9. 2. 1920 - 22. 12. 1990

Gregory Rechkalov was commander of the 16^th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (the 216^th Composite Air Division, the 4^th Air Army, the North-Caucasian Front), Guards Lieutenant, deputy commander of the 16^th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment (the 9^th Guards Fighter Division, the 7^th Fighter Aviation Corps, the 5^th Air Army, the 2^nd Ukrainian Front), Guards Captain.

He was born on February 9, 1920 in Khudyakovo (now - within the boundaries of Zaikovo, Irbit district of Sverdlovsk region) in a peasant family. Russian. He graduated from the 6^th grade school.

In the Army since 1938. In 1939 he graduated from Perm Military Aviation Pilot School. He served in the Air Force combat units (in the Odessa Military District).

Participated in the Great Patriotic War: June 1941-July 1944 - a pilot, flight commander, squadron commander, navigator - deputy commander of the 55th (from March 1942 – the 16^th Guards) Fighter Regiment. During one air combat was severely wounded in head and legs, was at hospital, where suffered three operations.

By May 1943 he made 194 sorties, during 54 air battles personally shot down 12 enemy planes and 2 - in a group.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on May 24, 1943 for his courage and heroism, Guards Senior Lieutenant Gregory Rechkalov was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 994).

By June 1944, he made 415 sorties, participated in 112 air battles, personally shot down 48 enemy planes and 6 - in a group.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on July 1, 1944 for the new combat feats Guards Captain, Gregory Rechkalov was awarded the second Gold Star medal (№ 25/II).

In July 1944-March 1945 - commander of the 16^th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment, from March 1945 - pilot inspector on flight technique of the 9^th Guards Fighter Division.

He fought on the South, the North Caucasus, the 1^st, the 2^nd and the 4^th Ukrainian Fronts. Participated in the defensive battles in southern Ukraine, defense of the North Caucasus, liberation of the Kuban, the Donbass, the Crimea, Belarus and Poland, in the Berlin operation. Altogether during the war he made more than 450 sorties on the I 153 “Chaika”, the I-16, the Yak-1 and the P-39 “Cobra” fighters, participated in 122 air battles, personally shot down 61 enemy planes and four – in a group.

After the war he continued service in the Air Force. In 1951 he graduated from the Air Force Academy (Monino). He commanded a regiment, air divisions. In 1957-1959 - deputy commander of the fighter aircraft separate Far Eastern Air Defense Army. Since April 1959, Major General of Aviation G. Rechkalov - in reserve.

He lived in Moscow, last years - in Zhukovsky, Moscow region. Died on December 22, 1990. He was buried in Bobrovsky, Sysert district of Sverdlovsk region.

Air Force Major General (1957). He was awarded the Order of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the 1^st Class Order of Patriotic War, two Orders of the Red Star and medals.

A bronze bust of Hero was set in Zaikovo, Irbit district of Sverdlovsk region.