219th Bomber Aviation Division

• 219th Bomber Aviation Division;
• 219th Bomber Aviation Czestochowa Division;
• 219th Bomber Aviation, Czestochowa Order of the Suvorov Division;
• 219th Bomber Aviation Czestochowa Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division;
• Field Mail 10220.

The 219th Bomber Aviation Division was formed by Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 0085 dated May 7, 1942 for the state 015/145 on the basis of the command and units of the 9th Army Air Force consisting of the division’s command (headquarters, political department, service heads). The formation is located at the Schmidt airfield (23 km south of Voroshilovgrad ) ^[1] .

On May 22, 1942, the division as part of the 4th Air Army of the Southern Front entered into hostilities, taking part in the Kharkov operation . The regiments of the division were based at airfields to the south and southeast of Voroshilovgrad : Schmidt , Krasnodon and Budennovka. During the defensive battles of the ground forces, the units of the division were engaged in the destruction of mechanized units of the Wehrmacht on the Southern Front on a line stretching from the Seversky Donets ( Krasny Liman region ) to Taganrog . In addition to the main tasks of bombing enemy troops, the division also conducted reconnaissance work. In total, from May 22 to July 10, the division carried out 618 sorties for bombing and 503 sorties for reconnaissance followed by bombing. After the withdrawal of the Red Army troops from July 11, parts of the division were relocated to Belaya Kalitva airfields and performed combat missions in the Millerovo area and the village of Chernyshevskaya . Since July 13, parts of the division were relocated to airfields in the area of ​​the village of Konstantinovskaya and performed combat missions in the area of ​​the villages of Morozovskaya and Chernyshevskaya ^{[1] [2]} .

Since July 16, parts of the division were relocated to airfields in the area of ​​the village of Novozolotovskaya (now Semikarakorsky district of the Rostov region), by the end of the day, airfields were relocated in the area of ​​the station Verblyud (now the city of Zernograd ), from where the regiments of the division began to strike with mechanized convoys of the enemy and along the river crossings . Don in the areas of the villages of Nikolaev , Konstantinovskaya and Razdorskaya , also for the implementation of aerial reconnaissance in the interests of the Southern Front ^{[1] [2]} .

Since July 25, the regiments of the division took part in the Battle of the Caucasus . From July 27 - from airfields in the Belaya Glina area , from July 30 - from airfields in the Izobilno-Tischenskaya area, from August 2 - from airfields in the Petrovskoye area, from August 4 - Arkhangelskoye, from August 8 - Mozdok . From these airfields, units of the division carried out tasks of striking mechanized columns of the enemy and crossing the river. Don , in the areas of the Manych Canal and Bataysk ^{[1] [2]} .

Since August 10, the division of operations has not conducted, relocated to airfields in the area of Tulatovo , and on August 11 - in the area of Grozny ^{[1] [2]} .

During the period of hostilities from July 11 to August 11, 1942, the division, with the constant withdrawal of ground units and relocation to new airfields, completed 305 sorties for bombing and 228 sorties for air reconnaissance ^{[1] [2]} .

August and September 1942 became especially intense fighting work for the division. During this period, divisions of the division carried out 3897 sorties to defeat the enemy’s cool-mozdok group. During offensive operations in the Gizel and Ardon areas, units of the division inflicted heavy damage on the enemy. Only during the period of these offensive operations from August 12 to 25, 1206 sorties were completed ^{[1] [2] [3]} .

During the fighting, units of the division received replenishment of the material part of Pe-2 aircraft for the 366th bomber aviation regiment, the 859th and 244th bomber aviation regiments on DB-7 Boston planes arrived in the division, and the 926th was assigned for fighter cover fighter aviation regiment (from August 13) on LaGG-3 aircraft, the 288th bomber aviation regiment was transferred to the 216th fighter aviation division ^{[1] [2] [4]} .

Since August 11, the division has been carrying out combat missions from the Grozny airport: destroying tanks, artillery, enemy manpower and ferries in the areas of Ischerskaya , Mozdok , Sovetskaya , Prokhladny , Malka , Cuba , Baksan ^[1] .

