Vasily Reshetnikov

Vasily Vasilyevich Reshetnikov (; 23 December 1919 – 20 March 2023) was a Soviet pilot who served during World War II. Reshetnikov flew 307 missions, mainly as a pilot of a long-range bomber, and in the summer of 1943, received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

World War II Following the outbreak of Operation Barbarossa in June 1941, he served in the 751st Separate Night Long-Range Bomber Regiment, which was tasked with striking at targets in the enemy's deep rear, while flying an Ilyushin Il-4 bomber. He became a member of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1942.

Reshetnikov's plane was shot down twice. The first time was in February 1942, near the front line, when he bombed the Balbasovo Airfield near Orsha. When he was shot down the second time, it took more than a week for him to get out of the enemy's rear. In 1943, he took part in the liberation of his hometown from the German invaders.

Reshetnikov completed his 307th and last combat mission on 16 April 1945. He ended the war as deputy regiment commander.

In 1954, at his own request and with the support of the Commander of Long-Range Aviation, Chief Marshal of Aviation Alexander Novikov, he became a student of the Higher Military Academy named after K. E. Voroshilov. He graduated from the academy in 1956, and was appointed to the position of division commander. In the spring of 1959, he set a new unofficial world record for the flight range of 17,150 kilometers within closed curve, surpassing the American record by 2,700 kilometers. He spent 20 hours at the helm.

He became the deputy commander, and from December 1957 to December 1960, he was the commander of the 106th Heavy Air Bomber Division in Uzyn, which consisted of Tu-95 strategic bombers. From 1960 to 1961, he served as deputy commander, and from June 1961 to September 1968, he served as commander of the 2nd Independent Heavy Bomber Aviation Regiment in Vinnytsia. From the years 1966 to 1971, he was a member of the Communist Party of Ukraine Audit Committee, and from 1963 to 1971 a deputy to the Supreme Council of the Ukrainian SSR for the 6th and 7th terms.

From September 1968 to January 1969, he was the deputy commander, and from January 1969 to November 1980, he was the commander of the USSR Long Range Aviation branch. From 1980 to 1986, he served as deputy commander-in-chief of the Soviet Air Force. He retired from active duty in 1986. He died on 20 March 2023, at the age of 103. He was buried with military honours at the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery's Pantheon of Defenders of the Fatherland on 23 March 2023.

Dates of ranks Junior lieutenant: 12 December 1938 Lieutenant: 13 April 1942 Senior lieutenant: 6 August 1942 Captain: 10 March 1943 Major: 28 February 1944 Lieutenant colonel: 6 April 1945 Colonel: 3 October 1953 Major general: 25 May 1959 Lieutenant general: 13 April 1964 Colonel general: 29 April 1970

Awards and honors Russian Air Force Tu-160 supersonic strategic-bomber 'Vasily Reshetnikov' USSR Hero of the Soviet Union (27 July 1943) Order of Lenin, thrice (31 December 1942, 27 July 1943, 22 February 1955) Order of the October Revolution (8 January 1980) Order of the Red Banner, thrice (28 April 1944, 10 December 1956, 22 February 1968) Order of Alexander Nevsky (6 April 1945) Order of the Patriotic War, 1st class (11 March 1985) Order of the Red Star, twice (29 March 1942, 19 November 1951) Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR", 3rd class (30 April 1975) Medal "For Battle Merit" Medal "For the Defence of Moscow" (1 May 1944) Medal "For the Defence of Leningrad" (22 December 1942) Medal "For the Defence of Stalingrad" (22 December 1942) Medal "For the Capture of Budapest" (9 June 1945) Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg" (9 June 1945) Medal "For the Capture of Berlin" (9 June 1945) Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (9 May 1945) Jubilee Medal "Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1965) Jubilee Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1975) Jubilee Medal "Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1985) Jubilee Medal "In Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of Vladimir Ilyich Lenin" (1969) Jubilee Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy" (1948) Jubilee Medal "40 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1958) Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1968) Jubilee Medal "60 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1978) Jubilee Medal "70 Years of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1988) Medal "Veteran of the Armed Forces of the USSR" (1976) Medal "For Strengthening of Brotherhood in Arms" Medal "In Commemoration of the 250th Anniversary of Leningrad" (1957)

Russia Order "For Merit to the Fatherland", IV class (22 December 1999) Order of Honour (12 April 2010) Medal of Zhukov Jubilee Medal "50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (1993) Jubilee Medal "60 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (2004) Jubilee Medal "65 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (2009) Jubilee Medal "70 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (2013) Jubilee Medal "75 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945" (2019) Jubilee Medal "300 Years of the Russian Navy" (1996) Medal "In Commemoration of the 850th Anniversary of Moscow" (1997) Prize of the Government of the Russian Federation for significant contribution to the development of the Air Force (17 December 2012)

Foreign Order of 9 September 1944, 1st class (Bulgaria) Order of Military Merit (Mongolia) Officer's Cross of the Order of Polonia Restituta (Poland)