Klavdia Yakovlevna Fomicheva (; 25 December, 1917 6 October, 1958) was a squadron commander in the

125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment The 125th Borisov Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment named after Marina Raskova () was one of the three Soviet women's aviation regiments founded by Marina Raskova at the start of the Second World War. The unit was founded as the 587th Bomber Aviatio ...

during the

Second World War World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

who was awarded the title

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union () was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society. The title was awarded both ...

on 18 August, 1945.

Early years

Fomicheva was born in

Moscow Moscow is the Capital city, capital and List of cities and towns in Russia by population, largest city of Russia, standing on the Moskva (river), Moskva River in Central Russia. It has a population estimated at over 13 million residents with ...

, but spent her entire childhood in Znamenka village (

Dankovsky District Dankovsky District () is an administrativeLaw #382-OZ and municipalLaw #114-OZ district (raion), one of the eighteen in Lipetsk Oblast, Russia. It is located in the north of the oblast. The area of the district is . Its administrative center is th ...

Lipetsk Oblast Lipetsk Oblast () is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast). Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Lipetsk. As of the Russian Census (2021), 2021 Census, its population was&n ...

). Her father died in a year after her birth and later her elder brother Valentin, who was the primary breadwinner of the family after father's death, also died, so the family suffered severe material hardships. In 1931 after graduating from a seven-year comprehensive school she was hired as a bookkeeper's apprentice while studying in a

banking A bank is a financial institution that accepts Deposit account, deposits from the public and creates a demand deposit while simultaneously making loans. Lending activities can be directly performed by the bank or indirectly through capital m ...

school. Upon graduation she became an accounting associate in the

Gosbank The State Bank of the USSR (), known as the State Bank of the RSFSR from 1921 to 1923, and commonly referred to as Gosbank (), was the central bank and main component of the single-tier banking system of the Soviet Union. It replaced the State Ban ...

. She took pleasure in

hiking A hike is a long, vigorous walk, usually on trails or footpaths in the countryside. Walking for pleasure developed in Europe during the eighteenth century. Long hikes as part of a religious pilgrimage have existed for a much longer time. "Hi ...

mountaineering Mountaineering, mountain climbing, or alpinism is a set of outdoor activities that involves ascending mountains. Mountaineering-related activities include traditional outdoor climbing, skiing, and traversing via ferratas that have become mounta ...

and other sports. In 1936 Fomicheva joined glider club. Her skills were so good in it that she was invited to participate at the

paramilitary A paramilitary is a military that is not a part of a country's official or legitimate armed forces. The Oxford English Dictionary traces the use of the term "paramilitary" as far back as 1934. Overview Though a paramilitary is, by definiti ...

flying club. By 1938 she was qualified as a

flight instructor A flight instructor is a person who teaches others to operate aircraft. Specific privileges granted to holders of a flight instructor qualification vary from country to country, but very generally, a flight instructor serves to enhance or evaluate ...

and in 1938-1941 trained young people in a

flying club A flying club or aero club is a non-profit organization, not-for-profit, member-run organization that provides its members with affordable access to aircraft. Many clubs also provide flight training, flight planning facilities, pilot supplies and ...

Reutov Reutov ( ) is a town in Moscow Oblast, Russia, located east of Moscow. Population: History The exact date of Reutov's foundation is unknown; however, most historians believe that it was founded between 1492 and 1495. In the 17th-18th centurie ...

Military career

Second World War

On 22 June 1941, the first day the

Third Reich Nazi Germany, officially known as the German Reich and later the Greater German Reich, was the German state between 1933 and 1945, when Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party controlled the country, transforming it into a totalitarian dictat ...

invaded the USSR, Fomicheva volunteered for the frontline flying service and was accepted by the 122nd Aviation Group - a special women's unit under the command of

Marina Raskova Marina Mikhaylovna Raskova ( rus, Мари́на Миха́йловна Раско́ва, , mɐˈrʲinə mʲɪˈxajləvnə rɐˈskovə; née Malinina; 28 March 1912 – 4 January 1943) was the first woman in the Soviet Union to achieve the diplom ...

. Initially, she opted to train as a fighter pilot but Raskova, after examination of her abilities, decided to assign her to the 587th Bombardment Aviation Regiment, intended to operate the

Sukhoi Su-2 The Sukhoi Su-2 () is a Soviet reconnaissance and light bomber aircraft used in the early stages of World War II. It was the first airplane designed by Pavel Sukhoi. The basic design received an engine and armament upgrade (Su-4) and was modi ...

light bomber. The regiment later received the Guards designation and was renamed the 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment. She took her military and tactical training in the

Engels Friedrich Engels ( ;"Engels"
''

Saratov Oblast Saratov Oblast is a federal subjects of Russia, federal subject of Russia (an oblast), located in the Volga Federal District. Its administrative center is the types of inhabited localities in Russia, city of Saratov. As of the 2021 Russian cens ...