During the Prokhladnensko-Mozdok operation, from August 12 to 25, divisions of the division carried out 1206 sorties, on the most stressful days, 100-120 sorties were carried out. In the period from September 1 to September 16, parts of the division destroyed ferries and ferries across the Terek River south of Mozdok. In October and November 1942, the division attacked the enemy in the Mozdok area, east of Vladikavkaz and on the northern bank of the Terek River in the vicinity of the village of Ischerskaya. During this period, 1222 sorties of bombers, 1000 sorties of fighters and 1121 sorties were carried out for air reconnaissance, 138 enemy planes, 250 tanks, up to 2000 cars, 8 railway cars, up to 200 tanks with fuel, 15 depots with ammunition, up to 80 artillery pieces were destroyed, 25 anti-aircraft points, 7 crossings were destroyed, up to 10,000 soldiers and officers were destroyed and scattered ^[1] .

Subsequently, in the offensive on the Taman Peninsula, the division attacked railway stations, spans, bridges and congestions of enemy vehicles in narrow places and at crossings, and destroyed enemy equipment and manpower. During this period 1130 sorties of bombers, 900 sorties of fighter jets and 103 sorties for aerial reconnaissance were completed. Fighter division destroyed in air battles 128 enemy aircraft. Bombing destroyed up to 200 vehicles, up to 50 artillery pieces, 25 bunkers, 15 ammunition depots, destroyed 4 crossings and 2 bridges at Kangly and Sosyk , up to 80 railway wagons with military equipment, destroyed and scattered 1,500 soldiers and officers ^{[1 ]} .

Since the beginning of 1943, the division was constantly relocating after the advancing troops, and on January 8, from the Grozny airport to field airfields, continued to carry out combat missions in bombing railway stations, spans, bridges and clusters of vehicles, enemy equipment and manpower ^[1] .

From April to July 1943 she took an active part in the air battles in the Kuban with all her forces. In total, from the time of its formation to July 25, 1943, the division completed: 9231 sorties, of which 2171 for reconnaissance, 2627 for mechanized units, 356 for bridges and crossings, 74 for airfields, 248 for railway facilities, troops on the battlefield - 946, fighters to escort bombers - 1509, to cover troops - 338. 285 air battles were carried out, 312 enemy aircraft were shot down, 52 were destroyed on the ground ^[1] .

In September 1943, the division withdrew from the 4th Air Army and was replenished with three bomber regiments. It became part of the 4th Bomber Aviation Corps .

In January 1945, for honors in the Sandomierz-Silesian operation, the division was given the honorary name of Czestochowa. For the successful completion of the command assignments, the division was awarded the orders of Suvorov II degree and Kutuzov II degree.

In the army

As part of the army, the division was:

• from May 22, 1942 to August 26, 1943;
• from February 26, 1944 to September 13, 1944;
• from November 14, 1944 to May 11, 1945 ^[5] .

Division Commander

Military Commissioner (Deputy Division Commander for Political Affairs)

• Brigadier Commissar, Colonel Zhmulev, Fedor Ivanovich , 05/07/1942 - 06/23/1943 ^[1] ;
• Lieutenant Colonel Popov Nikolay Trofimovich, 07/02/1943 ^[1] -

Deputy Division Commander

• Colonel Anisimov Petr Nikolaevich ^[1] ;
• Lieutenant Colonel Aleksandrovich Alexander Ivanovich ^[1] .

Division Chief of Staff

• Colonel Smirnov Anatoly Ivanovich, 05/07/1942 - 12/12/1942 ^[1] ;
• Colonel Zhuravel Nikolay Gavrilovich, 03/23/1943 ^[1] -

As part of associations

Post-war period

After the war, the division was based at the airfields of Germany and Hungary as part of the 4th Bomber Aviation Corps of the 2nd Air Army of the newly formed Central Group of Forces, in June 1945, after the dissolution of the 4th Bomber Aviation Corps, the division became directly subordinate to the 2nd Air Army , and in November the division was disbanded in connection with the reduction of the armed forces as part of the 2nd Air Army of the Central Group of Forces ^[3] .

