Zhugan Nikolai Pavlovich

(February 23, 1917 - ...)
Hero of the Soviet Union. For Combat Service to the Fatherland Nikolai Pavlovich Zhugan adequately marked. Along with the Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union, he was awarded two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, World War I level, the Red Star. He - honorary citizen of the city of Krasnodar.
Born February 23, 1917 Nikolayev's Shiryaevskaya district of Odessa region. Father - Paul Zhugan Arsentyevich (1870. born.). Mother - Zhugan Akulina G. (1878. born.). Wife - Zhugan Tamara losifovna (1920. born.). Sons: Alexander (1945. born.) Igor (1947. born.). Daughter - Tatiana (1958. born.).

In 1934 Nicholas Zhugan graduated from high school, seven years and entered the Odessa College catering. In 1936 he became a student of the Kharkov school pilots Osoviahima. In 1937 - 1938 years of studying again, this time in the Odessa military school pilots.

In the war Nicholas Zhugan entered already having some experience in the aviation. But June 28, 1941, on the sixth day of the war and the sixth sortie, with its crew, the unexpected happened. A group of five IL-4, in which the lead was Captain N. Modestov, returning from a mission, got into a powerful storm front. Before entering the clouds gave the group a leading team to act independently.

Each crew began to look for a window to escape the storm clouds. Zhuganu unlucky. Poked a single window, but it was deceptive, and a few seconds later the plane fell into the cloud. The car has been throwing up to 100 meters - 150, then even stronger downward. The aircraft struck lightning strikes. This went on for seconds 20 - 30, has not yet fallen off tail.

Nicholas gave the crew to jump himself with great effort, opened canopy, and he was thrown from the plane. It remains to pull the parachute ring ...

This test is not finished. I land a strong wind blew, and Nicholas at first hard to "use" to the potato field, and then extended a further 50 meters - 60. As soon extinguished the canopy, lost consciousness. It turned out, but it hit the ground he got and ankle ligament rupture. Regained consciousness, when he found two women collective farmers. They took the office pilot. And there have been members of his crew: navigator, Lieutenant Vasil'chenko, gunner-radio operator and gunner Fetisov Alexandrov. They were all on the truck was sent to the railway station Bobruisk. There was a hospital train, and soon they were sent to the rear.

Nicholas Zhuganu had to be treated for two weeks, then he went to his regiment, which moved to Elec.

1942. Enemy troops were stopped at Leningrad, drove them from Moscow, and long-range bombers set a target to bomb Koenigsberg, Danzig, Tilsit, that is, to a large military-industrial sites in Eastern Prussia. It was good preparation for attacking deep rear of the enemy.

Had the opportunity to assist aviators and ground troops at Stalingrad: bomb the railway stations, airfields, troop concentrations and t. d. Help was effective. After the operation some of the regiments, including the 98-mu, which served H. Zhugan, was given the name Stalingradskoih.

In July 1943, the Supreme Commander summoned the commander of long-range aviation, General AE. Golovanov and ordered to deliver a powerful bomb on the lair of Nazis - Berlin. Golovanov replied that it was light and short-Noi, so the bombers were not enough dark time to the front line to reach the goal and go back. German fighters and antiaircraft artillery posbivayut them, and we remain without long-range aviation. Must podozhlat autumn. Stalin agreed. Soon the pilots were ordered to prepare for combat operations in the rear of the enemy.
The navigators and pilots preparing maps, radio operators mastered the table connection, technicians perform routine maintenance work on engines and aircraft. Gunsmiths made inscriptions on the heavy bombs: "Hitler's snacks," "Present the main fascist."

When the Battle of Kursk was approaching completion, the best trained crews, flew on airfields near Moscow Monino, Tushino Bykovo. They organized a thorough check of flight and technical personnel, materiel aircraft, special equipment, conducted training and consultation on long-range flights.

. At the end of August 1943 were ordered to fly to the airfield jump - Adreanopol and be prepared to perform combat tasks
. Other regiments identified airfields Toropov, Toropets. At the new location regiment with joy and a sense of great responsibility learned that their goal is to Berlin.

Nikolai Pavlovich scored high in the approach to the target 8500 meters. For 50 - 70 kilometers to Berlin enemy made a solid curtain of fire: the shells were exploding left, right, front, bottom. But the plane remained intact Zhugana. Fighters did not, the rays of searchlights that height is not reached.

Cheered on his mind when the pilots saw the bombs exploding in the lair of the enemy. The first goal came in carriages AI. Molodchiy and P.A. Tarana. They dropped heavy bombs, causing fires. In the air hung a few glowing bombs. At one large factory aiming dropped payloads navigator Zhugana NI. Kuroyedov.
They began to unfold in the back, and radioman N.T. Osmachko on airplane intercom read out telegrams from the crew Molodchiy: "Moscow, Kremlin, Comrade. Stalin. I am over Berlin, a task performed. Molodchiy.
A few days AI. Molodchiy Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR was awarded the second Gold Star of Hero, and his mate Kulikov was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
. As for Nicholas, it is the title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded in August 1944
. By the time he had already made 242 sorties in the exploration and the bombing of military and industrial targets deep in the enemy's rear.
In 1949, NP. Zhugan flight officer graduated from the High-technical school, and in 1958 - higher academic courses at the Military Academy of the General Staff. Commanded Bomber Division. In 1960, Air Force Major General NP. Zhugan left in stock.
For Combat Service to the Fatherland Nikolai Pavlovich Zhugan adequately marked. Along with the Gold Star of Hero of the Soviet Union, he was awarded two Orders of Lenin, two Orders of Red Banner, Order of Alexander Nevsky, World War I level, the Red Star. He - honorary citizen of the city of Krasnodar.
He lives in Krasnodar