Photo of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Captain of the Red Army Air Force, A.A. Rogozhin, with his comrades

The original photo is in excellent collector's condition. The size is 83*110 mm. Guarantee of authenticity.

Alexey Arsentievich Rogozhin (February 23, 1922 — March 1, 1992) was an attack pilot, participant in the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union, colonel, military pilot 1st class. On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since January 23, 1943. During the Great Patriotic War, he fought on the IL-2 attack aircraft on the Northwestern, Kalinin, Voronezh, Steppe, 2nd and 1st Ukrainian fronts. The entire combat path was completed as part of the 673rd Assault Aviation Regiment of the 266th Assault Aviation Division of the 1st Assault Aviation Corps, later renamed the 142nd Guards Sandomierz Assault Aviation Regiment of the 8th Guards Assault Aviation of the Poltava Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky Division of the 1st Guards Assault Aviation of the Kirovograd Red Banner Corps.

In February 1943, he participated in the assault attacks on the enemy to support the troops of the Northwestern Front, participated in the Kalinin front in the Rzhev-Vyazma offensive operation. From July 5, 1943, as part of the 2nd Air Army on the Voronezh Front, he fought on the Kursk Bulge, delivering assault strikes against the enemy, supporting ground troops in defensive battles, and then during the offensive. In August 1943, A. A. Rogozhin participated on the Steppe Front in the Belgorod-Kharkov strategic offensive operation (including the liberation of Belgorod and Kharkov), and then in the liberation of Left—bank Ukraine (including the liberation of Krasnograd, Poltava, Kremenchuk) and in the Battle for the Dnieper. In the Belgorod region in the summer of 1943, he was wounded in the arm, but quickly recovered and joined the ranks.

For 41 successful combat missions to destroy enemy manpower and equipment and for his valor, courage and bravery, he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, which he received on August 30, 1943.

Later, Rogozhin's assault corps participated in the liberation of Right-bank Ukraine, in the liberation of Moldova, and in launching assault attacks on targets in Romania. On August 26, 1944, he received another wound: multiple shrapnel wounds to the face and a concussion to the brain. He was in the ranks and took part from July 13 to August 29, 1944 in the Lviv-Sandomierz strategic offensive operation, the liberation of the western regions of Ukraine, the liberation of the eastern regions of Poland, and support for ground troops on the Sandomierz bridgehead on the west bank of the Vistula River, as well as bridgeheads in the areas of the settlements of Baranow and Magnuszew. After the liberation of Sandomir, the regiment in which A. A. Rogozhin fought was named Sandomirsky.

For his excellent combat work in disrupting the German summer offensive of 1943, for the liberation of the cities of Belgorod, Kharkov, Krasnograd, Poltava, Lviv, Sandomir and others, A. A. Rogozhin has 8 commendations from the People's Commissar of Defense of the USSR. For the successful fulfillment of the tasks of the command, A. A. Rogozhin has 3 commendations from the front commander, 11 commendations from the corps and division commanders. By the time he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union on January 14, 1945, Lieutenant Rogozhin, Deputy commander of the Aviation squadron of the 142nd Guards Assault Aviation Regiment, had flown 129 successful sorties to destroy enemy personnel and equipment on an Il-2 aircraft. At the same time, he destroyed and damaged 38 tanks, 116 vehicles, suppressed the fire of 5 artillery batteries in firing positions, 3 anti-aircraft artillery batteries, 2 mortar points, blew up 8 fuel and ammunition depots as part of a group, personally blew up 1 railway train with ammunition and one train from fuel tanks, shot down 1 in aerial combat. The Xe-126 aircraft destroyed 5 enemy aircraft on the ground, dispersed and partially destroyed up to a regiment of enemy infantry.

For courage and heroism shown during assault attacks on enemy manpower and equipment, Alexey Arsentievich Rogozhin was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 10, 1945, with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

From April 16 to May 8, 1945, Rogozhin participated in the Berlin Strategic Operation. A. A. Rogozhin's military career ended with his participation in the liberation of Prague on May 11, 1945. During the war, Rogozhin was wounded several times, shot down 6 times, and sank along with the plane in the middle of the Dnieper. After the war, he continued to serve in the Air Force in command positions. In 1959, Major Rogozhin graduated from the Gagarin Air Force Academy. Since 1968, Colonel Rogozhin has been in the reserve. He lived in Tula. He worked at an arms factory as chairman of the DOSAAF committee, was engaged in public activities — he served as executive secretary of the Tula section of the Soviet Committee of War Veterans. He died in a car accident on March 1, 1992. He was buried in Tula. His daughter lives in Tula.