Viktor Gorbatko

Viktor Vasilyevich Gorbatko (; 3 December 1934 – 17 May 2017) was a Soviet cosmonaut who flew on the Soyuz 7, Soyuz 24, and Soyuz 37 missions.

Early life Viktor Vasilievich Gorbatko was born on 3 December 1934 to Vasili Pavlovich and Matrena Aleksandrovna Gorbatko. Viktor was raised in the Northern Caucasus settlement of Ventsy-Zarya in the Gulkevich district. Gorbatko had four siblings, an older brother, Boris, two older sisters, Elena and Valentina, and Ludmila, the youngest sibling. Viktor was given the opportunity to learn from Nadezdha Karaulova who taught from ABC books that were often censored by the Nazis of everything that had to do with the Soviet histories. Viktor finished seventh grade in 1949 and then attended a secondary school in the Novokubanski district. Upon his death he was buried in the Federal Military Memorial Cemetery.

Awards Viktor Gorbatko (left) and Yury Glazkov (right) on a 1977 U.S.S.R. postage stampHis multiple Soviet and Russian Federation awards include: Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Pilot-Cosmonaut of the USSR Three Orders of Lenin Order of Friendship Order of the Red Star Medal "For Distinction in the Protection of the State Borders" Medal "For the Development of Virgin Lands" Jubilee Medal "50 Years of the Soviet Militia" His foreign awards include: Hero of the Mongolian People's Republic Hero of Socialist Labour (Vietnam) Order of Sukhbaatar (Mongolia) Order of the Red Banner (Mongolia) Medal "50 Years of the Mongolian People's Revolution" Medal "60 Years of the Mongolian People's Revolution" Medal "50 Years of the Mongolian People's Army" Medal "60 Years of the Mongolian People's Army" Medal "40 years Khalkhin Gol Victory" (Mongolia) Medal "30 Years of Victory over Japan's Militarists" (Mongolia) Medal of Friendship (Mongolia) Medal "Brotherhood in Arms" (East Germany) Medal "Brotherhood in Arms" (Poland) Order of Ho Chi Minh (Vietnam)