Photo of Captain of the Red Army Air Force A.A. Golimbievsky, Hero of the Soviet Union

The original photo is in excellent collector's condition. The size is 80*112 mm. Rare. Guarantee of authenticity.

Alexey Afanasievich Golimbievsky (June 4, 1919, Velikaya Mechetnya village — January 24, 1971, Lutsk) was a participant in the Great Patriotic War, an attack pilot, Hero of the Soviet Union (1944), colonel (in reserve). He fought in the 175th Assault Aviation Regiment and was a squadron commander. By March 1944, he had flown 87 combat missions. He was born on June 4, 1919 in the village of Velikaya Mechetnya, now in the Krivoozersky district of the Mykolaiv region (Ukraine), into a peasant family. The Ukrainian. He has been in the Red Army since 1938. He voluntarily entered the Bataisk Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which he graduated in 1941. He was drafted into the ranks of the Red Army by the Odessa Military Industrial Complex. Member of the CPSU since 1943. On the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since February 1942. He fought on the Western and Volkhov fronts.

On April 24, 1942, based on intelligence data, Second Lieutenant A. A. Golimbievsky, consisting of 6 Il-2 aircraft, set off along the route of a convoy of vehicles totaling over 300 units with ammunition, fuel and manpower reinforcements. During the initial approach to the target, the column could not be detected. Later, 2 kilometers south of Novgorod, an accumulation of all the vehicles of the column refueling was discovered. The group's aircraft made 3 approaches to the target. As a result of the group's assault operations, more than 120 vehicles were destroyed, fuel tanks were blown up and a number of strong explosions occurred. Despite the heavy barrage of enemy anti-aircraft weapons, the group returned to its airfield in full force. The results of the assault were confirmed by intelligence and partisans. Thanks were given to all the crews for the excellent performance of the operation.

On June 12, 1942, reconnaissance in the Olkhovatka area discovered a large concentration of enemy infantry and tanks ready to strike at parts of the fortified area of the 2nd Shock Army. Second Lieutenant A. A. Golimbievsky, as part of 4 Il-2 aircraft, in cooperation with a group of Pe-2 aircraft attacked the location of enemy units. Despite heavy anti-aircraft artillery fire and fighter action, 5 group approaches were made for assault operations. The enemy infantry and tanks did not have time to disperse and suffered heavy losses. 14 tanks and a large number of enemy personnel were destroyed by targeted fire.

On June 21, 1942, Second Lieutenant A. A. Golimbievsky volunteered, in extremely difficult weather conditions, to complete the task of ensuring the withdrawal of units of the 2nd Shock Army from enemy lines. Having accurately reached the target as part of 6 Il-2s, he successfully completed his combat mission. While performing combat missions on the Volkhov front, he was slightly wounded, was shot down twice by enemy anti-aircraft artillery, and landed a plane on his territory twice.

Since March 1943, he has been participating in battles on the Southwestern Front. In a short time, he made 7 sorties to destroy crossings south of the city of Belgorod and attack resistance centers in the area of the city of Izyum. As a result of the assault on July 7, 1943, he personally destroyed 5 cars, 4 horse carts, 2 guns and one anti-aircraft point. In a group flight on the same day, he destroyed the ferry. On July 17, 1943, in the Izyum area, as part of a group of 6 Il-2 aircraft, A. A. Golimbievsky destroyed up to 10 field guns, 3 batteries of anti-aircraft artillery, 4 vehicles, and 8 charging boxes. On July 18, 1943, as part of a group of 6 Il-2 aircraft, A. A. Golimbievsky destroyed from 6 to 8 wagons, 6 cars and suppressed the fire of 4 heavy machine guns. I have repeatedly received commendations from the command for excellent performance of combat missions. By March 1944, he was a squadron commander of the 175th Assault Aviation Regiment (305th Assault Aviation Division, 9th Mixed Aviation Corps (first formation), 17th Air Army, 3rd Ukrainian Front). Senior Lieutenant A. A. Golimbievsky made 87 successful sorties to attack enemy defenses, manpower and military equipment (according to some sources, he had 12 aerial victories, possibly including aircraft destroyed on the ground). By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet dated July 1, 1944, Senior Lieutenant Alexei Afanasyevich Golimbievsky was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin (No. 18981) and the Gold Star medal (No. 3935) for exemplary performance of combat missions of the command, courage, bravery and heroism shown in the fight against the Nazi invaders. After the war, he served in the Soviet Air Force until 1969. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1949. Since 1969, Colonel A. A. Golimbievsky has been in the reserve. He lived in the city of Lutsk, Volyn region (Ukraine). He died on January 24, 1971.