Alexander Efimov
 6.2.1923Alexander Efimov was Squadron commander and navigator of the 198th Attack and 62th Attack Aviation Regiments of the 233rd assault aviation division of the 4th Air Army of the 2nd Belorussian Front. He was born on February 6, 1923 in Kantemirovka village (now township in Voronezh region) in the family of a railway worker. Russian. Childhood and adolescence spent in Millerovo (Rostov region), where in 1940 he graduated from school number 2. In 1941 he graduated from Lugansk flying club. Joined the Army in May 1941. In 1942 he graduated from Lugansk Air Force Pilot School. Took part in the Great Patriotic War from August 1942 as a pilot of the 594th Attack Aviation Regiment. He participated in battles at the West and 2nd Belorussian Fronts, at Vyazma, Smolensk, in Belarus, Poland and Germany. From November 1942 he was a pilot, flight commander, squadron commander and navigator of the 198th Attack Aviation Regiment. By July 1944, Squadron commander of the 198th Attack Aviation Regiment (the 233rd Assault Air Division, the 4th Air Army, the 2nd Belorussian Front), Lieutenant A. Efimov made 100 combat missions to explore and attack the troops, airfields, ferries and trains of the enemy. For courage and heroism, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on October 26, 1944 Senior Lieutenant Alexander Efimov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 4845). From April 1945 he was a navigator of the 62th Attack Aviation Regiment. During the war he made 222 sorties on the Il-2, personally and in a group destroyed 85 enemy planes on the ground, and 7 in air combat, as well as manpower and equipment of the enemy. For courage and heroism, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on August 18, 1945 Captain Alexander Efimov was awarded the second Gold Star medal (№ 73/2). After the war he took various command positions in the Air Force. In 1951, he graduated from the Air Force Academy (Monino). He commanded a regiment, a division. In 1957, he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. He was deputy commander of the 30th Air Force (in the Baltic Military District). In 1964-1969 he commanded the Air Force in the Carpathian Military District. From March 1969 he was First Deputy Commander of the Air Force. From December 1984 to July 1990 he commanded the Air Force, was Deputy Minister of Defence. In 1990-1993 - Chairman of State Commission for the use of airspace and air traffic control. Since August 1993, Air Marshal A. Efimov - in retirement. Lives in Moscow. Chairman of the Russian Committee of War Veterans and Military Service, Chairman of the Commission for Relations with civil society organizations of veterans, reserve officers, and retired under the RF President; Vice-Chairman of the Russian Organizing Committee “Victory”, chaired by the President of the Russian Federation, Chairman of the Board of the International Association of veterans’ organizations and a member of the Central Council for Veterans Affairs of the Ministry of Defence, Member of the Public Chamber of Russia (since 2006). Air Marshal (April 29, 1975), Honored Military Pilot of the USSR (1970), Doctor of Military Sciences, professor, academician of the Academy of Military Aviation and Aeronautics. The USSR State Prize laureate (1984). He was awarded three Orders of Lenin (11/26/1944; 10/31/1967; 09/04/1981), the Order of the October Revolution (02/19/1988), five Orders of the Red Banner (05/29/1943; 02/21/1944; 10/24/1944; 02/21/1969; 02/05/1973), the Order of Alexander Nevsky (08/01/1944), two 1st Class Orders of the Patriotic War (11/05/1943; 03/11/1985), the Order of the Red Star (12/30/1956), “For the Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR” of the 3rd Class (02/17/1976), the Russian medals – “For Merit” of the 2nd Class (2008), the 3rd Class (2003) and the 4th (1998), “For Courage” (1997), and medals of the USSR and the Russian Federation, foreign orders and medals. A Member of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR in 1946-1950 and 1974-1989; the USSR peoples’ deputy in 1989-1991. A member of the CPSU Central Committee in 1986-1990. His bronze bust was installed in Millerovo-city (Rostov region). |