Kungurtsev, Evgenii

Born Oct. 3, 1921, in Izhevsk. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Feb. 23, 1945, and Apr. 19, 1945); major general of aviation (1964). Member of the CPSU since 1943. Son of a worker.

Kungurtsev joined the Soviet Army in 1940. He graduated from the Balashov Military Aviation School in 1942, from the Air Force Academy in 1952, and from the K. E. Voroshilov Higher Military Academy in 1957. In the Great Patriotic War (1941–45), Kungurtsev fought on the Leningrad and Third Byelorussian fronts as senior pilot, flight commander, and deputy commander and commander of a squadron of the 15th Guards Assault Air Regiment. In March 1945, having been severely wounded, Kungurtsev was captured, but he escaped and returned to his unit. He made 210 successful combat sorties for reconnaissance and attacks on enemy strong points, airfields, and concentrations of troops and equipment. He went into the reserves in 1968. Kungurtsev has been awarded the Order of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Bogdan Khmel’nitskii, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, two Orders of the Red Star, and various medals.