Plotnikov, Pavel Artemevich

Born Mar. 4, 1920, in the village of Gon’ba, now under the Barnaul City Soviet, Altai Krai. Major general of aviation (1966), Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Aug. 19, 1944, and June 27, 1945), Honored Pilot of the USSR (1966). Member of the CPSU since 1944.

Plotnikov graduated from the Third Novosibirsk Military Aviation School in 1940, from the Higher Tactical Flight School for Officers in 1945, from the Air Force Academy (now the Iu. A. Gagarin Air Force Academy) in 1951, and from the Military Academy of the General Staff in 1960. In the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) he served on the Southwestern, Southern, Transcaucasian, Voronezh, Steppe, and Second and First Ukrainian fronts. He was a pilot, flight commander, deputy commander of a squadron of the 82nd Guards Bombardment Aviation Regiment, and commander of a squadron of the 81st Guards Bombardment Aviation Regiment. He made 343 combat flights and shot down three enemy aircraft.

Since the war, Plotnikov has held responsible positions in the air force. He has been awarded the Order of Lenin, three Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class, the Order of the Red Star, and various medals. A bust of Plotnikov has been erected in the city of Barnaul.