Luganskii, Sergei Danilovich

Born Oct. 1, 1918, in Alma-Ata. Major general of aviation (1957); twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Sept. 2, 1943, and July 1, 1944). Member of the CPSU since 1942. Son of a peasant.

Luganskii graduated from the Orenburg Pilots School in 1938 and from the Air Force Academy in 1949. In the Great Patriotic War (1941-45) he saw action on the Southern, Voronezh, Steppe, and Second and First Ukrainian fronts as commander of an aviation squadron (1941-44) and commander of a fighter aviation regiment (1944-45). He completed 390 combat flights and personally shot down 37 enemy aircraft and six in group combat. He has been in the reserve since 1964. Luganskii has been awarded the Order of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, two Orders of the Red Star, and various medals.