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

The original photo is in good collector's condition. The TASS newsreel. The size is 82*120 mm. Rare. Guarantee of authenticity.

Rostov-on-Don, Rostov—on-Don, July 3, 1923 - October 20, 2004) was a Hero of the Soviet Union, deputy squadron commander of the 431st Assault Aviation Regiment (299th Assault Aviation Division, 16th Air Army, 1st Belorussian Front), Lieutenant.

Born on July 3, 1923 in Rostov-on-Don in a Jewish working-class family. Later, he and his family moved to Voronezh. In 1939, he graduated from the Voronezh Institute of Chemical Technology and the Aero Club. In the Red Army since 1940. In 1942, he graduated from the Balashov Military Aviation School of Pilots, receiving the rank of second lieutenant. He participated in the Great Patriotic War since March 1943. He fought on the Central, Belorussian and 1st Belorussian fronts. He received his baptism of fire in July 1943 at the Kursk Bulge. He flew out 2-3 times a day on an Il-2 aircraft to attack enemy troops, while gaining combat experience.

In mid-July 1943, Gurvich, as part of a group of four aircraft, stormed German artillery and infantry in the Ponyri area, where the enemy was still advancing. The group was attacked by Focke-Wulf fighters. Gurvich shot down one fighter jet, but his plane was also shot down. Dragging the damaged engine across the front line, he landed the plane on the fuselage in the location of our troops. With the transition of Soviet troops to the offensive, Gurvich participated in the battles for the liberation of the Bryansk region, and then Belarus. He was promoted to the rank of lieutenant and became a flight commander. He took 4-6 planes on attack missions.

On November 29, 1943, in the Zhlobin area, despite heavy enemy anti-aircraft fire, a group of aircraft destroyed a steam locomotive, 30 wagons with military cargo and an ammunition depot, repulsed 7 fighter attacks. During the battles for the liberation of Gomel, he led a group of stormtroopers, overcoming heavy anti-aircraft fire, suppressed enemy artillery and mortar batteries on the western bank of the Sozh River, ensuring that rifle units crossed the river. During the further offensive towards the Dnieper, Gurvich, with two units of attack aircraft, used bombs, rockets, and cannon-machine-gun fire to destroy tanks, columns of vehicles with enemy infantry, and artillery, which were being deployed to occupy the defense. By the end of the Minsk operation, he had 114 successful combat missions to his credit, for which he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.  In the summer of 1944, Gurvich participated in air strikes during the liberation of Bobruisk. He became the squadron's deputy commander. On June 25, 1944, in the area of Glusk, as part of a group, he destroyed 40 vehicles, a railway train, a field artillery battery, and more than 200 Nazis. Later, he participated in the battles in the Brest direction. From July 1943 to July 1944, he flew 114 combat sorties to attack enemy fortifications. He destroyed 19 enemy tanks, 40 guns, 95 vehicles, a steam locomotive, 30 wagons with cargo, several anti-aircraft batteries, and a lot of enemy manpower. I shot down one enemy fighter personally and two in a group. Later, he participated in the battles for the liberation of Poland, during the crossing of the Oder. On April 26, 1945, Captain S. I. Gurvich, navigator of the 431st Assault Aviation Regiment, led a group of 24 Il-2 aircraft to attack the enemy in Berlin.

After the war, he continued to serve in the Air Force. He graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1955. Since 1966, Colonel S. I. Gurvich has been in the reserve. He lived in Rostov-on-Don. He worked as an administrator of a sports arena. Honored trainer of the RSFSR in bench shooting. He died on October 20, 2004. He was buried in the Alley of Heroes of the Northern Cemetery.