Over the entire period of its existence, the combat structure of the division underwent changes:

May 9, 1945

November 1945 Battle

• Kharkov operation - from May 22, 1942 to May 29, 1942.
• Voronezh-Voroshilovgrad operation - from June 28, 1942 to July 24, 1942.
• Donbass operation - from July 7, 1942 to July 24, 1942.
• The North Caucasus Operation ^[3] - from July 25, 1942 to February 4, 1943.
• Armaviro-Maykop operation ^[3] - from August 6, 1942 to August 17, 1942.
• Mozdok-Malgobek operation ^[3] - from September 1, 1942 to September 28, 1942.
• The Nalchik-Ordzhonikidze operation ^[3] - from October 25, 1942 to November 12, 1942.
• Krasnodar offensive operation ^[3] - from February 9, 1943 to May 24, 1943.
• Air battles in the Kuban ^[3] - from April to June 1943.
• Zhytomyr-Berdychiv operation ^[3] - from December 24, 1943 to January 14, 1944.
• Korsun-Shevchenko Operation ^[3] - from January 24, 1944 to February 17, 1944.
• Rivne-Lutsk operation ^[3] - from January 27, 1944 to February 11, 1944.
• Proskurovsky-Chernivtsi offensive operation ^[3] - from March 4 to April 17, 1944.
• Lviv-Sandomierz operation ^[3] - from July 13, 1944 to August 29, 1944.
• Sandomierz-Silesian operation ^[3] - from January 12, 1945 to February 3, 1945.
• Lower Silesian offensive operation ^[3] - from February 8, 1945 to February 24, 1945.
• Upper Silesian offensive operation ^[3] - from March 15, 1945 to March 31, 1945.
• Berlin offensive operation ^[3] - from April 16, 1945 to May 8, 1945.
• Prague operation ^[9] - from May 6, 1945 to May 11, 1945.

• On January 17, 1945, the 219th Bomber Aviation Division was given the honorary name "Czestochowa" ^[10] .
• On January 19, 1945, the 6th Bomber Aviation Regiment was given the honorary name Krakowski ^[11] .
• On May 11, 1945, the 35th Bomber Aviation Regiment was given the honorary name "Berlin" ^[12] .
• The 38th Bomber Aviation Regiment was awarded the honorary name "Debitsky" on August 23, 1944 ^[13] .

• The 219th Bomber Aviation Division of Czestochowa was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the Second Degree by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ^[14] .
• The 219th Bomber Aviation Division of Czestochowa was awarded the Order of Kutuzov II Degree by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ^[14] .
• The 6th Bomber Aviation Regiment of Krakow was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the Third Degree by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ^[14] .
• The 6th Bomber Aviation Regiment of Krakow was ordered by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to be awarded the Order of Kutuzov, 3rd Degree ^[14] .
• The 35th Bomber Aviation Regiment was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the Third Degree by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ^[14] .
• The 35th Bomber Aviation Regiment was awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky II Class by decree of the Presidium of the USSR Supreme Soviet ^[14] .
• The 38th bomber aviation Dembitsky regiment was awarded the Order of Kutuzov of the III degree by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ^[14] .
• The 38th bomber aviation Dembitsky regiment was awarded the Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky II degree by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR ^[14] .

Thanks to the Supreme Commander:

• For mastering the important economic and political center and the regional city of Ukraine, Lviv - a large railway junction and strategically important stronghold of the Germans' defense, covering the roads to the southern regions of Poland ^[15] .
• For the possession of the cities of Katowice , Siemianowice, Krulevsk Guta ( Koenigshütte ), Mikolow (Nikolai) and the town of Beuten in Silesia ^[16] in the Dombrowski coal district .
• For the liquidation of a group of German troops surrounded southeast of Berlin ^[17] .
• For the capture of the city and the fortress of Breslavl (Breslau) ^[18] .
• For the capture of the city of Dresden - an important road junction and a powerful stronghold of the German defense in Saxony ^[19] .

