2002.