Akhtung, Akhtung! In the air, Nelson Stepanyan!
By September 1942, the commander of the 57 th assault aviation regiment (8 Bomber Aviation Brigade, Baltic Fleet Air Force) Junior Lieutenant N. G. Stepanyan made 58 combat missions, causing great damage to manpower and equipment.
October 23 1942 for courage and military prowess shown in fights with enemies, was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.
By August 1944, the commander of the 47 th assault aviation regiment (11 th assault aviation division, Air Force of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet), Lieutenant Colonel N. G. Stepanyan made 239 combat missions. His regiment sank over 50 ships and ships of the enemy, shot down enemy aircraft in 13 air battles. 14 December 1944 of the year killed in aerial combat.
6 March 1945 was posthumously awarded the second Gold Star Medal.
Awarded orders: Lenin (twice), Red Banner (three times); medals
Nelson Stepanyan was born on March 28 1913 in the family of an employee, in a distant and high-mountainous Shusha, raised so high to the sky that the eagles soar among its inhabitants under their feet. Nagorno-Karabakh has long been famous for its military traditions. Valor and courage have always been an integral feature of his sons. Most likely, the proximity to the sky and prompted the Armenian boy to dream of flying. By whom Stepanyan did not have to work, but he remained faithful to his goal.
In 1935, Nelson Georgievich successfully graduated from the Civil Air Fleet School in Bataysk and flies a lot, carrying people and goods. Shortly before the Great Patriotic War, when the air already smelled of war, Stepanyan, with many other most experienced pilots, was sent to the courses of the highest flight training of the Civil Air Fleet. But Nelson Stepanyan did not manage to finish the courses ...
Already on the second day of the war, he was called up from the reserve and sent to the aviation of the Black Sea Fleet. Literally within a few days, he masters the Il-2 attack aircraft and joins the combat work, striking the enemy as part of the 46 attack assault squadron in the vicinity of Nikolaev and Odessa.
On the 20 departure during the next attack, Nelson was wounded by a fragment of an anti-aircraft missile, but managed to pull his damaged car to the airfield. In August, 1941 of the year, which had not yet been adequately treated, he was already storming the enemy positions again as part of the Baltic Fleet's 57 assault air regiment. Now NG Stepanyan is already fighting on the approaches to Leningrad, successfully destroying the enemy’s equipment and manpower.
Nelson Georgievich distinguished himself many times in the battles for Leningrad. On one of the many fighting episodes, he wrote in the newspaper "Pilot":
The surviving German anti-aircraft guns beat on me fiercely. Maneuvering in the fire, I turn around so that the remaining German planes fall just along the line of aimed fire of my machine guns and cannons, and I myself descend in the direction of the landing signs ... The Germans, having decided that I want to land on their airfield, stopped shooting. They are even waiting for me. And I, having swept over the landing board, drove a charge of machine guns into one of the airplanes at the edge of the forest, and under the cover of Bagirov returned to my own airfield. "
The great experience of the former civilian pilot, his impeccable piloting technique, personal courage and worldly wisdom (after all, Stepanyan was already 38 years old, and for most boys pilots he was almost fatherly!) Did not go unnoticed by the command, and a month later N. G. Stepanyan is appointed as a flight commander in the same regiment.
Almost every day he raised his IL-2 into the sky, every day he experienced the joy of victories and the bitterness of loss. Today it is no secret to anyone that more than others in the war, it was the attack aircraft that died. This is understandable! After all, they did not bypass, like other powerful air defense units, but, on the contrary, attacked them themselves!
The stingy chronicle of the fighting activity of Nelson Stepanyan in the first six months of the war speaks very eloquently for itself. In the sky of Leningrad, he made more than 60 sorties and, together with his unit, destroyed and incapacitated 8 tanks, almost 90 cars, more than 60 anti-aircraft guns and machine guns, many other equipment.
In the combat characteristics of Nelson Stepanyan, given to him by the regimental commander during this period, it says:
At the same time, the Military Council of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet presented a dashing attack aircraft to the rank of Hero of the Soviet Union.
For exemplary performance of command combat missions, courage, bravery and heroism shown in the fight against the German fascist invaders, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR from October 23 1942, captain N. G. Stepanyan was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin and the medal " Golden Star".
And the war continued. Now, returning from the next assignment, Stepanyan no longer considers the number of holes in the fuselage of his aircraft. To this he has become accustomed. The main thing is that by the morning the car was ready for battle again. In November of the same year, Stepanyan becomes the squadron commander of the same 57 SHAP, which in March of the following year, one of the first in the fleet, was renamed 7-th Guards SHAP.