. The unit ended up using

Petlyakov Pe-2 The Petlyakov Pe-2 ( — nickname «Пешка» (Pawn); NATO reporting name: Buck) was a Soviet Union, Soviet twin-engine dive bomber used during World War II. One of the outstanding tactical attack aircraft of the war,Ethell 1996, p. 152. it ...

bombers instead of

light bombers. By January 1943, when the 587th first engaged in combat, Fomicheva was a

flight Flight or flying is the motion (physics), motion of an Physical object, object through an atmosphere, or through the vacuum of Outer space, space, without contacting any planetary surface. This can be achieved by generating aerodynamic lift ass ...

commander and the vice-commander of her squadron. Later she took command of the squadron. On 17 September 1943, Fomicheva's aircraft was damaged by enemy

flak Anti-aircraft warfare (AAW) is the counter to aerial warfare and includes "all measures designed to nullify or reduce the effectiveness of hostile air action".AAP-6 It encompasses surface-based, subsurface ( submarine-launched), and air-bas ...

and her face was wounded by fragments of the cockpit's glazing. Since her navigator was severely wounded and incapable of bailing out, Fomicheva could not leave the aircraft and had to land it on the airfield of a Soviet fighter unit near the frontline. There was an aircraft on the main

runway In aviation, a runway is an elongated, rectangular surface designed for the landing and takeoff of an aircraft. Runways may be a human-made surface (often asphalt concrete, asphalt, concrete, or a mixture of both) or a natural surface (sod, ...

, so she made the landing beside the main runway. When the landing run a wheel of Fomicheva's aircraft got into a bomb crater, the plane nosed-over and caught fire. Fomicheva suffered severe injuries (including fractures in six ribs) and burns. Airfield personnel helped the crew escape the burning aircraft. By January 1944, Fomicheva recovered from her injuries and resumed flying.Hero of the Soviet Union Recommendation
/ref> On 23 June 1944, in the second sortie of the day, Fomicheva's aircraft was hit by enemy flak when approaching the target, setting the left engine aflame and killing her gunner. Fomicheva herself had her leg severely wounded but continued the mission and dropped the bombs on the target. She then turned the burning aircraft back towards the frontline to avoid capture by the enemy, flying until she got over friendly territory. She bailed out at an altitude of no more than 200 meters, but not before making sure that her navigator Galina Dzhunkovskaya successfully parachuted to safety. Both she and Dzhunkovskaya suffered serious burns. On 15 July 1944, Fomicheva resumed flying. By December 1944, Fomicheva had flown 55 combat missions with 46,750 kg of bombs dropped. Her subordinates and superiors appreciated her performance as a pilot and as a squadron commander, as she was instrumental in a number of instances in reducing or preventing losses of aircrew. She also was responsible for missions critical for the success of ground forces' operations by destroying valuable enemy assets and targets On 23 December 1944 Fomicheva's command recommended her for the title of the Hero of Soviet Union, which she received on 18 August 1945.

Postwar

After the war Fomicheva served as an instructor at the

Air Force Academy An air force academy or air academy is a national institution that provides initial officer training, possibly including undergraduate level education, to air force officer cadets who are preparing to be commissioned officers in a national air forc ...

and later at

Borisoglebsk Borisoglebsk () is a town in Voronezh Oblast, Russia, located on the left bank of the Vorona River near its confluence with the Khopyor. Population: 65,000 (1969). History Borisoglebsk was founded in 1646 and was named for the Russian s ...

Military Flying School. By 1955 she retired with the rank of lieutenant-colonel, but she died only a few years later on 6 October 1958 after a prolonged illness that left her bedridden; she was buried in the

Novodevichy Cemetery Novodevichy Cemetery () is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist site. History The cemetery was designed by Ivan Mashkov and inaugurated ...

Involvement in politics

Fomicheva became a member of the Communist Party in 1944, and in 1945 she participated in the founding

Women's International Democratic Federation The Women's International Democratic Federation (WIDF) is an international women's rights organization. Established in 1945, it was most active during the Cold War when, according to historian Francisca de Haan, it was "the largest and probably ...

congress in Paris.

Awards and decorations

(18 August 1945) *

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (, ) was an award named after Vladimir Lenin, the leader of the October Revolution. It was established by the Central Executive Committee on 6 April 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration bestowed by the Soviet ...

(18 August 1945) * Two

Orders of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner () was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of the All-Russian Central Executive Committee. It was the highest award of Sovi ...

(5 September 1943 and 28 June 1944) *

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 1930 but its statute was only defined in decree of the Presidium of the ...

(4 May 1943) *

Medal "For Battle Merit" The Medal "For Battle Merit" () was a Soviet military medal awarded for "combat action resulting in a military success", "courageous defense of the state borders", or "successful military and political training and preparation". It was created on ...

(19 November 1951) ; Campaign medals: :*

Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" The Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" () was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union. Medal history The Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" was established on December 22, 1942 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet o ...

Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" The Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" () was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union. Medal history The Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" was established on May 1, 1944, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet o ...

Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg" The Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg" () was a World War II campaign medal of the Soviet Union established on June 9, 1945 by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to satisfy the petition of the People's Commissariat for ...

Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" The Medal "For the Victory Over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" () was a military decoration of the Soviet Union established on May 9, 1945, by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to denote military partici ...

Memory

Streets in Moscow and

Dankov Dankov () is a town and the administrative center of Dankovsky District in Lipetsk Oblast, Russia, located on the Don River northwest of Lipetsk, the administrative center of the oblast. Population: It was previously known as ''Donkov''. Histor ...

are named after Fomicheva.

Footnotes

References

Bibliography

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Fomicheva, Klavdia 1917 births 1958 deaths Soviet military personnel of World War II Heroes of the Soviet Union Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Military personnel from Moscow Soviet World War II bomber pilots Women air force personnel of the Soviet Union Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery Soviet women aviators