Parshin, Georgii

Born May 10 (23), 1916, in the village of Setukha, now in Zalegoshch’ Raion, Orel Oblast; died Mar. 13, 1956. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Aug. 19, 1944, and Apr. 19, 1945), major (1944). Member of the CPSU from 1942.

Parshin graduated from a civil aviation school for instructors in 1936 and worked in civil aviation. He joined the Red Army in 1941. In the Great Patriotic War (1941–45), Parshin was a pilot, flight commander, deputy commander and commander of a squadron, assistant commander and navigator of a regiment, and commander of the 943rd Attack Aviation Regiment on the Western, Northern Caucasus, Leningrad, and Third Byelorussian fronts. He made 253 combat flights and shot down ten enemy aircraft. Parshin died in the line of duty. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov Third Class, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class, and various medals. A bust of Parshin has been placed in the settlement of Zalegoshch’.