1st Air Army
This article includes a list of general references, but it lacks sufficient corresponding inline citations. (July 2011) |
1st Air Army | |
---|---|
Active | May 10, 1942—January 10, 1949 July 1, 1957-1998 |
Country | Soviet Union |
Branch | Air Force |
Type | Air Army |
Size | Several |
Part of | Western Front[1][2] 3rd Belarusian Front |
Engagements | Battles of Rzhev Battle of Kursk Battle of Smolensk Battle of Memel Operation Bagration East Prussian Offensive |
Commanders | |
Notable commanders | T. F. Kucevalov (May — June 1942) S. А. Khudyakov (June 1942 — May 1943) М. М. Gromov (May 1943 — July 1944) T. T. Khryukin (July 1944 — May 1945)[3][4] |
The 1st Air Army (Russian: 1-я воздушная армия) was an Air Army in the Soviet Air Force which served during World War II. It was formed on May 10, 1942 within the Soviet Western Front, and renamed the 26th Air Army on January 10, 1949 in the Belorussian Military District.[5]
After the war, it was reformed on July 1, 1957, and was active until 1998.[6]
History during Second World War
When it was formed, the 1st Air Army was made up of two fighter aviation divisions (with four fighter aviation regiments each), two mixed aviation divisions (with two fighter aviation regiments, two assault aviation regiments and one bombing regiment each) a training aviation regiment, a long-range reconnaissance aviation regiment, a communications squadron, and a night close-range bombing aviation regiment.[citation needed]
In 1942, the 1st Air Army fought alongside the troops of the Western Front, supporting them near Yukhnov, Gzhatsk and Rzhev. The Air Army later participated in the Rzhev-Sychevka, Rzhev-Vyazma, Oryol, Smolensk, Belarusian, Memel and East Prussian offensive operations.[citation needed]
In May 1945, the 1st Air Army comprised the:[7]
- 129th Fighter Aviation Division
- 130th Fighter Aviation Division (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast)
- 303rd Fighter Aviation Division (Elblag, Poland)
- 330th Fighter Aviation Division
- 1st Guards Assault Aviation Division (Ketrzyn, Poland)
- 182nd Assault Aviation Division
- 277th Assault Aviation Division (Yudino, Kaliningrad Oblast)
- 311th Assault Aviation Division
- 6th Guards Bomber Aviation Division (Chernyakhovsk, Kaliningrad Oblast)
- 213th Night-Bomber Aviation Division (Paslek, Poland)
- 276th Bomber Aviation Division
- 1st Free French ('Normandie-Niemen') Fighter Aviation Regiment (Mamonovo, Kaliningrad Oblast)
- 406th Night-Bomber Aviation Regiment
- 10th independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment
- 90th independent Reconnaissance Aviation Regiment
- 142nd Transport Aviation Regiment
- 117th independent Artillery Correction Regiment
- 151st independent Artillery Correction Regiment
- 1st Medical Aviation Regiment
- 354th independent Communications Aviation Regiment
- 1st independent Agitation Aviation Squadron
- 33rd independent Communications Aviation Squadron
- 203rd independent Communication Aviation Squadron
Throughout the war, the 1st Air Army made 290,000 sorties. Five of the Air Army's formations where reorganized as "Guards Units", 50 formations were given "honourable titles", 44 formations received various awards, 145 pilots and navigators received the title "Hero of the Soviet Union"[8] and over 17,000 of its servicemen were also given various medals and decorations.
After the end of the war, the army was reformed within the Soviet Air Forces and served in the Far Eastern Military District until 1998.
Command structure
Source: Militera.lib.ru[9]
Commanders
- Lieutenant General (of Aviation) Timofei Kutsevalov (May — June 1942)
- Major General (of Aviation) Sergei Khudyakov (June 1942 — May 1943)
- Lieutenant General (of Aviation) Mikhail Mikhaylovich Gromov (May 1943 — July 1944)
- Colonel General (of Aviation) Timofey Khryukin (July 1944 — May 1945)
Chiefs of Staff
- Major General (of Aviation) Aleksandr S. Pronin (5 May 1942 — 9 August 1944)
- Major General (of Aviation) Ivan M. Belov (12 February 1945 — May 1945)[4]
Military Commissars
- Major General (of Aviation) Ivan G. Litvinenko (5 May 1942 — 23 March 1945)
- Major General (of Aviation) Ivan T. Chernyshev (23 March 1945 — May 1945)
Structure
May 10, 1942:
- 201st Fighter Aviation Division
- 202nd Fighter Aviation Division
- 203rd Fighter Aviation Division
- 214th Close air support Aviation Division
- 215th Mixed Aviation Division
May 23, 1942:[10]
- 201st Fighter Aviation Division
- 202nd Fighter Aviation Division
- 203rd Fighter Aviation Division
- 234th Fighter Aviation Division
- 235th Fighter Aviation Division
- 204th Bomber Aviation Division
- 213th Night Bomber Aviation Division
- 215th Mixed Aviation Division
- 214th Close air support Aviation Division
- 224th Close air support Aviation Division
- 231st Close air support Aviation Division
- 232nd Close air support Aviation Division
- 233rd Close air support Aviation Division
In March 1943, the Air Army also included the French Normandie-Niemen squadron, which was later reorganized into a regiment.[4]
References
- ^ Western Front. 1st Air Army (in Russian)
- ^ 1st Air Army. Allaces.ru (in Russian)
- ^ Commanders of the Soviet Air Force 1942—1945 www.soldat.ru (in Russian)
- ^ a b c 1st Air Army victory.mil.ru Russian Ministry of Defense (in Russian)
- ^ www.mod.mil.by Belarusian Ministry of Defence
- ^ http://newskhab.ru/?p=7154
- ^ Michael Holm, 26th Air Army, accessed August 2011
- ^ 17 of them received this title twice
- ^ Commanders of the Soviet Air Force 1941—1945 http://militera.lib.ru (in Russian)
- ^ [1] (in Russian)