•   Bardeev Alexander Petrovich , Major, squadron commander of the 366th Near Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 219th Bomber Division of the 4th Air Army By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR dated December 13, 1942 was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold Star No. 591.
•   Boronin Ivan Konstantinovich , Major, squadron commander of the 366th Near Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 219th Bomber Division of the 4th Air Army By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR dated December 13, 1942, was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold Star No. 588.
•   Vazhinsky Alexander G. , major, squadron commander of the 6th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 219th Bomber Aviation Division of the 4th Bomber Aviation Corps of the 2nd Air Army By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR on June 27, 1945 was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold Star No. 7881.
•   Eroshenko Viktor Ivanovich , Major, Deputy Commander - Inspector-pilot on the technique of piloting and flight theory of the 35th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 219th Bomber Aviation Division of the 4th Bomber Aviation Corps of the 2nd Air Army By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR on June 27, 1945 awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold Star No. 7880.
•   Kozhemyakin Mikhail Stepanovich , major, navigator of the 38th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 219th Bomber Aviation Division of the 4th Bomber Aviation Corps of the 2nd Air Army By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR on June 27, 1945 was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold Star No. 7684.
•   Kozlov Valentin Georgievich , Major, squadron commander of the 6th Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 219th Bomber Aviation Division of the 4th Bomber Aviation Corps of the 2nd Air Army By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR on June 27, 1945 was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold Star No. 7578.
•   Semenishin Vladimir Grigoryevich , navigator of the 298th fighter aviation regiment of the 219th bomber aviation division of the 4th Air Army of the North Caucasus Front, major. By decree of the Supreme Council of the USSR on May 24, 1943 he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold star number 996.
•   Smirnov Nikolai Fedorovich , senior lieutenant, commanding officer of the 366th short-range bomber aviation regiment of the 219th bomber division of the 4th Air Army By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR dated May 1, 1943 was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Gold Star No. 1002.
•   Taranenko Ivan Andreevich , lieutenant colonel , commander of the 298th fighter aviation regiment of the 219th bomber aviation division of the 4th Air Army, was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union by decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on September 2, 1943. Gold star number 1096.
•   Emirov Valentin Allahiyarovich , commander of the 926th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 219th Bomber Aviation Division of the 4th Air Army of the Transcaucasian Front, captain. By a decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of December 13, 1942, Captain Emirov Valentin Allahiyarovich was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously) for exemplary performance of command missions and shown heroism and courage.

• Team of authors . World War II: Divisional Commanders. Military Biographical Dictionary / V.P. Goremykin. - M .: Kuchkovo field, 2014 .-- T. 2 .-- 992 p. - 1000 copies. - ISBN 978-5-9950-0341-0 .
• Kozhevnikov M.N. Command and headquarters of the Air Force of the Soviet Army in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945 .. - Moscow: Nauka, 1977. - 288 p. - 70,000 copies.
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• M. L. Dudarenko , Yu. G. Pereshnov , V. T. Eliseev et al. Liberation of cities: A guide to the liberation of cities during the Great Patriotic War of 1941–1945 / under the general. ed. Army General S.P. Ivanov. - Institute of Military History of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR. Central Archive of the Ministry of Defense of the USSR. - M: Military Publishing House, 1985 .-- 598 p. - (Reference). - 50,000 copies.
• Anokhin V. A., Bykov M. Yu. All Stalin's fighter aviation regiments. The first complete encyclopedia. - Popular science publication. - M .: Yauza-press, 2014 .-- S. 399. - 944 p. - 1,500 copies - ISBN 978-5-9955-0707-9 .

• List of operations of the armed forces of the USSR in World War II

• 219 bad combat performance
• Heroes of World War II
• Air force
• 219th Bomber Czestochowa Order of Suvorov and Kutuzov Aviation Division