Because Hitler’s “Operation Barbarossa” caught the Soviet Air
Force on the ground in June of 1941, nearly annihilating it,
Stalin, out of desperation created the 122nd Composite Air Division,
which was strictly made up of women combat pilots. By
the War’s end nearly 1,000 Russian women had flown with
valor and bravery in every type of Soviet combat aircraft, ranging
from fighters to bombers.
Additionally, many women pilots served in all-male Red Army
Air Force units: such as the “White Rose of Stalingrad”, Lilya
Litvak, a petite, blonde, gray-eyed beauty who shot down 12
enemy aircraft and served with a crack male “Guards” squadron.
Then there was the all-female 586th Fighter Air Regiment credited
with 38 kills – 17 of which were brought down by top ace Olga
Yamshchikova.
However, perhaps some of the bravest women combat pilots were
found with the all-female 588th Night Bomber Air Regiment, known
as the “Night Witches.” Despite being equipped with slow,
obsolete PO-2 biplanes, during the course of the War, they conducted
an incredible 24,000 missions behind enemy lines, and delivered
23,000 tons of bombs from their fragile wood-and-fabric aircraft.
Though their casualty rate was high, so was their recognition
by a grateful nation. A total of 30 citations for “Hero
of the Soviet Union”, Russia’s highest honor, were given to
women in the Soviet Air Force, 23 of which were earned by the
588th “Night Witches.” |
