Nikolai Ivanovich Svitenko ( December 6, 1913 - September 18, 2007 ) - squadron commander of the 7th fighter aviation regiment of the 5th mixed aviation division of the 23rd army of the Leningrad Front , major general aviation , Hero of the Soviet Union.
| Nikolai Ivanovich Svitenko | ||||||||||
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| Date of Birth | December 6, 1913 | |||||||||
| Place of Birth | Kharkov | |||||||||
| Date of death | September 18, 2007 (93 years old) | |||||||||
| Place of death | Kharkov | |||||||||
| Affiliation |  the USSR | |||||||||
| Type of army |  Air Force | |||||||||
| Years of service | 1934-1958 | |||||||||
| Rank |  | |||||||||
| Battles / wars | The Great Patriotic War | |||||||||
| Awards and prizes |
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Biography
Born on December 6, 1913 in the city of Kharkov . He graduated from the engineering college. He worked at a machine tool factory.
In the Red Army since 1934. In 1937 he graduated from the school of pilots. He participated in the battles in Western Ukraine and Western Belarus in 1939, as well as in the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-1940.
On the fronts of World War II from June 22, 1941. On the very first day, I flew to intercept Hitler's " Messerschmitts " who tried to block the Soviet airfield near Vyborg .
On August 19, 1941, a large fascist motorized column advanced towards Krasnoye Selo. An order was issued for its destruction. The attack of the Soviet pilots was successful. However, Svitenko was forced to land a damaged car almost next to the Nazis. Pilot Alibek Elephants landed and rescued the commander.
By January 1942, Captain Nikolai Svitenko made 135 successful sorties, in air battles he personally shot down 5 and a couple of 7 enemy aircraft. On February 10, 1943, Nikolai Ivanovich was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the awarding of the Order of Lenin and the Golden Star medal for the exemplary performance of command missions of the command on the front of the struggle against Nazi invaders and the courage and heroism shown by Svitenko to Nikolai Ivanovich.
From July 23, 1942 to January 12, 1943 he commanded the 15th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment . On November 9, 1943, he commanded the 14th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment . During the war years, he made more than 380 successful sorties, in 102 air battles he personally shot down 15 enemy planes and 7 in the group.
After the war, he continued to serve in the USSR Air Force . In 1948, he commanded a fighter aviation division in the Carpathian Military District. Since 1958, Major General Aviation N. Svitenko - in stock.
He lived in Kharkov (Ukraine). He died on September 18, 2007.
Sources
Svitenko, Nikolai Ivanovich . Site " Heroes of the country ".
- Burov A.V. Your Heroes, Leningrad. 2nd ed., Ext. L .: Lenizdat, 1970.
- Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary / Prev. ed. collegium I. N. Shkadov . - M .: Military Publishing , 1988. - T. 2 / Love - Yashchuk /. - 863 s. - 100,000 copies. - ISBN 5-203-00536-2 .
- Feats in the name of the Fatherland. 2nd ed., Kharkov: Prapor, 1985.