Lavrinenkov, Vladimir Dmitrievich

Lavrinenkov, Vladimir Dmitrievich 

Born May 17,1919, in Ptakhino, now in Pochinok Raion, Smolensk Oblast. Soviet military commander; colonel general of aviation (1971); twice Hero of the Soviet Union (May 1, 1943, and July 1, 1944). Member of the CPSU since 1942.

Lavrinenkov graduated from the Chuguev Military Aviation school in 1941, the M. V. Frunze Military Academy in 1948, and the K. E. Voroshilov Higher Military Academy in 1954. In the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) he saw combat on the Western, Voronezh, Stalingrad, Southern, and Third and First Byelorussian fronts as flight and squadron commander (1942–44) and commander of the 9th Guards Fighter Air Regiment (1944–45). Lavrinenkov made 448 combat sorties, fought in 134 air battles, and personally shot down 35 enemy aircraft and 11 in group combat. In August 1943, while ramming an enemy aircraft, he made a parachute jump and was seized by the Hitlerites, but he escaped to the partisans and rejoined his unit. After the war he held responsible positions in the air force.

Lavrinenkov has been awarded the Order of Lenin, six Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, and various medals. A bust of Lavrinenkov has been erected in the city of Pochinok, Smolensk Oblast.