Photo of Major General S. Andreev with the pilots of the 123rd Guards. Yartsevsky aviation regiment

An original and quite rare front-facing shot in very good collector's condition. There are traces of pasting into the album on the back. The size is 110*165mm. From the front-line album of an officer of the regiment. In the photo in the center, Sergey Pavlovich Andreev (7.10.1901, Velikiye Luki — 27.7.1990, Sheremetyevo cemetery, Dolgoprudny) — Major General of Aviation (4.2.44 No. 115), drafted into the Red Army (1922), graduated from: 2nd Borisoglebsk Military School of Pilots (1928), participant in the Soviet-Finnish War (1939-40), commander of the 3rd Guards Bomber Aviation Smolensk Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division (22.1.43-1946); awarded the orders of: Lenin (6.11.47), the Red Banner (21.5.40, 7.7.44 and 3.11.44), Suvorov 2nd (19.4.45) and 3rd art. (5.9.43), the Patriotic War 1st art. (6.4.85), the Red Star (25.5.36); memoirs "Wing to wing" (1962). Major Popov, the regiment's navigator, stands next to him. Guarantee of authenticity.

The 123rd Guards Bomber Aviation Yartsevsky Regiment was formed in June-July 1941 on the basis of the 48th Bomber Aviation Regiment. It was armed with Pe-2 bombers. From August 27 to October 15, 1941, the regiment as part of the 11th Mixed Aviation Division operated on the Bryansk Front. On August 1, 1942, the regiment was part of the 204th Short-range Bomber Aviation Division (where it fought until the end of the war) of the 1st Air Army of the Western Front. On September 3, 1943, the 261st Bomber Aviation Regiment was transformed into the 123rd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment by Order of the NCO of the USSR No. 265 dated 09/03/2013 and Directive of the General Staff No. Org/10/138919 dated 09/04/1943.

On September 19, 1943, the 123rd Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment was awarded the honorary name "Yartsevsky" by Order of the Supreme Commander No. 17 for its participation in the battles for the liberation of Yartsevo. Since May 1944, the regiment has been participating in the liberation of the Byelorussian SSR as part of the 3rd Belorussian Front, and since August it has been participating in the liberation of the Baltic States. During the summer offensive of 1944, during the breakthrough of the German defenses in the Orsha area, the liberation of Belarus and Lithuania, the regiment showed high standards of combat work and made 695 successful combat sorties. For excellent organization and high efficiency of bombing attacks, the regiment was awarded the Orders of the Red Banner for the liberation of the capital of Belarus, Minsk, and Alexander Nevsky for the liberation of Kaunas. In October 1944, as part of the 3rd Air Army of the 1st Baltic Front, he carried out bombing attacks in the area of Libava, Priekule. On October 26, 1944, the regiment carried out a bombing attack in the area of the Ministry of Health with two nines as part of the division. Baga-Asite to destroy enemy artillery and mortar batteries. On October 27, 1944, the regiment bombarded enemy artillery and mortar positions in the area northeast of Priekule. Since January 1945, he has been involved in bombing raids against enemy troops and equipment in East Prussia. For excellent combat operations in bombing vital centers of East Prussia, the regiment's personnel received a commendation from Supreme Commander J.V. Stalin.,  The Military Council of the 3rd Belorussian Front and the Commander of the 1st Air Army. In May 1945, the 123rd Guards Bomber Aviation Yartsevsky Regiment, as part of the Leningrad Front, took part in the liquidation of the Courland enemy group.