(28. 3. 1913 - 14. 12. 1944)
With tepanyan G. Nelson, commander of the regiment attack aircraft. Born March 28, 1913 in Shusha (Karabakh) in the family of an employee. The Armenian. In 1935 graduated from the School of Civil Bataisk fleet.
In the early days of the Great Patriotic sent to the Black Sea Fleet. His combat history began in the 46-second attack squadron in the Nikolaev and Odessa. At 20-m radius of attack during the next Nelson was wounded by anti-aircraft rounds, but managed to hang on his damaged car to the airport. After the hospital in August 1941 fought in the 57 th Attack Aviation Regiment Baltic Fleet Air Force at the approaches to Leningrad.
. In Leningrad, he made the sky more than 60 combat missions and, together with a link to their destroyed and brought down 8 tanks, about 90 vehicles, more than 60 anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, a lot of other equipment.
. W tion of the Hero of the Soviet Union commander of the 57 th Attack Aviation Regiment (8 th BAB, . Air Baltic Fleet), Captain Nelson Stepanian Georgievich awarded Oct. 23, 1942 for excellent performance of tasks of command.,
. In November, 1942 Stepanian becomes a squadron commander 57 th Wang, who in March next year, one of the first in the Navy, was renamed 7-Guards.
. Shortly Stepanian withdrawing from the front
. He is appointed to prepare cadres for training flight commander of the military - the Air Force of the Baltic Fleet, and later the Higher Air Force Officers' Course of the Navy.
. Persistence air Asa finally had an effect, and in April 1944, Nelson Stepanyan appointed commander of the 47 th Air Force Wang Black Sea Fleet
. The regiment at this time of fiercely fought the enemy in the sky of the Crimea and Kuban. With the move involved in militant work, and had just arrived his new commander.
After persistent requests for transfers to the front in April 1944, Nelson Stepanyan appointed commander of the 47 th Air Force Wang Black Sea Fleet. The regiment at this time fought with the enemy in the sky of the Crimea and Kuban. With the move involved in militant work, and had just arrived his new commander.
. W and the Crimean operations regiment Stepanian destroyed 8 Transport, 12-speed landing barges, 9 patrol boats, more than 3000 soldiers and officers
. Remaining faithful to its principle - to teach subordinates by example - Nelson Stepanyan he led his regiment into battle. So, April 16, 1944, while leading a group of 12 "IL's", he sank in the vicinity of Sudak, once 3-speed landing barges. May 22 participated in the defeat rises from Sevastopol to Rumania blocked the convoy, sinking himself with German transport. In this case the aircraft commander of the regiment was heavily damaged: cut off the left aileron and stabilizer of. However, despite this, Stepanian failed to meet before the end of the military task and bring your broken "IL" to the airfield. For successful action during the liberation of Theodosius 47 th Wang was awarded the honorary title "Theodosia," and this was also a considerable merit of his commander.
After the liberation of the Crimea Stepanian regiment was transferred to the Baltic. As soon as flights to the new location, attack aircraft Stepanian immediately engaged in battle. They continually deliver crushing blows to the enemy floating craft in Navarre, and Gulf of Vyborg, raided his base. A short time, 47-th regiment destroyed 30 Nazi ships and vessels. Merit and honor, and therefore July 22, 1944 Fleet Commander Admiral Tributs solemnly affixed to the operations of the regiment flag of the Red Banner Order. From now on, the regiment became the Red Banner.
By August 1944 the commander of the 47 th Wang (11-I Schad, Baltic Fleet Air Force), Lieutenant Stepanian made 239 sorties. He personally sank a whole squadron: destroyer, . Two patrol ships, . minesweeper, . 2 torpedo boats and 5 Transport, . total displacement of more than 80 000 tons! In addition, during shturmovok destroyed up to 5000 soldiers and officers of the enemy, . broke 4 crossings, . caused more than 80 explosions and 70 fires,
. After more than 30 air battles, he shot down 2 bomber Ju.88, and besides this shot and bombed on the ground another 25 aircraft of various types. During this same time, the pilots of his regiment flew about 1500 sorties, sank over 50 ships and vessels of the enemy, shot down in aerial combat 13 enemy planes.
. December 14, 1944 Nelson Stepanyan led a group of his "IL's" for bombing - assault attack on Libau (Liepaja) port
. The commander of the regiment led the first group was to suppress the coastal and naval anti-aircraft artillery. The second group meanwhile had to break through to transport and deal with them. Already at the very approach to the objectives of the planes Nelson Stepanian were suddenly attacked at once by 30 enemy fighters. Bitter and transient dogfight. A few minutes later the lead aircraft, which first ran bravely in the counterattack, covering the rest, was set on fire and fell into the sea. Thus perished H. G. Stepanian and a former navigator with 2 Squadron, 47 th Aviation Regiment, Captain A. G. Rumyantsev.
. March 6, 1945, for his able leadership of the regiment and personal courage in battles with enemies, Nelson Stepanian was posthumously awarded a second medal "Gold Star".
. Awarded 2 orders of Lenin and 3 of the Red Banner
. Monuments erected to the hero at home in Shusha and in Liepaja. His name and wore a large freezer trawler trawler fleet Riga. Bust of Hero is set in the city of Yerevan.
With the departure of the fleet Rossiyskogo Latvian local authorities have demanded to take away with him and a monument to the famous aviator, threatening otherwise its destruction ... Monument to Nelson Stepanian was transported to Kaliningrad, where it is now.
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. Sources:
.
1) Red Hawks. 2) Heroes of the Great Patriotic War
. Issue IV. 1974
3) Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary. V.2. M.: Voeniz.1988.
