18. 11. 1921

Mikhail Odintsov was Squadron of the 820^th Attack Aviation Regiment of the 292^nd Assault Air Division of the 1^st Attack Air Corps of the 5^th Air Army of the Steppe Front; deputy commander of the 155^th Guards assault aviation regiment of the 9^th Guards assault aviation division of the 1^st Guards Attack Air Corps of the 2^nd Air Army of the 1^st Ukrainian Front.

He was born on November 18, 1921 in Polozovo, Chastinsny district, Perm region in a servant’s family. Russian. In 1937 he completed seven grades of school № 36 in Sverdlovsk (since 1991 - Yekaterinburg) and enrolled in the Civil Engineering College. At the same time he was engaged in urban aero club, which he graduated from in 1938.

Joined the Red Army in 1938, and entered Perm military school of pilots. After studying a year, rapidly graduated from it and was sent to Engels military school of pilots. In May 1940 he graduated from college, got the title of Lieutenant and left for the 62^nd Aviation Reconnaissance Regiment. Since October 1940 he commanded the flight crew in the 126^th near-bomber regiment. A member of the CPSU (B) since 1943.

From June 1941 M. Odintsov participated in the Great patriotic War. His first sortie he made on June 23, 1941. He was squadron commander and then deputy commander of the 800^th Attack Aviation Regiment. Fought on the Bryansk, Steppe, Stalingrad, Voronezh, Kalinin and the 2^nd Ukrainian Fronts.

By September 1943, Squadron of the 820th Attack Aviation Regiment (the 292^nd Assault Air Division, the 1^st Attack Air Corps, the 5^th Air Army, the Steppe Front) candidate member of the All-Union Communist Party of Bolsheviks, Lieutenant Mikhail Odintsov made ninety-six successful sorties, having inflicted great damage to the enemy.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on February 4, 1944 Senior Lieutenant Mikhail Odintsov was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (# 1466).

The day after the decree “For distinguished service, perseverance, and heroism of personnel, demonstrated in the Battle of Kursk and the battles in the Ukraine” issued, by the Order of the People’s Commissar of Defense, J. Stalin, number 016 dated February 5, 1944 the 820^th Kiev Attack Aviation Regiment was transformed into the 155^th Kiev Guards assault aviation regiment.

By the end of the war, Deputy commander of the 155^th Guards assault aviation regiment (the 9^th Guards Assault Air Division, the 1^st Guards Ground Attack Air Corps, the 2^nd Air Army, the 1^st Ukrainian Front), Major Odintsov made two hundred and fifteen successful sorties, destroyed two enemy planes.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet dated 27 June Major Mikhail Odintsov was awarded the second Gold Star medal (#6035).

After the war he continued to serve in the Air Force. In 1952 he graduated from Military-Political Academy named after V. Lenin, in 1959 - General Staff Academy. He commanded a regiment, aviation division and the military district, was one of the chiefs of Cosmonaut Training Center (in 1963), Counselor of the Polish Air Force. In 1976-1981 - Air Force Inspector General of the Inspectorate of the Ministry of Defense, in 1981-1987 - Assistant Chief Representative of the United Army Forces of the Warsaw Treaty countries in the Polish Army. Since 1987 - in retirement.

Lives in Moscow. Vice-President of the Russian Association of Heroes of the Soviet Union, Heroes of Russia and Full Cavaliers of the Order of Glory, chairman of the Russian Committee of memory, deputy chairman of the Moscow Peace Fund, a member of the Presidium of the All-Russian Council of Veterans of War, Labor, Armed Forces and law enforcement agencies.

At the anniversary Victory Day parade on May 9, 1995 Mikhail Odintsov carried the Victory Banner.

Aviation Colonel-General (1976). He was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the October Revolution, five Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, two 1^st Class Orders of the Patriotic War, 2^nd Class Order of the Patriotic War, the Order of the Red Star, the 3^rd Class Order “For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces”, and medals. Honored Military Pilot of the USSR (1967).

Honorary citizen of Yekaterinburg.

Author of “The Trial by Fire” and “The Overcoming”.

A bronze bust of twice Hero of the Soviet Union, M. Odintsov was established in Sverdlovsk - Yekaterinburg in front of Yekaterinburg Military School named after Suvorov.