Leonid Ignatyevich Beda (; 16 August 1920 – 26 December 1976) was a ground-attack squadron commander in the Soviet Air Forces during the Second World War who went on to become a Lieutenant-General of Aviation. He completed over 214 sorties on the

Ilyushin Il-2 The Ilyushin Il-2 ( Russian: Илью́шин Ил-2) is a ground-attack plane that was produced by the Soviet Union in large numbers during the Second World War. The word ''shturmovík'' (Cyrillic: штурмовик), the generic Russian term ...

during the war, for which he was twice 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 ...

Early life

Beda was born to a Ukrainian family in Novopokrovka village of the RSFSR, which is currently located in Kazakhstan. After completing his seventh grade of school in 1936 he attended an aeroclub and the Ural Pedagogical Institute, which he graduated from in 1940. That year he entered the Soviet military and was sent to the Chkalov Military School of Pilots.

World War II

Beda graduated from the Chkalov Military School of Pilots in 1942, after which he was deployed to the warfront in August as a Sergeant. During a mission on 14 September 1942 he was wounded. Initially he served within the 568th Assault Aviation Regiment, but he was soon transferred to the 505th Assault Aviation Regiment, which was honored with the

Guards designation Guards units () were elite units and formations in the Soviet Armed Forces that continue to exist in the Russian Armed Forces and other post-Soviet states. These units were awarded Guards status after distinguishing themselves in wartime service ...

and renamed the 75th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment in March 1943. That same month he was promoted to the rank of Senior Lieutenant, after having participated in the

Battle of Stalingrad The Battle of Stalingrad ; see . rus, links=on, Сталинградская битва, r=Stalingradskaya bitva, p=stəlʲɪnˈɡratskəjə ˈbʲitvə. (17 July 19422 February 1943) was a major battle on the Eastern Front of World War II, ...

. At the start of the war Beda was a Sergeant, but he quickly rose through the ranks and by the end of the war he was a squadron commander with the rank of Major. In April 1944 he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for completing 144 sorties, and in June 1945 he was awarded the title again for the completion of 214 sorties.

Postwar

After the end of the war in 1945 Beda attended the

Lipetsk fighter-pilot school The Lipetsk fighter-pilot school (), also known as WIWUPAL from its German codename ''Wissenschaftliche Versuchs- und Personalausbildungsstation'' "Scientific Experimental and Personnel Training Station", was a secret training school for fighter pi ...

. He was then assigned to work in the Belarusian Military District until 1947. In 1950 he graduated from the Air Force Academy in Monino. He was then appointed as commander of an aviation regiment and then as deputy commander of an aviation division within the Turkestan Military District. In 1957 he graduated from the Academy of General Staff. He then commanded an aviation division in Grodno, Belarus. He was promoted to the rank of Major-general in 1960. In the 1960s he served as the deputy commander of the 26th Air Army. In February 1972 he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant-General and made commander of the 26th Air Army. In addition to serving in military aviation, Beda served as a deputy in the Supreme Soviet of the Byelorussian SSR of the 5th and 9th convocations and became a member of the Central Committee of the

Communist Party of Belarus The Communist Party of Belarus (CPB or KPB; ; ) is a communist and Marxist–Leninist political party in Belarus. The party was created in 1996 and supports the government of president Alexander Lukashenko. The leader of the party is Sergei S ...

in 1976. He died at the age of 56 in a car crash on 26 December 1976 in the Minsk area and was buried in the Vostochnoye Cemetery.

Awards

(26 October 1944 and 29 June 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 ...

(26 October 1944) * Four

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 ...

(30 August 1943, 1 November 1943, 24 October 1944, 22 February 1968) *

Order of Alexander Nevsky The Order of Alexander Nevsky () is an Order (distinction), order of merit of the Russia, Russian Federation named in honour of saint Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263) and bestowed to civil servants for twenty years or more of highly meritorious ser ...

(3 July 1944) *

Order of the Patriotic War The Order of the Patriotic War () is a Soviet Union, Soviet military Order (decoration), decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to Partisan (military), partisans for heroic deeds in the Easte ...

1st Class (19 April 1945) *

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 ...

(10 December 1942) *

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 ...

(15 November 1951) *

Honoured Military Pilot of the USSR The Title of honor, Honorary Title "Honoured Military Pilot of the USSR" () was a state military award of the Soviet Union established on January 26, 1965, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet No. 3230-VI to recognise and reward excel ...

(17 August 1971)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Beda, Leonid 1920 births 1976 deaths People from Uzunkol District People from Turgay Oblast (Russian Empire) Members of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Byelorussia Soviet Air Force generals Soviet lieutenant generals Soviet military personnel of World War II from Ukraine Heroes of the Soviet Union Recipients of the Order of Lenin Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Recipients of the Order of Alexander Nevsky

Early life

World War II

Postwar

Awards

See also

References