Pstygo, Ivan Ivanovich

From OnAirpower.org

Name:	Pstygo, Ivan Ivanovich
Years:	1918-
Rank:	Marshal of Aviation
Nationality:	Soviet
Remarks:	Soviet bomber pilot during World War II

Pstygo completed the Engelsk Flight School in 1940, and was attached to the 211th Bomber Regiment, stationed at the Kotovsk airfield in the Odessa Military District^[1]. The 211th was a large regiment with five squadrons, and was converting to the Su-2 bomber during 1940.

In April, 1941 the 211th deployed to a field air strip near the Dniestr river. Towards the end of April and especially during May the regiment practiced alert drills "almost daily". Coincidentally, on June 22 the regiment was put onto alert roughly 20 minutes before the outbreak of the war^[1].

The first combat action that Pstygo participated in was an attack conducted by two groups of nine bombers each against a troop concentration near the river Prut. While returning from the bombing run, the bombers met a group of MiG-3 fighters that was supposed to cover them. The fighters didn't recognize the Su-2 bombers and began to attack. Future Soviet ace Aleksandr Pokryshkin was leading the MiG attack, and ended up shooting down one of the Su-2s before recognizing their Soviet markings and breaking off the attack.

Pstygo later transferred to flying Il-2s. At the war's end, he was a Lt. Col. in command of the 893rd "Red Banner Vitebsk" Air Attack Regiment and had completed a total of 96 combat sorties and shot down two enemy aircraft^[2].

After the war Pstygo completed the Senior Air Force Officer's Course at Lipetsk, and later the General Staff Academy. He served as the Deputy Commander of Air Forces for the Leningrad Military District (1957), Commander of Air Forces for the Group of Soviet Forces Germany (1959), and Assistant Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Air Forces for Military Readiness (1967). From 1967-1977 he served as deputy commander of the Air Forces and was promoted to the rank of Marshal of Aviation on April 28, 1975^[3]. In April, 1978 he was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union^[2].