Valter

Good way of thinking, Harvey, closer than Gunner and Dan, but not the correct answer. Maybe this "name" wass a bit misleading, at least at first replies - it's not a unique, personal name, but a generic name. I'll give another hint: My great-great-great ... granduncles have been in service with ancient Egyptians, Asyrians, Persians...

Dan, there is a song (or more of them), and at least two movies about Varyag, but it's not the answer... It's not a ship, something smaller...

Unfortunately, not Aurora. I'm not one & only of my kind...

Thanks, Jim, that one was not hard... When I saw admiral and that he still has a legacy, I was almost sure the "legcy" is a carrier - I just had to check if it's Kuznyetsov or Gorshkov. ;-) Here's my ?: I'm a fusion of milleniums old tradition and modern times. They called me "pride" and "beauty", but nobody really knows where my name comes from. They never gave me a medal, but they errected me a monument. I starred in film and cartoon movies, and there are many songs about me. I was retired in 1950's, but my younger bigger cousins are still on duty. What's my name? Where is my monument?

Admiral Nikolay Gerasimovich Kuznyetsov (1904-1974) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolay_Gerasimovich_Kuznetsov The first time I clashed with Stalin, and second time with Zhukov, and my legacy is the class of Soviet/Russian aircraft carriers.

Sorry to interfere here, but I think this question is too broad. Dozens, if not hundreds of men could fit into this... For instance:

I'm not sure about the wife, but being I pilot that done what noone (before) him did, it should be Captain Nikolay Francevich Gastello (Николай Францевич Гастелло, 6.5.1908 - 26.6.1941). His exceptionally did was "ognyenny taran" ("fire ram") - he was a pilot of a bomber, and when his plane was hit by German AA, he didn't jump with parachute to save his life (and probably end as a prisoner), but deliberately rammed with his burning plane in the middle of german troops. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nikolai_Gastello

Jim, finally you got it! Yemelyanenko (or whatever transliteration) is the right guy! http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%95%D0%BC%D0%B5%D0%BB%D1%8C%D1%8F%D0%BD%D0%B5%D0%BD%D0%BA%D0%BE,_%D0%92%D0%B0%D1%81%D0%B8%D0%BB%D0%B8%D0%B9_%D0%91%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%81%D0%BE%D0%B2%D0%B8%D1%87 For those who don't read Russian, a brief summary: Vasily Borisovich Yemelyanenko (Василий Борисович Емельяненко) Born 16.1.1912, died 24.2.2008. In 1932, he studied composition on Moscow conservatory (music academy), but never finished it. Hence he bore a painting of music notes on his airplane. The same year he joined flying school of Osoaviahim in Saratov, and next year he finished central school for flying instructors in Moscow. He worked as instructor in civilian air-club and in 1941 he volunteered to air force, in may 1942 he was sent on Southern front, in 7th guards air assault regiment. Another HSU, Nikolay Antonovich Zub (1911-1943) was his teacher and mentor. From summer 1942-august 1943 he fled 88 missions (some other sources say 98) and destroyed 23 airplanes on the ground, "tens" of tanks and other vehicles, shot down 2 airplanes in air duels and was shot down himself three times. At the end of 1943 he became piloting instructor in 230th air assault division, on 13.4.1944 he got the golden star of HSU. In 1944, he went to study on Frunze academy, where he worked after the war as a teacher of aerial tactic. He got academic degree (kandidat) in military sciences, wrote several books (was member of Soviet writer's union). The book I was talking about is "In the cruel air of war", but I'm not sure what's the translation in English. An interesting fact from the book about Maresyev: Yemelyanenko states that Maresyev/Shakhov applied to return to military service shortly after his amputations, but was at first refused several times with explanation like: "Are you nuts?! If the Germans capture you, what they will say?! That we don't have pilots anymore and we have to send cripples to battle?" Eventually they allowed Maresyev/Shakhov to fly, as we know. There's also an interesting chapter about unnamed picky major who came from some rear staff duty and was very strict about discipline, cleaning etc., saying: "There's only one tiny step from unbuttoned collar to flying accident!" But when time came to fly a battle mission, the major frightened, dropped his bombs into some empty marshland and deliberately overheated his engine, so he could return to the airport without a contact with Germans. The commander (Zub, if I remember correctly) got mad and ordered to shot the coward on the spot, what was according to the order No. 270. However, the major was not shot (Yemelyanenko doesn't state who changed the sentence and why), but rather sent to (penal) infantry unit as a private. Yemelyanenko notes that that major distinguished himself in infantry, got wounded and decorated and eventually returned to flying in transport aviation. That's from me - now we're waiting for Jim's question! Valter

Sorry, neither Litvina... And yes, English transliteration should be Shakhov... I apologize, English is not my native language. And this Šahov / Shakhov was probably not a useful tip at all, if you didn't read the book. Here's another one: the HSU who wrote his memoirs about his war years and about Maresyev, served in 7th guard's air assault regiment. (7-й гвардейский штурмовой авиационный полк) This should narrow down

Not Batievsky... I'll give another clue: in this book, Maresyev is not named with his real name, but as Viktor Shahov.

