Photo of the Hero of the Soviet Union A.I. Kholzunov from his personal file

The original photo is in good collector's condition. The size is 57*80 mm. There are traces of pasting into the album on the back. Guarantee of authenticity.

Alexey Ivanovich Kholzunov (January 31, 1919, Lada village, Saratov province — March 7, 1943, Smolensk region) was a deputy squadron commander of a fighter regiment, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union. He was born on January 31, 1919 in the village of Lada, Saratov province. He studied in Saratov — School 2 Michurina St. 16. He took part in battles in the Khalkhin-Gol River area. He participated in the Great Patriotic War on the Volkhov, Stalingrad, Don, Southwestern and Kalinin fronts. He distinguished himself in November 1941 in the districts of Malaya Vishera and Tikhvin. On November 7, 1941, the pilot flew in a group to escort the bombers. On the way back, the fighters took part in an aerial battle with the enemy. With his attack, Kholzunov saved the squadron commander. After the end of the battle with enemy fighters, Alexey Ivanovich noticed an enemy reconnaissance aircraft. Kholzunov caught up with him and destroyed him. He went missing on March 7, 1943, without returning from a reconnaissance mission near the village of Yartsevo. According to later reports, he was shot down in combat with enemy fighters, shooting down one of them before his death. He was buried by local residents in the village of Petrovo, Smolensk region. For 265 successful sorties, 87 aerial battles, 12 personally shot down and 2 downed in a group of enemy aircraft[2] Lieutenant Alexey Ivanovich Kholzunov, Deputy Squadron Commander of the 32nd Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 210th Fighter Aviation Division of the 1st Fighter Aviation Corps of the 3rd Air Army, was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously) on May 1, 1943.