Photo by Junior Lieutenant of the Red Army Air Force S.G. Ridny, Hero of the Soviet Union, TASS

The original photo is in very good collector's condition. The size is 112*155 mm. On the reverse side is a TASS tag with a description of the feat. Guarantee of authenticity.

Stepan Grigorievich Ridny (March 26, 1917, Sumy region — February 9, 1942, Moscow Region) was a flight commander of the 126th Fighter Aviation Regiment of the country's Air Defense Forces, senior lieutenant. Hero of the Soviet Union (1941). He was born on March 26, 1917 in the village of Malaya Rybitsa, now Krasnopolsky district, Sumy region, into a peasant family. The Ukrainian. Member of the CPSU (b) since 1941. Orphaned early. As a teenager, he began working at the Toledo beet farm. In 1934 he graduated from the courses of animal technicians. In 1935, he moved to Odessa, where he worked as a stamping machine at one of the factories and at the same time studied at an evening school. Graduated from the aero club. In the Red Army since 1937. In 1938, he graduated from the Odessa Military Aviation School of Pilots. He participated in the Great Patriotic War since June 1941. The flight commander of the 126th Fighter Aviation Regiment, Second Lieutenant Stepan Ridny, flew 6-8 combat missions daily to escort bombers and intercept enemy aircraft. During the 20 days of the war, he shot down 8 enemy aircraft (according to the award list, 4 personal and 2 group victories were documented). By Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR "On awarding the title Hero of the Soviet Union to the commanding staff of the Red Army" dated August 9, 1941, for "exemplary performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the struggle against German fascism and bravery and heroism", Junior Lieutenant Stepan Grigorievich Ridny was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the medal "Golden Star" (No. 272). He continued to fight bravely at the front. In total, he completed 172 sorties, conducted 53 air battles, shot down 6 German aircraft personally and 13 in a group on February 9, 1942, Senior Lieutenant S. G. Ridny died in a plane crash. He was buried in the cemetery near the Chkalovskaya station (within the city limits of Shchelkovo) Moscow region. He was awarded the Order of Lenin (08/9/1941).