(15. 11. 1922 - 16. 11. 1994)
Dr. Ivan G. rachenko airman attack 140-Guards Ground Attack Air Regiment. Born November 15, 1922 in the village of Great Sevastyanovka now Hristianovskogo region, Cherkasy region into a peasant family. Ukrainetz. Member of the CPSU since 1944. He graduated from high school and Leningrad flying club.
In the Red Army from April 1941. In summer 1943, he graduated from the Tambov Military Aviation School of Pilots and was sent to the front as a pilot-navigator.
. With tarshy pilot 140-Guards Ground Attack Air Regiment (8 Guards Ground Attack Air Division, 1 st Ground Attack Air Corps, 5 th Air Army, the Steppe Front) Guard Lieutenant Drachenko IG
. the Kursk Bulge completed 21 sorties, destroyed 3 tanks, 20 trucks carrying ammunition and manpower of the enemy, 4 antiaircraft guns, ammunition depot, a company of soldiers. Awarded the Order of the Red Star.
August 14, 1943 in the Kharkov region, saving the regimental commander, the IL-2 fighter rammed an enemy. Landed by parachute. At sea roach was seriously wounded. Unconscious captured. In the camp at Poltava, a Soviet doctor gave him a difficult operation, but the right eye could not be saved. In September 1943 he managed to escape and cross the front line. After treatment in a Moscow hospital in March 1944 he returned to his regiment. The medical documents did not mention the loss of eyes, and Drachenko began to fly again. He flew 34 more combat sorties, destroyed 8 tanks, 12 vehicles, 2 anti-aircraft batteries, ammunition depot, a company of soldiers. Awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of 1 degree.
April 6, 1944 at the time of departure for exploration was attacked by fighter 5 FW-190. In the severely damaged aircraft was able to hang on to the airfield and landing. For brought valuable razvetdannye awarded the Order of Glory 3 degrees (Decree of June 5, 1944).
June 26, 1944 Guard Lieutenant Drachenko flew led couples to explore an area of Iasi. In carrying out their assignment entered into combat with German fighters and repelled all their attacks. Then the train made a ground attack on a railway station Tuzira and intelligence back to their base. He was awarded the Order of Glory of 2 degree (Decree of 5 September 1944). Autumn of 1944 for 55 successful combat missions, was awarded the Order of Glory of 1 degree.
By August 1944, made 100 sorties of exploration, the destruction of manpower and equipment of the enemy. In 14 air battles shot down 5 enemy aircraft.
. W tion of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal Б• Б•? Ivan Grigorievich Drachenko awarded Oct. 26, 1944.
. Later distinguished himself in the Vistula-Oder and Berlin operations, for which he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner
. The war ended with the rank of "Captain."
. In this made 151 sorties, 24 aircraft shot down 5 aircraft fighting the enemy, and 9 destroyed on the ground, broke the 4 bridges, destroyed much equipment and manpower.
. Fter the war entered the Air Force Academy, but in 1947 for health transferred to the reserve
. In 1953 he graduated from Kiev State University, then graduate school. He worked as director of the school for working youth Б•ї 43, then deputy director of the Culture Palace "Ukraine" in Kiev. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, Red Banner, 2 orders of the Patriotic War of 1 degree, the Order of the Red Star, the Glory 1, 2 and 3 degrees, medals. Died Nov. 16, 1994.
Compositions:
On the wings of courage. - M.: DOOSAAF, 1986.
For the sake of life on earth. - 2 ed. - Kiev: "Young", 1980.
Biography provided by AE Melnikov
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Sources:
1) Aircraft: Encyclopedia. - Moscow: Great Encyclopedia of Russia, 1994.
2) The immortal feats. - Moscow: Military Publishing, 1980
3) Bundyukov A.T. Soldiers did not seek fame. - M.: DOSAAF, 1981.
4) The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945: Events. People. Dokumenty.-Politizd.1990
5) The Great Patriotic War 1941-1945: Entsik.-M.: Sov.entsiklopediya, 1985.
6) The Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945: P-ref. Ed. MM Kir'yanova. M: P.1990
7) Heroes of the Soviet Union: A Brief Biographical Dictionary. V.1. M.: Voeniz.1987.
8) Krasovskii SA. Life in aviation. - Minsk: Belarus, 1978.
9) Wings of the Motherland. - M.: DOSAAF, 1983.
10) On the verge of a possible. - 2 ed., Corr. and additional. - M.: "Limb", 1993.
11) Ryazanov, LA, Chesnokov NI. Guards commander. case "oozes". - M.: Mos.rabochy 1983
