The 9-th of May is the day of victory in the Second World War, which was the Great Patriotic war for Russians (1941-1945 years). It is the day of military honor of Russian armed forces. Parades, festivals and shows took place far and wide in Russia. This day has its tragic history too. About 11 millions of military people and 9 millions of peaceful population perished during the War. This day all Russians remember people who fought for the victory and reached the independence and freedom from German fascism. A lot of people heroically defend the Motherland, without their deeds our country would not have saved the independence from invaders. Of course, some of them are not alive but we love, remember and respect them all.

Thousands of soldiers and ordinary people were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest distinction in the Soviet Union. 11,635 Heroes of the Soviet Union, 101 twice Heroes, 3 thrice Heroes, and 2 four-time Heroes were awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service, some of them posthumous. Of cause much more then 11,635 people fought heroic for their Motherland but remain unknown for us. Not only men fought for the freedom, but also women showed themselves courageous with strong will and character there are 87 heroes of the Soviet Union among women.

Peter Vasilevich Yeremeyev

Yeremeyev Peter Vasilevich, was born on June 11, 1911 in the Ufa region. He finished Zlatoustovsky metallurgical technical school in 1930 and graduated from Orenburg military aviation school of pilots in 1933. Yeremeyev served as the test pilot and has been sent to the front of the Great Patriotic War since June 1941. On the night of July 29 on the fighter MIG-3 he attacked the enemy bomber Yu-88 not far from Moscow, that was the first time in the military history night ram attack. He became the commander of a squadron of the 4th aviation division He was the participant of the Great Patriotic War, the fighter pilot, the senior lieutenant, the Hero of the Russian Federation (21.09.1995, posthumously). He made more than 100 assault flights, brought down 2 enemy planes. He was killed in air battle on October 2, 1941. Yeremeyev was (posthumously) given the rank of the Hero of the Sovet Union for courage and heroism in the Great Patriotic War.

Ivan Nikitovich Kozhedub

Kozhedub Ivan Nikitovich was born in Ukrainian SSR on June 8, 1920, was the youngest of five children. After the graduation from the military aviation school, he worked as an instructor and trained many young pilots. When World War II began he requested a transfer to an active service unit as fighter pilot and by March 1943, he was on the front lines flying the Lavochkin plain La-5. Kozhedub served on several fronts (Voronezh Front, Steppe Front, 2nd Ukrainian Front, 1st Belorussian Front) and at different ranks, from airman up to the commander of the air regiment. He is regarded as the best Soviet flying ace of the war, he also had the unusual ability to shoot targets at very oblique angles.

The most difficult flight happened in February 1945. Kozhedub flew together with Dmitry Titarenko, they noticed a large German Me-262 jet fighter with higher velocity than La-7 could reach. But Kozhedub suddenly attacked it from the bottom and shot it down.

Kozhedub's last air fight happened in May 1945 over Berlin. He noticed a group large of jets with bombs. Fascists were sure that small lone plain would not attack them. But Kozhedub flew up and attacked them from the clouds. The commander group of plains thought that there is a group of plains behind the clouds and lumped together. He shot down two FW-190 planes. During the war Kozhedub was never shot down and is rightly considered one of the best aces of Allied air forces. On 18 August 1945 Ivan Kozhedub was awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union title for the third time. He made 330 sorties and brought shot down 62 enemy planes.

Alexander Matveyevich Matrosov

Was born in Dnepropetrovsk on February 5, 1924. When he was five his parents died and he was taken to the children’s home in Ivanovsk. In 1942 entered infantry school and was taken to Kalininsky front.

On 27 of February 1943, in the battle for the village of Chernushki near Pskov battalion was given a command to attack enemy in the village, three German machine-guns fire the infantry from pill-boxes. Solders managed to damage two of them. Matrosov was given a combat mission to detonate the rest one. He got to the pill-box and threw the grenade into it. The unit began the attack but machine-gun started again the Matrosov threw himself onto a pill-box, blocking the machine-gun with his own body, to allow his unit to advance. Matrosov was not the only man who did that. About 300 people are known to do the same. But his act became well known because of the army reporter of that battalion. For his self-sacrifice in battle, Matrosov was posthumously awarded the distinction Hero of the Soviet Union. Matrosov is one of the most famous heroes of the World War II.

(to be continued) Ushakova Alexandra