Anna Yegorova

Lt. Anna Timofyeyevna Yegorova (born September 23, 1916) was a Soviet pilot during the Second World War, who was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union after being awarded 3 citations.

A navigator in the 305th Air Regiment, Yegorova started her military career in a wooden bi-plane in which she was shot down, and eventually flew 260 missions during the war in Ilyushin Il-2s, including battles above the Taman Peninsula, Crimea and Poland leading the all-male 805th Ground Attack Aviation Regiment.

Shot down in her Ilyushin, Yegorova was presumed dead and 'posthumously' granted the status of Hero of the Soviet Union, although in actuality she had been taken to a concentration camp where her wounds were tended by Dr. Georgy Sinyakov. After the camp was overtaken by the Soviets, Yegorova joined the other Soviet prisoners in a gulag, since Stalin held a disfavourable view of any Soviets who had been captured. She was the subject of a feature article in the Literaturnaya Gazeta in 1961, and four years later was finally given her medal.

References

Noggle, A., A Dance With Death: "Soviet Airwomen in World War II" College Station, Texas A&M University Press, 1994.