Nikolai Stoliarov

Born May 22, 1922, in Kazan. Soviet military pilot. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (July 1, 1944, and June 27, 1945). Lieutenant colonel (1953). Member of the CPSU since 1944.

In April 1941, Stoliarov volunteered for the army. That same year he graduated from the Sverdlovsk Military Aviation School. Beginning in 1942, he served at the front in the Great Patriotic War (1941–45). He was a pilot in the 820th Attack Aviation Regiment, and from May 1943 he was a pilot and flight leader of the 667th Attack Aviation Regiment. Beginning in April 1944, he was deputy commander, squadron commander, and navigator of the 141st Guard Attack Aviation Regiment. Stoliarov fought at the Kalinin, Voronezh, Steppe, and Second and First Ukrainian fronts and carried out more than 180 successful combat missions.

In 1946, Stoliarov graduated from the Poltava Higher School of Navigation for Officers, and in 1954 he graduated from the Air Force Academy. A navigator and deputy commander of an air regiment, he has been in the reserves since 1956.

Stoliarov has been awarded the Order of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Great Patriotic War First and Second Class, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and various medals.