After some time, Stepanyan was recalled from the front. An experienced ace, he is assigned to prepare flight personnel for courses of commanders of units of the Air Force of the Red Banner Baltic Fleet, and then for the Higher Officer Courses of the Navy Air Force. There, the talent of Nelson Stepanyan was already fully manifested as a mentor-teacher who could, like no one else, transfer his knowledge and air warfare skills to students as soon as possible. At the same time, Stepanyan continuously “bombards” the authorities with reports asking him to send him to the front. He is a combat pilot and is he in the rear in the midst of a battle!
The perseverance of the air ace finally had an effect, and in April 1944, Nelson Stepanyan was appointed commander of the 47-th SHAP of the Black Sea Fleet air force. The regiment at this time fiercely fought with the enemy in the skies of the Crimea and Kuban. On the move, the new commander who had just arrived joined him in combat work.
Here is what the veteran of the Great Patriotic War, retired colonel-general V. N. Voronov, recalls:
During the Crimean operation, the regiment of Stepanyan destroyed 8 transports, 12 high-speed landing barges, 9 patrol boats, over 3000 soldiers and officers of the enemy. Remaining faithful to his principle - to teach subordinates by personal example - Nelson Stepanyan himself led his regiment into battle. So, on April 16 of the year 1944, being the leader of the 12 “Ilov” group, he sank 3 high-speed landing barges in the Sudak area right away. On May 22 participated in the rout of the convoy breaking through from the blocked Sevastopol to Romania, personally drowning the German transport. At the same time, the regiment commander's plane was badly damaged: the left aileron and part of the stabilizer were torn off. However, despite this, Stepanyan was able to complete the combat mission and bring his broken IL to the airfield. For successful actions during the liberation of Theodosius, the 47 SHAP was awarded the honorary title "Theodosia", and this, too, was a great merit of its commander.
After the liberation of the Crimea, Stepanian's regiment was transferred to the Baltic. If the struggle for the Black Sea was already coming to a victorious end, here it was still in full swing. The liberation of the Baltic states was in full swing, and the strengthening of aviation was extremely necessary. As soon as they had flown to a new place, Stepanian's attack aircraft immediately entered the battle. They continuously delivered crushing blows at enemy naval facilities in Navarsky,
Vyborg and Finnish bays, made raids on its base.
In a short time, the 47 regiment destroyed the 30 of enemy ships and vessels. On the merits and honor, but because 22 July 1944, the fleet commander Admiral Tributs solemnly attached to the battle banner of the regiment the Order of the Red Banner. From now on, the regiment became Red Banner.
A month later, Nelson Georgievich was presented for the award of the second Gold Star medal. By this time, the commander of the 47-th SHAP (11-I ShAD, the Air Force of the Baltic Fleet), Lieutenant Colonel N. G. Stepanyan made 239 sorties. He personally sank the whole squadron: 1 destroyer, 2 patrol ships, 1 minesweeper, 2 torpedo boats and 5 transports, with a total displacement of more than 80 000 tons! In addition, during the attack, destroyed up to 5000 soldiers and officers of the enemy, broke 4 ferries, caused more 80 explosions and 70 fires.
Has got from Stepanyan and enemy aircraft. Having spent more than 30 air battles, he personally shot down the 2 bomber Yu-88, and besides that he shot and bombed 25 airplanes of various types at the airfields.
During the same time, the pilots of his regiment made 1500 combat missions, sank over 50 ships and enemy ships, shot down enemy aircraft in 13 air battles.
26 November 1944 was published in the newspaper "Kommunist" about the contribution of the personal savings to the defense fund of the USSR by the workers of the Armenian SSR:
"Members of the Armenian SSR Bar Association collected 115 000 rubles from their personal savings and contributed to the State Bank of the USSR Defense Fund. Lawyers expressed a desire to purchase a combat aircraft with this money and hand it over to Hero of the Soviet Union Nelson Stepanyan.
Party party of the collective farm named after Stalin of the village of Nor Kyank, Artik district, Armenian SSR Yerem Pogosovich Arakelyan, his personal savings in the amount of 100 000 rubles contributed to the construction of a combat aircraft. In a letter to comrade Stalin, Arakelyan asks for this amount to purchase a fighter of the latest design and hand it over to the pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union Nelson Stepanyan.
Chairman of the collective farm. Stalin of the village of Avdalar, Kotayk District, Grigor Airapetovich Tevosyan, following the example of the noble patriot-collective farmer Ferapont Holovaty, contributed 100 000 rubles to acquire the newest type of combat aircraft. Tov. In his letter to Comrade Stalin, Tevosyan asks the plane to call "The Avenger" and hand it over to N. Stepanyan, Hero of the Soviet Union. "
Learning about my intention to be on the front line and make a report about my fellow countrymen, Army General O. Baghramyan told me that there are Armenians in parts of the front - officers and soldiers. The army general advised me to go to the 35 th Guards Red Banner Baltic Regiment of ground attack aviation, where Lieutenant Colonel Nelson Stepanyan served. And we went to Palanga ...
