Alexander Ivanovich Koldunov (russian: Александр Иванович Колдунов; 20 September 1923 – 7 June 1992) was one of the highest-scoring flying aces of the Soviet Union during

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

and a twice recipient of the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

Early life

Koldunov was born on 20 September 1923 to a Russian family. In 1931 the family moved to the Moscow area, and in 1940 he completed his ninth grade of school in addition to graduating from the local aeroclub. Koldunov joined the Soviet Army in February 1941. He graduated from the

Kacha Military Aviation School The Kacha Higher Military Aviation twice Red Banner order of Lenin School of Pilots named for A.F. Myasnikov (KVVAUL) (Качинское высшее военное авиационное дважды краснознаменное ордена Л ...

in 1943 and was assigned to the 8th Reserve Aviation Regiment before being sent to the war front.

World War II

In May 1943 Koldunov was transferred to the 866th Fighter Aviation Regiment and deployed to the war front. He was first awarded the title

Hero of the Soviet Union The title Hero of the Soviet Union (russian: Герой Советского Союза, translit=Geroy Sovietskogo Soyuza) was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded together with the Order of Lenin personally or collectively for ...

on 2 August 1944, having been nominated for the title on 22 May 1944 for his first 15 shootdowns. On 7 November 1944 he was credited with shooting down of three USAAF

P-38 Lightning The Lockheed P-38 Lightning is an American single-seat, twin piston-engined fighter aircraft that was used during World War II. Developed for the United States Army Air Corps by the Lockheed Corporation, the P-38 incorporated a distinctive tw ...

s of the 82nd Fighter Group in a 'friendly fire' incident near Belgrade during the air battle over Niš. In that episode he defended a column of Soviet ground troops that came under attack by American fighters. Accounts on the number of American and Soviet casualties widely vary, but it is certain that among the Soviet troops on the ground who were killed was lieutenant-general Grigory Kotov. By the end of the war, he had flown 412 sorties, fought in 96 aerial engagements, gained one shared shootdown and 46 solo victories. He was nominated for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union again on 12 June 1945, but it was not awarded until 23 February 1948.

Postwar

Remaining in military service after the war, he transferred from the

Soviet Air Force The Soviet Air Forces ( rus, Военно-воздушные силы, r=Voyenno-vozdushnyye sily, VVS; literally "Military Air Forces") were one of the air forces of the Soviet Union. The other was the Soviet Air Defence Forces. The Air Forces ...

to the Soviet Air Defence Force in the early 1960s. Koldunov was appointed as the Commander of the Moscow Air Defence District in November 1970. After a promotion to

Colonel-General Colonel general is a three- or four-star military rank used in some armies. It is particularly associated with Germany, where historically general officer ranks were one grade lower than in the Commonwealth and the United States, and was a ra ...

in 1972, in December 1975 Koldunov became the First Deputy Chief of Defence Forces. In 1977 he was promoted to

Marshal of Aviation Marshal of the branch (or "marshal of the branch of service"; russian: Ма́ршал ро́да во́йск, Marshal roda voysk) was from 1943 to 1974 the designation to a separate rank class in the general officer's rank group of the form ...

and the following year Koldunov was appointed to command the entire Air Defence Force. In 1984 he was promoted to

Chief Marshal of Aviation Chief marshal of the branch (russian: Главный маршал рода войск, Glavny marshal roda voysk) was a senior military rank of the Soviet Armed Forces. It was immediately above the rank of Marshal of the branch. Both ranks were ...

, one of only a handful of officers to hold this very senior rank. Koldunov was dismissed in May 1987 after

Mathias Rust Mathias Rust (born 1 June 1968) is a German aviator known for his flight that ended with a landing near Red Square in Moscow on 28 May 1987. A teenage amateur pilot, he flew from Helsinki, Finland, to Moscow, being tracked several times by Sov ...

, a civilian German pilot flew from Finland to Moscow and landed nearby the

Red Square Red Square ( rus, Красная площадь, Krasnaya ploshchad', ˈkrasnəjə ˈploɕːətʲ) is one of the oldest and largest squares in Moscow, the capital of Russia. Owing to its historical significance and the adjacent historical build ...

. Koldunov died on 7 June 1992 and was buried at

Novodevichy Cemetery Novodevichy Cemetery ( rus, Новоде́вичье кла́дбище, Novodevichye kladbishche) is a cemetery in Moscow. It lies next to the southern wall of the 16th-century Novodevichy Convent, which is the city's third most popular tourist ...

in Moscow.

Awards and honors

Soviet

* Twice

* Three

Order of Lenin The Order of Lenin (russian: Орден Ленина, Orden Lenina, ), named after the leader of the Russian October Revolution, was established by the Central Executive Committee on April 6, 1930. The order was the highest civilian decoration b ...

* Six

Order of the Red Banner The Order of the Red Banner (russian: Орден Красного Знамени, Orden Krasnogo Znameni) was the first Soviet military decoration. The Order was established on 16 September 1918, during the Russian Civil War by decree of th ...

Order of Alexander Nevsky The Order of Alexander Nevsky ( ''orden Alexandra Nevskogo'') is an order of merit of the Russian Federation named in honour of saint Alexander Nevsky (1220–1263) and bestowed to civil servants for twenty years or more of highly meritorious se ...

* Two

Order of the Patriotic War The Order of the Patriotic War (russian: Орден Отечественной войны, Orden Otechestvennoy voiny) is a Soviet military decoration that was awarded to all soldiers in the Soviet armed forces, security troops, and to partisan ...

1st class *

Order of the Red Star The Order of the Red Star (russian: Орден Красной Звезды, Orden Krasnoy Zvezdy) was a military decoration of the Soviet Union. It was established by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 6 April 193 ...

* Lenin Prize

Foreign states

* Yugoslavia - Order of the Partisan Star 2nd class * East Germany -

Patriotic Order of Merit The Patriotic Order of Merit (German: ''Vaterländischer Verdienstorden'', or VVO) was a national award granted annually in the German Democratic Republic (GDR). It was founded in 1954 and was awarded to individuals and institutions for outstanding ...

2nd class * Bulgaria - Order of the People's Republic 2nd class * Bulgaria -

Order of Georgi Dimitrov The Order of Georgi Dimitrov (or Order of Georgy Dimitrov, bg, Орден Георги Димитров) was the highest award of the People's Republic of Bulgaria. It was instituted on 17 June 1950 and awarded to Bulgarians and foreigners for out ...

* Romania - Order of Tudor Vladimirescu 5th class * Mongolia - Medal "For Military Merit" * Hungary - Order of the Flag * Vietnam -

Military Exploit Order The Military Exploit Order ( vi, Huân chương quân công) shall be conferred or posthumously conferred on individuals who have recorded outstanding and brave exploits in combat, combat service, training, force building, consolidation of the all ...

References

Bibliography

* * , - {{DEFAULTSORT:Koldunov, Alexander Ivanovich 1923 births 1992 deaths People from Smolensk Oblast People from Smolensky Uyezd Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union members Ninth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities Tenth convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities Eleventh convocation members of the Soviet of Nationalities Soviet Air Force marshals Soviet Air Defence Force officers Soviet World War II flying aces Heroes of the Soviet Union Recipients of the Order of the Red Banner Recipients of the Order of Alexander Nevsky Burials at Novodevichy Cemetery