Grachev, Alexey Ivanovich

Born in a peasant family. Russian. Father died in the First World War, mother died of typhoid. He was brought up in an orphanage.
In the Navy since 1935. He graduated from the Yeisk school of sea pilots. Since 1937, foreman, pilot of the 71st separate aviation detachment of the Baltic Fleet . He participated in the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940, made 34 sorties. Member of the CPSU since 1944

With the beginning of World War II at the front. From September 1941 to May 1942 he was at the formation of the 73rd KBF diving regiment , studied a new material unit, then fought again. Since October 1942, A. I. Grachev - pilot of the 15th separate reconnaissance air regiment of the KBF , commanding officer of the 44th squadron .

In total, during the war he made more than 420 sorties for bombing ships, naval bases, for reconnaissance of sea and land communications, aerial photography of naval bases, airfields, the front line of defense and the location of enemy artillery batteries on the Leningrad front .

Aleksey Grachev was the first pilot in the Baltic to take on the development of a new technique - the diving bomber Pe-2 , carried out reconnaissance experimental flights lasting up to 5 hours, and set records on the range and duration of flights on it. Faced with enemy fighters 35 times, conducted 7 air battles, twice brought a burning plane from enemy territory and landed on water, saving the crew’s life. A.I. Grachev destroyed 4 artillery batteries, a train, sank 2 fast landing barges, damaged 2 patrol boats, a submarine and an enemy patrol ship, scattered 3.5 million campaign sheets on its territory. According to him, 6 enemy transports were sunk.

From the characteristics of the commander of the air force of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, Lieutenant General Samokhin:

At 420 landings during the period of World War II, there was not a single breakdown or materiel accident. Flies under any conditions and at night, does not allow cases of loss of orientation and non-fulfillment of combat missions.

He died on May 8, 1945 during a reconnaissance mission on the number of German ships seen at sea. A group of German pilots flew to Flensburg , where they surrendered to the British. During this flight over the Baltic Sea , Lieutenant Gerhard Tiben in the Liepaja region discovered and shot down a reconnaissance aircraft Pe-2 , the crew of which contained two Heroes of the Soviet Union - pilot Alexei Grachev and navigator Grigory Davidenko . Tiben’s victory was confirmed not only by his slave sergeant major Friedrich Hangebrauck ( German: Friedrich Hangebrauck ), but also by his mechanic flying in his Fokke-Wulf .

• Hero of the Soviet Union , November 5, 1944 - for excellent reconnaissance and aerial photography, exemplary performance of command tasks;
• Order of Lenin ;
• 3 orders of the Red Banner (according to other sources - 4 orders);
• Order of the Patriotic War of 1 degree;
• medals.

The fishing trawler was named after Alexei Grachev; school and street in the village of Yagodnoye, Stavropol district, Samara region. In Togliatti , one of the city streets is named after the pilot.

• Lobanova N.G. Stavropol: Front and Fate (collection of essays) . - Tolyatti, 2000. Archived on June 5, 2011. Archived June 5, 2011 on Wayback Machine

• Grachev, Alexey Ivanovich (Russian) . Site " Heroes of the country ".
• Biographical guide to aviation. Grachev Alexey Ivanovich (neopr.) . Date of treatment April 1, 2008. Archived February 25, 2012.
• Hero of the Soviet Union Alexei Ivanovich Grachev (neopr.) (Pdf). City Hall of Togliatti (December 21, 2009). Date of treatment May 8, 2014.
• People and planes. Who is who (neopr.) . Date of treatment April 1, 2008. Archived February 25, 2012.
• Aviation Encyclopedia "Corner of the sky." Franz Eisenach (neopr.) . Ases of the Second World War . Date of treatment April 1, 2008. Archived February 25, 2012.