At the initiative of the regiment commander, the Po-2 aircraft was allocated at our disposal, on which we flew out for the next shootings.
These were the days of the retreat of the German troops, but sometimes the fascist planes managed to break through to Palanga. Each of the pilots flew 5 - 6 times in a row, one against several enemy aircraft.
That day, the regiment received the Avenger combat aircraft dedicated to Nelson with a cover letter. Nelson lovingly accepted the plane and found out from the letter that it was a gift from the countrymen.
And so, "The Avenger" in the air. His wheel is in Nelson's safe hands. He flew to the "hunt", he will definitely avenge the blood of two brothers Grigor Tevosyan. As they say in the people: "Blood is for blood, death is for death!"
Nelson fought three Messerschmitts. He had one sole advantage - unparalleled courage. A fight started. Bravely storming, Nelson shot down one of the enemy's attacking aircraft. The brave Soviet falcon believed in his victory and rushed against the rest. "Avenger" circled like a beetle around the German aircraft, doused them with lead rain.
Planes rapidly approached each other and departed. The second plane, shrouded in flames and smoke, went to the ground, making steep turns. The third "Messerschmitt" managed to leave. "The Avenger" fulfilled its first duty - avenging the blood of the dead Tevosyan.
At the airport impatiently awaited the return of Nelson. The regiment commander Vasily Petrovich Kuzmin, sitting in the radio center, with intense attention and excitement, watched the sky.
“Ah, that Nelson,” he said, “until what time will he torment his comrades.”
"McTitel" finally landed.
On the airfield lay the shroud of the night. At the other end of the forest, rays of searchlights desperately cut through the sky.
Alas ... Lieutenant Colonel Stepanyan wasn’t able to put a second star on his chest.
14 December 1944 of the year he led a group of his "Ilovs" to inflict a bombing attack on the Libava (Liepaja) port. At that time, Libava was the only artery connecting the enemy of Kurland surrounded with Germany, and therefore the destruction of transport convoys going to both sides was of paramount importance. On that day, information was obtained about the accumulation of a large number of transports and vehicles loaded with troops and equipment in Liepaja's advance port. Stepanyan's "Ily" rushed to destroy them.
The regimental commander himself at the head of the first group was supposed to suppress the coastal and shipboard anti-aircraft artillery. The second group, meanwhile, had to get through to the transports and get rid of them. Already at the very approach to the targets, the Nelson Stepanyan planes were suddenly attacked by enemy fighters at once with 30. A fierce and fleeting air battle ensued. After a few minutes, the leading aircraft, which was the first to bravely rushed to the counterattack, covering the others, was set on fire. Stepanyan attacked and shot down one of the Focke-Wolfs on a storm-trooper already in flames. A few minutes later his IL-2 fell into the sea. That is how NG Stepanyan and the navigator of the 2 squadron of the 47 air regiment, captain A.G. Rumyantsev, who was with him, died.
259-th flight was the last for Nelson Stepanyan. His grave was the entire Baltic Sea. In his battle account 17 personally destroyed enemy ships, including 1 destroyer and 6 transports over 80 tanks and 600 cars, 64 guns field and antiaircraft artillery to 30 machine gun points, 1 locomotive and 40 cars, 4 crossing, over 5000 soldiers and enemy officers.
6 March 1945 of the year for the skillful leadership of the regiment and personal courage shown in battles with enemies, Nelson Georgievich was awarded the title of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, alas, posthumously ...
Years passed, and monuments were erected in honor of Stepanyan in his homeland - in Shusha - and in the place of his last feat - in Liepaja. The name of the glorious son of the Armenian people was also carried by the large freezing trawler of the Riga Trawl Fleet. The bust of the Hero is set in the city of Yerevan. Every year, on the anniversary of the death of Stepanyan, an Armenian delegation came to Liepaja, a mourning wreath was laid on a wave from a ship leaving the sea, the memorial ringing sounded three times weapons salute and mournfully lowered the Navy flag.
All this was! It is hard to believe, but with the departure of the Russian fleet from Latvia, the local authorities demanded that the monument to the famous pilot be taken with him, threatening otherwise with its destruction. The hero of the battle against fascism was still terrible to the forces of evil. In the hold of the Great amphibious assault ship, the monument to Nelson Stepanyan was transported to the land of Kaliningrad, where it is now installed as a symbol of immortality to the brave and daring!
- From the diary of Honored Art Worker of the Armenian USSR, film director G. Balasanyan
- http://airaces.narod.ru/all7/stepn_ng.htm
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