Turzhanskii, Aleksandr Aleksandrovich
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[edit] Biography
Turzhanskii served in World War I, joined the Red Army in 1918[1], and served in the Russian Civil War[2].
He graduated from the 1st Military Aviation School and the Moscow Advanced Aviation School[1].
In 1928, Turzhanskii was commander of the Kiev Ground Attack Aviation Brigade and participated in the Kiev Maneuvers of 1928[3]. In 1931, he was named commander of the aviation brigade at the Air Force Scientific Testing Institute (NII)[3]. He was one of the first in the Soviet air forces to work on the tactical employment of ground attack aviation, and was known as the "Father of Russian Ground Attack Aviation"[2].
In 1932, Turzhanskii was named commander of the Gomel Aviation Brigade[2].
In 1935, he was promoted to the rank of Division Commander (Komdiv)[1].
On July 23, 1938, Turzhanskii was arrested as part of a "military-fascist conspiracy" and sentenced to 15 years of imprisonment. He was released on February 29, 1940[4]
Turzhanskii was promoted to the rank of Maj. Gen. of Aviation on June 4, 1940 by Order No. 945 of the Soviet Defense Commissariat (NKO)[5].
In July, 1940, Turzhanskii became commander of the Kachinsk Military Aviation School. In August, 1941, he became an instructor ad the Air Force Command and Navigation Staff Academy.
He was arrested again on February 19, 1942, and remained in prison until he was released after Stalin's death, on March 25, 1952. After his release he returned to teaching duties and retired in November, 1955[1].
[edit] Sources
[edit] References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 http://zhurnal.lib.ru/s/shushakow_o_a/032geroiturjanski.shtml
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 http://gp.by/news_more/news5754.html
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://militera.lib.ru/bio/gluhovsky_baranov/04.html
- ↑ Tribunal for Stalin's Falcons, pg. 340
- ↑ Order of the SNK on Awarding Military Ranks to Senior Command Personnel of the Red Army
