Stepanyan, Nelson Georgrievich
From OnAirpower.org
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[edit] Biography
At the beginning of World War II, Stepanyan was assigned to the Black Sea Fleet's 46th Ground Attack Squadron, located in the region of Nikilaev and Odessa. On his 20th mission he was wounded by anti-aircraft fire, but managed to make it back to his airfield. After recovering in the hospital, in August, 1941 he was transferred to the 57th Ground Attack Regiment in the 8th Bomber Brigade, Red Banner Baltic Fleet, stationed at the approaches to Leningrad[1].
Stepanyan was made a flight commander, and completed more than 60 combat sorties in the skies over Leningrad. His flight was responsible for destroying or disabling 80 tanks, almost 90 other vehicles, more than 60 anti-aircraft guns, and other equipment. For these accomplishments, on October 23, 1942, Jr. Lt. Stepanyan received the Hero of the Soviet Union award[1].
In November, 1942 Stepanyan became a squadron commander in the 57th Ground Attack Regiment. In March, 1943 the regiment was one of the first in the Baltic Fleet to receive the prestigious "Guards" designation, and was renamed the 7th Guards Ground Attack Regiment[1].
Later in 1943, Stepanyan was transferred to be an instructor for the Baltic Fleet's flight commander course, and after that he served as an instructor for the Soviet Navy's Senior Air Officer's course[1].
In April, 1944, he was transferred back to combat duty as the commander of the Black Sea Fleet's 47th Ground Attack Regiment, fighting in the skies over the Crimean Peninsula and the Kuban. Stepanyan's regiment destroyed 8 transports, 12 fast assault barges, 9 patrol launches, and more than 3000 enemy troops. For its participation in the libration of the port and city of Feodosiya, the 47th Ground Attack Regiment received the honorary name "Feodosiiskii"[1].
After the liberation of the Crimea, Stepanyan's regiment was transferred to the Baltic, as part of the Baltic Fleet's 11th Ground Attack Division. During operations in the Baltic the 47th destroyed more than 30 Nazi ships, earning itself the honorary title "Order of the Red Banner", on July 22, 1944[1].
By August, 1944, Stepanyan was a Lt. Col. and had completed 239 combat sorties. He had personally sunk an entire squadron: a minelayer, two patrol launches, a trawler, two torpedo cutters, and five transports, for a total of over 80,000 tons. Additionally, during ground attack missions he was responsible for destroying over 5000 enemy troops and four river crossings. He was involved in more than thirty air combat engagements during which he shot down two Ju 88 bombers, and destroyed another 25 aircraft of various types on the ground. Pilots in his regiment completed over 1500 combat sorties and destroyed more than 50 ships and shot down 13 enemy aircraft in air combat[1].
On December 14, 1944, Stepanyan was shot down and killed while leading a group of Il-2s in an attack[1].
On March 6, 1945, Stepanyan was posthumously awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time[1].
[edit] Timeline
- March 28, 1913 Future Soviet World War II pilot Nelson Georgrievich Stepanyan, an Armenian, is born in the city of Shusha, Nagorno Karabakh[1].
- October 23, 1942 Soviet pilot Nelson Georgrievich Stepanyan receives the Hero of the Soviet Union award[1].
- March 6, 1945 Soviet ground attack pilot Nelson Georgrievich Stepanyan is posthumously awarded Hero of the Soviet Union for the second time, for completing 239 combat sorties, sinking a total of over 80,000 tons, shooting down two enemy bombers, and destroying another 25 aircraft on the ground[1].
[edit] Sources
- Nelson Georgrievich Stepanyan at National Heroes (Герои Страны) (in Russian)
- Nelson Georgrievich Stepanyan at aces.boom.ru (in Russian)
