Photo of the Hero of the Soviet Union, Major of the Red Army Air Force S.S. Shirov

The original wartime photograph is in very good collector's condition. The size is 55*80 mm. There are traces of pasting into the album on the back. Guarantee of authenticity.

Sergei Sergeevich Shchirov (February 6, 1916, Akimovka village, Taurida Province, Russian Empire — April 7, 1956, Kazan, RSFSR) was a lieutenant colonel in the Soviet Army, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union (1942). He was born on February 6, 1916 in the village of Akimovka (now the village of Akimovsky district, Zaporizhia region of Ukraine) in a peasant family. Since 1927 he lived in Sevastopol. He graduated from five grades of school, then the school of factory apprenticeship. At the same time, he graduated from the Sevastopol Gliding School and the Melitopol Aero Club. In 1932-1935 he served in the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. In 1939, he was re-drafted into the army. In 1940, he graduated from the Kachin Military Aviation School of Pilots.

From the first day of the Great Patriotic War, he participated in combat operations. He took part in battles on the Southwestern, Kalinin, and North Caucasian fronts. In August 1942, he was presented with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but the award was replaced by the Order of Lenin. He fought in the 87th, 10th and 518th Fighter Aviation regiments, and by November 1942 was an instructor in piloting techniques of the 236th Fighter Aviation Division of the Transcaucasian Front with the rank of captain. By that time, he had flown 258 combat missions, participated in 38 air battles, shooting down 14 enemy aircraft personally and 3 more in a group. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "On conferring the title Hero of the Soviet Union to the commanding and ordinary personnel of the Red Army" dated December 13, 1942, for "exemplary performance of combat missions of the command at the front of the struggle against the German invaders and the courage and heroism shown at the same time", he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin No. 9598 and the medal "Golden Star" for No. 587. In total, he flew 348 combat missions during the war, took part in 70 air battles, shooting down 18 enemy aircraft personally and 4 more in a group. From July 28, 1944, he commanded the 267th Fighter Aviation Regiment. From November 1944, he participated with the regiment in the liberation of Yugoslavia. After the end of the war, he continued to serve in the Air Force.