Klavdia Fomicheva

Klavdia Yakovlevna Fomicheva (; 25 December, 1917 6 October, 1958) was a squadron commander in the 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment during the Second World War who was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 18 August, 1945.

Early years Fomicheva was born in Moscow, but spent her entire childhood in Znamenka village (Dankovsky District, Lipetsk Oblast). Her father died in a year after her birth and later her elder brother Valentin, who was the primary breadwinner of the family after father's death, also died, so the family suffered severe material hardships.

In 1931 after graduating from a seven-year comprehensive school she was hired as a bookkeeper's apprentice while studying in a banking school. Upon graduation she became an accounting associate in the Gosbank. She took pleasure in hiking, mountaineering and other sports. In 1936 Fomicheva joined glider club. Her skills were so good in it that she was invited to participate at the paramilitary flying club. By 1938 she was qualified as a flight instructor and in 1938-1941 trained young people in a flying club in Reutov.

Military career Second World War On 22 June 1941, the first day the Third Reich invaded the USSR, Fomicheva volunteered for the frontline flying service and was accepted by the 122nd Aviation Group - a special women's unit under the command of Marina Raskova. Initially, she opted to train as a fighter pilot but Raskova, after examination of her abilities, decided to assign her to the 587th Bombardment Aviation Regiment, intended to operate the Sukhoi Su-2 light bomber. The regiment later received the Guards designation and was renamed the 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment. She took her military and tactical training in the Engels Military Flying School in the Saratov Oblast. The unit ended up using Petlyakov Pe-2 bombers instead of Sukhoi Su-2 light bombers. By January 1943, when the 587th first engaged in combat, Fomicheva was a flight commander and the vice-commander of her squadron. Later she took command of the squadron.

On 23 June 1944, in the second sortie of the day, Fomicheva's aircraft was hit by enemy flak when approaching the target, setting the left engine aflame and killing her gunner. Fomicheva herself had her leg severely wounded but continued the mission and dropped the bombs on the target. She then turned the burning aircraft back towards the frontline to avoid capture by the enemy, flying until she got over friendly territory. She bailed out at an altitude of no more than 200 meters, but not before making sure that her navigator Galina Dzhunkovskaya successfully parachuted to safety. Both she and Dzhunkovskaya suffered serious burns. On 15 July 1944, Fomicheva resumed flying.

Involvement in politics Fomicheva became a member of the Communist Party in 1944, and in 1945 she participated in the founding Women's International Democratic Federation congress in Paris.

Awards and decorations Hero of the Soviet Union (18 August 1945) Order of Lenin (18 August 1945) Two Orders of the Red Banner (5 September 1943 and 28 June 1944) Order of the Red Star (4 May 1943) Medal "For Battle Merit" (19 November 1951) Campaign medals Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus" Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg" Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945"

Memory Streets in Moscow and Dankov are named after Fomicheva.

Footnotes