Nikolai Pasko

Nikolai Fyodorovich Pasko (; 12 December 1918 - 16 July 1982) was a pilot officer and flying ace of the Soviet Air Force, and a colonel of the Soviet Army. He served during the Second World War and Korean Wars, and was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union in 1945.

Biography Nikolai Pasko was born on 12 December 1918 in the village of (now in Kharkiv Oblast, Ukraine). After graduating from seven classes of school, he worked as a mechanic at a factory. He studied at the flying club, graduated from the school of instructor pilots. In December 1939, Pasko was called up for service in the Red Army. Since October 1942 he participated in the battles of the Great Patriotic War.

In March 1945, Senior Lieutenant Nikolai Pasko commanded a squadron of the 28th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the of the of the 3rd Air Army of the 3rd Belorussian Front. By that time, he had made 265 sorties, took part in 32 air battles, shot down 15 enemy aircraft, and inflicted heavy losses on the enemy during air raids. He lived and worked first in his native village, where he was elected chairman of the collective farm, then in Kharkiv. He died on 16 July 1982, was buried at the Kharkov city cemetery No. 4.

He was awarded the Order of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Star, the Orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree and the Red Star, a number of medals (“For the Capture of Koenigsberg”, “For Military Merit”, etc.).