15. 12. 1917 - 2. 7. 1972

Pavel Golovachev was a fighter pilot, flight commander, deputy commander of a squadron of the 9^th Guards Fighter, Guards lieutenant, captain.

He was born on 2 (15) December 1917 in Koshelevo village, now Buda-Koshelevo district of the Gomel region in a peasant family. Belorussian. He lived with his parents in Vetka district, where his father worked as a forester; then they moved to Chechersk district. He graduated from a seven-year school, in 1935 - the school of the Factory Trade Apprenticeship in Gomel. Worked as a lathe operator and a miller at a forest combine in Novo-Belitsa village (now within the city of Gomel). He was a striker in a factory football team. At the same time he was engaged in the Gomel flying club.

Joined the Red Army in 1938. On the Komsomol pass he was sent to the 8^th Odessa Military flying school named after P. Osipenko, which he graduated from at the end of 1940. Was sent to serve in the 168^th Fighter Aviation Regiment, stationed in the Crimea.

The Great Patriotic War met at Jassy. He flew to attack the enemy on the I-16. On the second day of the war brought down his first plane – the Me-109, but was wounded. In October 1941, he was transferred into the 69^th Aviation Regiment under the command of Hero of the Soviet Union, L. Shestakov. At that time the regiment, after heavy fighting in the sky of Odessa was in the rear for reorganization and assimilation of new planes – the LaGG-3. He went to the end of the war as part of the regiment.

After acquiring a new military plane, Lieutenant Golovachev fought at Kharkov, then at Stalingrad. During one battle his plane was shot down, and the pilot was shot in the face, he lost his sight. At the hospital, where he was placed after the forced landing, worked the famous ophthalmologist, Professor Filatov. The doctor held a complicated operation, put 13 stitches, and returned his sight. In 45 days after the injury he returned to his regiment.

He successfully mastered the new I-1, and soon was appointed commander of Sultan Amet-Khan’s squadron. In his new position lieutenant Golovachev finished off the enemy at Stalingrad. He distinguished himself in battles near Rostov-on-Don and the Donets Basin. In March 1943, over Bataisk in a group of the Yak-1 fighters he entered into the battle with 100 bombers and 60 fighters. Skillfully maneuvering to defend each other against unexpected shocks, our pilots destroyed 42 enemy planes, and lost three of their. In this battle Golovachev brought his personal account to 18 wins.

In autumn 1943, he fought in the Crimea and at Melitopol. A member of the CPSU (b) since 1943.

By November 1943, commander of the 9^th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, Guards Lt. Golovachev made 225 sorties, carried out 92 air battles in which he personally shot down 17 enemy planes. The regimental commander, Guards Colonel Morozov, representing Golovachov to high rank on October 27, 1943, wrote in the awards list, “A great fighter pilot, an air sniper, he hits the Nazi vultures certainly setting an example to his subordinates. Without regard to fatigue, making several flights a day, he shows the courage and heroism in the liberation of our sacred homeland from the German invaders”.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on November 1, 1943 for exemplary performance of military tasks to break through heavily fortified German band and the release of Melitopol, and for his bravery and heroism, Guards lieutenant Pavel Golovachev was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 1270).

As part of the regiment, he freed Belorussia and Lithuania. At the time of the first battles in East Prussia, on December 30, 1944, while in the free search on the La-7 fighter paired with N. Cernik, near the city of Troyburg at an altitude of 9000 m he found an air reconnaissance of the enemy and engaged him in battle. Four times he attacked the enemy, but the Ju-188, maneuvering, all the time went out of the fire. Golovachev managed to hit the fighter and set fire to the aircraft, but the German pilot was able to knock down the flames. When ammunition ran out, Golovachev flew closer, slashed the Junkers’ tail with his screw. It fell down. When he awoke after a stroke, he brought his fighter out of a steep dive and with great difficulty, reached the airfield. It was his 20^th victory. For his courage in the battle, he was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. Until the end of the storming of Königsberg on the same plane he shot down another 10 enemy planes.

By March 1945, deputy commander of a squadron of the same regiment (the 303^rd Fighter Division, the 1st Air Army, the 3^rd Belorussian Front), Guards Captain Golovachev made 385 sorties and shot down 26 enemy planes. He was resubmitted for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.

His last victory was gained on April 25, 1945 in Berlin sky; he shot down two FW-190 planes. By May 1945, he made 457 sorties, during 125 air battles personally shot down 31 enemy planes, and 1 – in group.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet dated June 29, 1945 for exemplary performance of command assignments on the front of fighting the German invaders, giving the right to receive the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Hero of the Soviet Union, Guards Captain Pavel Golovachev was awarded the second Gold Star medal (№ 58/II).

After the war he continued service in the Air Force. In 1951 he graduated from the Red Banner Air Force Academy, in 1959 - the General Staff Academy. Air Force Major General (1957) Golovachev served in senior positions in the Soviet Army: commanded a regiment and division, and was deputy commander of the Air Force Military District. In peacetime he was awarded three orders for success in combat and political training.

After a short illness, died on July 2, 1972. He was buried at the East (Moscow) cemetery in Minsk.

He was awarded two Orders of Lenin, six Orders of the Red Banner, the 1^st Class Order of the Patriotic War, two Orders of the Red Star, and medals.

A bronze bust was installed at home - in Koshelevo village. In the city of Gomel, a monument to the hero was also set; his name was given to the street, a school, a museum, Gomel vocational college number 56, a street in Gomel farm in his home in the Buda-Koshelev region. At Gomel woodworking plant, where he began his work, a memorial plaque was also set. In Gorodok of the Lvov region in the street named after him, a memorial plaque was installed.