(3. 3. 1906 - 7. 4. 1941)
M ikhailov Leonid V. Captain - Commander of Squadron 10-second speed bombardirovochnogopolka (41-Mixed Air Division, Northern Front). Born March 3, 1906 in St. Petersburg in the family working. Russian. Member of the CPSU (b) since 1932. In 1918 with his parents moved to the village Shestkovo Kalinin (now Tver ') area. Graduated from the 7 classes. He worked as a shepherd. In the Red Army in 1928. Served in a separate communication company in Great Luke. In 1932 he graduated from the Leningrad military aviation theoretical school in 1933 - 14 th Engels military school pilots. In 1934 he graduated from Kaczynskis aviation training flight commander, and was then sent for further service in the 10 th high-speed bomber regiment, stationed at Gatchina, near Leningrad. Member of the Soviet-Finnish war of 1939-1940 the. Taking part in breaking the Mannerheim Line, carried out 74 sorties.
He was awarded the Order of Lenin and Red Banner. Order of the Minister of Defense from January 7, 1959 Captain Mikhailov ever enrolled in the lists of 1 st Squadron, one of the aviation regiments.
. W tion of the Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and medal "Gold Star" Leonid Vasil'evich Mikhailov posthumously awarded the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 22 July 1941
. For repeat feat Gastello.
In as much as World War II found him in Gatchina. June 22, along with the squadron was relocated to the airfield near Luga. Squadron Captain LV Mikhailov, 4 July 1941 at 10.00, left headed nines SB with the task to bomb an enemy convoy, heading along the road Rezekne-Ostrov. The pilots discovered a column of tanks and vehicles, 6 km from Rezekne. At the command Mikhailova squadron lay on the combat course. Unexpectedly, our bombers were attacked by six Me-109. Bombers were tight formation. Arrows opened fire and repulsed the attack, shooting down two "Messerschmitt". German anti-aircraft artillery opened fire on the aircraft leading. From a direct hit him thrown up. Behind him stretched plume of black smoke. But Mikhailov continued to lead the squadron to the target. The commander of the first bomb dropped, after it bombed a convoy of the whole squadron. After the attack Mikhailov tried to slip to bring down the flames, but failed. The fire had already covered the whole machine. Leave the bomber with a parachute meant to be in the hands of the Nazis.
- Zhyvoloup! Take Command! - Broadcast a squadron commander of his deputy. - We go for Gastello!
In the eyes of his subordinates Mikhailov sent burning aircraft on the concentration of enemy equipment. High has shot a bright flame, for a moment ahead of the rumbling explosions ... Together with him died the navigator Captain GV Levenec-radio operator and gunner Sergeant ID Sheremet'ev. Having made a farewell round, bombers lined up in battle order and returned to their base. At the memorial meeting frontage friends vowed to take revenge on the enemy for their fallen comrades.
A 1975 assuring the young rangers from the detachment of the "Search" Daugavpils furniture factory to establish the exact place of death of the crew Mikhailova. Among the villagers Rubenyaty Ostrovsky district of the Pskov region had an eyewitness of the heroic deed of the Soviet pilots, who, under cover of night to reach the place of the fiery battering ram, was found and buried the remains of the dead. After the war, they were reburied in a mass grave. At the site where the crew installed a marble obelisk.
Biography provided by AE Melnikov