Photo by Senior Lieutenant of the Red Army Air Force V.D. Orlov– Hero of the Soviet Union

The original photo is in excellent condition. A photo from the Hero's personal file. The size is 86*120 mm. Guarantee of authenticity.

Vitaly Dmitrievich Orlov (April 15, 1923, village White Shores — September 2, 2014, Staraya Kupavna) — colonel of the Soviet Army, participant of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Soviet Union (1945). Vitaly Orlov was born on April 15, 1923 in the village of Belye Berega near Bryansk. Since 1935, he lived with his brother in the village of Staraya Kupavna in the Moscow region, graduated from eight grades of school and the Reutovsky Aero Club. In the spring of 1941, Orlov was drafted into the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army. He graduated from the Kachin Military Aviation School of Pilots. Since May 1943, he served on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War. By the end of the war, Senior Lieutenant Vitaly Orlov commanded the fighter wing of the 98th separate correction and reconnaissance aviation regiment. During his participation in the war, he flew 210 combat missions to cover the actions of scouts and spotters, and personally shot down 5 enemy aircraft. By decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated May 31, 1945, Senior Lieutenant Vitaly Orlov 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 6778 for "exemplary performance of command tasks, courage and heroism." After the end of the war, Orlov continued to serve in the Soviet Army. He graduated from officer training courses in 1949 and the Air Force Academy in 1957. In 1965, with the rank of colonel, Orlov was discharged into the reserve. He lived in Staraya Kupavna, died there on September 2, 2014 at the age of 92. He was actively engaged in social activities. Honorary citizen of the Moscow region, Noginsk and Staraya Kupavna. He was also awarded two Orders of the Red Banner, the Orders of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree and the Red Star, medals "For Military Merit", "For the Liberation of Warsaw", "For the Capture of Berlin".