18. 10. 1916 - 14. 9. 2005

Pavel Taran was a bomber pilot of long-range aviation.

He was born on October 18, 1916 in Sholokhovo (now Nikopol district of Dnepropetrovsk region) into a peasant family. Ukrainian. A member of the CPSU (B) / Communist Party since 1942. He completed seven school years. He worked as an electrician at a metallurgical plant in Nikopol.

Joined the Red Army in 1937. In 1938 he graduated from the Kachin Air Force Pilot School. He participated in liberation campaign of the Soviet troops in the Western Ukraine and Western Byelorussia in 1939, the Soviet-Finnish War of 1939-40.

Entered the Great Patriotic War in June 1941. Made his first combat mission on the second day of the war in the position of commander of the 81-second long-range aviation regiment of the 50^th long-range aviation division of the long-range bomber aviation. Lieutenant P. Taran by September 1941 made 71 sorties to bomb military installations and enemy forces.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on June 20, 1942 for honors in combat missions and for displaying heroism and courage, Pavel Taran was awarded the honorary title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal (№ 597).

He became a squadron commander of the 5^th Guards Aviation Regiment of the 50^th Air Division, the 6^th Air Corps Long-Range Aviation (ADD). By December 1943 Guards Major P. Taran made 125 sorties to bomb important enemy targets.

By the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet on March 13, 1944, for his able command of the squadron, successful air strikes on enemy targets on the Taman peninsula, the Crimea and the Donbas, his initiative and heroism, Pavel Taran was awarded the second Gold Star medal.

Until April 1944, P. Taran was an inspector-pilot on the flight technique of the 6^th Air Corps, and then - commander of the 240^th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment. During the war, he made 386 combat missions, the last - during the Berlin operation. By the order of the Supreme Commander Joseph Stalin, Guards Regiment commanded by Guards Lieutenant-Colonel Pavel Taran was awarded the honorary title “Berlin”.

After the war, P. Taran continued service in the Soviet Air Force. In 1958 he graduated from the Military Academy of the General Staff. Since 1960 was in the central office of the Ministry of Defence. He headed the Office of Defense and Aviation of the Main Operations Department of the General Staff of the USSR. Since 1970 - in reserve, and then - in retirement. He worked as a consultant in a Bureau named after Tupolev.

He lived in Moscow. He died on September 14, 2005. He was buried at Troekurov cemetery in Moscow.

Lieutenant-General of Aviation (1967). He was awarded the Order of Lenin (1942), the Order of the October Revolution (1978), two Orders of the Red Banner (1941, 1955), the Order of Alexander Nevsky (1945), two 1^st Class Orders of the Patriotic War (1943, 1985), the Order of the Red Banner of Labor (1973), two Orders of the Red Star (1941, 1953), some medals and foreign awards.

A bronze bust of the Hero was set in his homeland.