Photo of Air Force Major I.M. German– Hero of the Soviet Union

The original wartime photograph is in good collector's condition. The upper corner is torn. The size is 55*70 mm. There are traces of pasting into the album on the back. Guarantee of authenticity.

Ivan German was born in the village of Malaya Vorozhba (now Vorozhba, Lebedinsky district, Sumy region of Ukraine) in a peasant family on September 23, 1915. The Ukrainian. After graduating from the Kremenchug Construction College in 1936, he was sent by the Komsomol to the Chuguev Military Aviation School of Pilots, from which he graduated in 1940. In the active army since July 1941. I. M. German showed exceptional courage and flying skills during the destruction in the air and at the airfields of the transport aviation of the 16th German army, surrounded by Soviet troops in the Demyansk area. On April 5, 1942, 3 attack aircraft led by I. M. Herman took off on missions to destroy transport aircraft at an enemy airfield. When approaching the target, the pilots noticed 13 enemy bombers in the air. The commander made a decision: first attack the Junkers, and then do everything possible to complete the task. As a result of a short battle, 5 bombers were shot down. I. M. German personally destroyed 2 vehicles. Before the enemies could come to their senses, the attack aircraft had already attacked the airfield. Another 4 enemy aircraft burned down after an assault attack by our Ilov. On November 7, 1942, 5 attack aircraft under the command of I. M. German attacked a large group of German aircraft at the airfield again. The Nazis lost more than 10 vehicles from the well-aimed fire of the Soviet pilots. The brave captain shot down one bomber when it was about to take off.

On April 21, 1943, I. M. Herman was the leader of the Ilov troika. In the area of Smychkino, not far from Staraya Russa, our pilots found about 2 battalions of German infantry on one of the roads. The attack was so unexpected that the fascists did not have time to take cover. With well-aimed assault strikes, the pilots destroyed 4 vehicles, 2 artillery pieces, and many soldiers and officers. By June 1943, he had flown over 60 sorties, shot down 7 and burned 22 enemy aircraft on the ground, destroyed more than 20 tanks and armored vehicles, 70 vehicles with troops and supplies, and many other enemy military equipment and manpower.

By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated August 24, 1943, Captain Herman Ivan Moiseevich was awarded the high title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal number 604 for "exemplary performance of command tasks and courage and bravery" of the Guard.

During the war, I. M. German flew 91 combat missions and conducted 27 aerial battles. He shot down 7 enemy planes in the air and destroyed 30 at airfields. The Hero's combat account includes 20 tanks and armored vehicles, more than 70 vehicles, many other military equipment, weapons and manpower destroyed during the assault of enemy troops.