Award Certificate (Nagradnoi list) 1943
LITVIAK Lydiia Vladimirovna
Flight Commander, 3rd squadron, 73rd Guards IAP
TsAMO f.33, op. 686044, d. 420, l. 279, 279ob, 280, 280ob.
Last name, first name, patronymic: LITVIAK, Lidiia Vladimirovna
Military rank: Guards Junior Lieutenant
Position, unit: Flight commander 3 Squadron 73 Guards Stalingrad IAP
Submission for the award "HERO OF THE SOVIET UNION"
1. Year of birth: 1921
2. Nationality: Russian
3. Date of entry into the Red Army: 1941
4. Party status: Member of Komsomol since 1939
5. Participation and combat activities (where and when): participated in patriotic war from 10 September 1942
6. Any wounds or contusions: 22 March 1943 in left leg by shell fragments, 16 July 1943 light fragment wounds in leg and shoulder.
7. Previous awards: by order of the 6th IAD 8th VA and [higher?] from 17 Feb 1943 awarded the Order of the Red Star, by order of the Southern Front No. [28?] as of 22 July 1943 awarded the Order of the Red Banner, by order of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR as of 22 Dec 1942 awarded the medal "For the Defense of Stalingrad."
8. [recruited into the armed forces?] by special selection, city of Moscow
9. Permanent home address: Moscow, Novoslobodskaia Street, House 14, Apartment 88 (submitted for award or ? family)
1. SHORT, SPECIFIC EXPOSITION OF INDIVIDUAL COMBAT VICTORIES OR DUTIES Comrade LITVIAK Lidiia Vladimirovna began combat work in the Patriotic War at first in the PVO system at Saratov on 15 April 1942. Here she completed 55 combat flights on patrol over the city and to escorting transport aircraft with valuable military cargo for the front. On 10 September 1942 comrade LITVIAK arrived at the front at first with personnel from the 586th IAP in an area of intense fighting at Stalingrad. 13 September on her second combat flight to cover the city of Stalingrad she encountered enemy bombers. As a result of an air engagement in which comrade LITVIAK displayed courage and perseverance during the achievement of victory over the enemy, she opened her score card by personally shooting down one Ju-88 and knocking out an Me-109 in a pair. This day was especially famous for the heroine girl-pilot of the brave defenders of Stalingrad who were led by Hero of the Soviet Union Danilov in shooting down fascist aircraft. 10 Oct 1942 comrade LITVIAK with a group of female pilots carried out combat work in the 9th Guards IAP, where the main mission was covering the city of Zhitkur and escorting transport aircraft with very important special cargo for the front. Comrade LITVIAK handled these missions excellently, completing 58 combat sorties, as well as 5 combat sorties covering Stalingrad.
From 8 January 1943 comrade LITVIAK carried out combat work in the 73rd Guards Stalingrad IAP. The brave heroine-pilot added 150 combat flights to her scorecard and personally shot down 6 enemy aircraft including: 1 Ju-87, 3 Ju-88 and 3 Me-109. As part of a group she shot down 6 aircraft and knocked out ? aircraft of the enemy. Besides this comrade LITVIAK personally shot down one artillery-spotting balloon. From the first day of combat work in the regiment comrade LITVIAK demonstrated her excellent qualities as a pilot during the fulfillment of reconnaissance missions of enemy forces and escorting ground attack aircraft, for which she was awarded the Order of the Red Star. For personally shooting down 4 enemy aircraft and one balloon she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner.
22 April 1943 during a flight of enemy aircraft at Rostov Litviak as part of a six-ship of Yak-1s attacked 12 Ju-88s, in two attacks Litviak independently shot down 1 Ju-88, after which during the course of 15-minutes she engaged alone with 6 Me-109s and despite serious damage to her aircraft and being wounded in the leg, comrade LITVIAK flew back to the airfield and landed safely on the fuselage.
5 May 1943 while escorting a group of Pe-2s at Stalino airfield, 12 Yal-1s were attacked by a group of Me-109s. comrade LITVIAK courageously engaged in battle, bravely attacking the enemy fighters and personally shooting down 1 Me-109, which fell south of Stalino.
31 May 1943, the enemy raised a spotter balloon 15 km from the front line to adjust the fire of their artillery. Despite that fact the airfield was easily visible from the balloon, and every time, as soon as our fighters took off the balloon was lowered. Comrade LITVIAK used a ruse; on takeoff she went far to the east, then went behind enemy lines and attacked alone, setting the balloon on fire. For excellent performance of the mission of destroying the enemy spotter balloon in the area of 44th Army, in an order of the 44th Army announced its gratitude to comrade LITVIAK and petitioned that she be presented with a government award.
16 July 1943, comrade LITVIAK as part of a 6-ship of Yak-1s entered into battle with 30 Ju-88 by escorted by 6 ME-109. She chose to attack the far left Ju-88 and set fire to the left surface of the aircraft. The Ju-88 with a steep slide was shot down from the formation from the left side and broke off from the group and then fell near KUIBYSHEV. At this time, Me-109s tried to fight off the attack by forcing an air battle in which LITVIAK shot down 1 Me-109, but a second left the battlefield and went to the west. After that, comrade LITVIAK formed up friendly fighters and continued to engage the Me-109s, as a result of the unequal air battle comrade LITVIAK's plane received heavy damage to the left surface, radiator, fuel lines, and fuselage. During LITVIAK's exit from the battle a Messer noticed the damaged aircraft and attacked her on the descent; during the attack the cockpit was shot up and comrade LITVIAK was wounded in the left leg and shoulder. In spite of these difficult conditions and battle fatigue comrade LITVIAK landed her stricken plane on the fuselage.
1 August 1943 9 Yak-1's flew on alert to cover our ground troops in the region of MARINOVKA, STEPANOVKA. During this she engaged in air combat with 4 Me-109, then 6 Me-109. At the same time attacked a group of bombers of up to 30 Ju-88. The outcome of the unequal air battle was that our fighters shot down one Me-109 and 1 Ju-88, but Guards Jr Lt LITVIAK did not return from the mission.
For heroism and courage displayed in the struggle against German invaders, for excellent fulfillment of military orders at the front of the Patriotic war comrade LITVIAK deserves posthumously the title of "Hero of the Soviet Union."
Commander 73rd Guards Stalingrad Fighter Aviation Regiment Guards Major Zapriagaev
8 August 1943