Honestly, I didn't read the book of Yegorova, so I don't know if maybe she writes about Maresyev too, but I didn't mean that book/author. I meant a male Sturmovik hero who wrote his memoirs. But thank you for posting very interesting information about Yegorova! I didn't know all these details about her story and ordeal with Stalin's paranoya...

Lightning-fast reply, Jim! And correct to the first part of the question. The second part (in second post): Which soviet Sturmovik ace, also Hero of Soviet union, fought with this legless ace and described him in his memoirs? Boris Polevoy was not a pilot, nor HSU, so I meant another boook...

Argh, some technical problems, I cannot upload a picture... so, here it is: http://www.shrani.si/?13/uC/keQ4JFb/dsc07854.jpg The question is: who is a legless flying ace? And another, more difficult ;-) Which soviet Sturmovik ace, also Hero of Soviet union, fought with this legless ace and described him in his memoirs?

Windu, thank you for passing me honor for next question. In fact, it got me a bit unprepaired, but let's see: You probably heard of Douglas Bader, british fighter ace, who was famous for flying without legs. This is a Soviet ace, who also got his legs amputated, but despite that he returned to flight with prothesis and finally got a Hero star. There's a book and a movie about him, and the picture is from a movie poster.

...And I was checking the list of Spanish civil war participants: http://ru.wikipedia.org/wiki/%D0%9A%D0%B0%D1%82%D0%B5%D0%B3%D0%BE%D1%80%D0%B8%D1%8F:%D0%A3%D1%87%D0%B0%D1%81%D1%82%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%BA%D0%B8_%D0%93%D1%80%D0%B0%D0%B6%D0%B4%D0%B0%D0%BD%D1%81%D0%BA%D0%BE%D0%B9_%D0%B2%D0%BE%D0%B9%D0%BD%D1%8B_%D0%B2_%D0%98%D1%81%D0%BF%D0%B0%D0%BD%D0%B8%D0%B8 but was just 2 minutes short... Nevertheless, this chase was fun and very informative. Thank you, Captain Windu!

I got it!!! Pavel Ivanovich Batov (20.5.(1.6.)1897 — 19.4.1985) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pavel_Batov But accoreding to Soviet wikipedia, he got 8 (!!) Lenins, not "only" 5.

Andrey Ivanovich Yeromenko (14.10.1892 - 19.11.1970) ?? I think I should read Rokossovsky's memoirs for the correct answer...

A very nice piece there, Ruiz! If I understand correctly, it was not given automatically after 10 years of service, but only to those with distinguished service? Do you maybe know how many of these were awarded? Or what percent of all servicemen got one after 10 years?

What about Vasily Ivanovich Chuykov (born 12.2.1900 - died 18.3.1982)?

Timoshenko was already a marshal in 1940, but I agree they have similar eyes...

A very nice medal! KD is probably kavalerijskaja divizija (cavalry division). The medal was probably awarded on some divisional cavalry skills competition.

Nice gesture, Dan! I'd like to add just two pictures of young Gaydar from the russian book Malchishka-komandir (Detskaja literatura, Moscow, 1987) - these two I didn't find on the web, but many others are. I hope this is not too off-topic. regards, Valter

Dan is correct, Gaydar is the right answer! Sorry for a bit late reply, I just returned from car registration issues...

It's an honor for me! Let's stay with "childish" themes: Who was the famous "malchik-komandir" who joined Red army in October revolution at age of 14, and commanded a regiment at age of 16? There's a book written about him, and a song... and later he became a famous writer of stories for children.

American schoolgirl Samantha Smith, born 1972. In 1982, she wrote a letter to Jurij Andropov, asking him wether he will vote for war or not. (the translation from wikipedia follows). She was then invited to Soviet union, where she met many famous persons etc. Dear Mr. Andropov, My name is Samantha Smith. I am ten years old. Congratulations on your new job. I have been worrying about Russia and the United States getting into a nuclear war. Are you going to vote to have a war or not? If you aren't please tell me how you are going to help to not have a war. This question you do not have to answer, but I would like to know why you want to conquer the world or at least our country. God made the world for us to live together in peace and not to fight. Sincerely,Samantha Smith http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samantha_Smith Regards, Valter