Khryukin, Timofei Timofeevich

From OnAirpower.org

Name:	Khryukin, Timofei Timofeevich (Хрюкин, Тимофей Тимофеевич)
Years:	1910-1953
Rank:	Col. Gen.
Nationality:	Soviet
Remarks:	Soviet aviator, volunteer pilot in the Spanish Civil War and the Second Sino-Japanese War, senior air commander during World War II, and two-time Hero of the Soviet Union

[edit] Biography

Khryukin joined the Red Army in 1932 and graduated from the Lugansk Military Pilots School in 1933. From 1933 to 1936 he served as a pilot, flight commander, and squadron commander^[1].

From August, 1936 to March, 1937, Khryukin served in the Spanish Civil War^[1].

After returning from Spain in March, 1937, Khruykin became a squadron commander. In March, 1938, he began serving as a volunteer pilot in China, as a squadron commander in a bomber aviation group. He completed around 100 combat sorties, and led the attack on the Japanese airfield in Taiwan. For his service in China, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on February 22, 1939^[2].

Khryukin participated in the Soviet-Finnish War as commander of air forces for the 14th Army^[1].

In May, 1940, Khryukin became commander of the Bomber Aviation section of the Air Force's training directorate. In July, 1940, he became Inspector General for Air Forces in the People's Defense Commissariat. In May, 1941, he became commander of air forces for the 12th Army in the Kiev Special Military District^[1].

He was serving in that position at the start of Operation Barbarossa. In August, 1941, he became commander of air forces for the Karelian Front. In June, 1942, he became commander of air forces for the South-Western Front and simultaneously formed the 8th Air Army. In July, 1944, he became commander of the 1st Air Army and served in that position for the remainder of the war^[1]. On April 19, 1945, he received his second Hero of the Soviet Union title, for his service as an air army commander^[2].