Mikhail Kuznetsov

Mikhail Vasilyevich Kuznetsov (; – 15 December 1989) was a regimental commander flying ace in the Soviet Air Forces during the Second World War who was twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. After the war he became a general-major. Early life Kuznetsov was born on to a Russian family in Agarino village, located within the present-day borders of the Moscow oblast. Having moved to the city of Moscow in 1921, he went on to complete his seventh grade of school in 1930, after which he worked as an electrician at a tannery until 1932. From then until he entering the military in mid 1933 he worked for the Komsomol of Kirovsky district of the city, serving as deputy chairman of a bureau of young pioneers, secretary of a university Komsomol committee, and secretary of a factory Komsomol committee. After graduating from the Yeisk Military School of Marine and Observer Pilots in December 1934 he was assigned to the 6th Light Bomber Aviation Squadron as a pilot. Later he transferred to the 106th Fighter Aviation Squadron, and in August 1938 he became adjutant and assistant squadron commander in the 15th Fighter Aviation Regiment. In that position he saw combat during the Soviet invasion of Poland and later the Winter War with Finland, during which he flew sorties on the I-153. After leaving the warfront he attended training for squadron commanders in Lipetsk. World War II Almost immediately after completing training to become a squadron commander in June 1941 he was deployed with his previous regiment to combat the German invasion of the Soviet Union; before leaving the unit in March 1942 he had been promoted to navigator; after briefly serving as deputy commander of the 1st Reserve Fighter Aviation Regiment he took command of the 814th Fighter Aviation Regiment in June that year. Despite holding the high post of regimental commander he frequently flew combat sorties and participated in aerial battles, resulting him tallying enough shootdowns of enemy to be nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 2 August 1943 for having totaled 245 sorties, entered 53 dogfights, and gained 17 solo aerial victories. That month his regiment was awarded the guards designation and renamed as the 106th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment.