Irina Sebrova

Irina Feodorovna Sebrova
Photo of Sebrova wearing her medals including her guards pin, Order of the Red Star and an Order of the Patriotic War on the right side of her chest (left in image); on the other side her Hero of the Soviet Union Gold Star is pinned above the first row of four medals with her Order of Lenin and three orders of the Red Banner. Two campaign medals, one for the defense of the Caucuses and one for Victory over Germany are below the row of Orders of the Red Banner.
Native name Ирина Фёдоровна Себрова
Born (1914-12-25)December 25, 1914
Novomoskovsk, Tula Governorate
Died April 5, 2000(2000-04-05) (aged 85)
Moscow, Russian Federation
Allegiance  Soviet Union
Service/branch Soviet Air Force
Years of service 1941–1948
Rank First lieutenant
Unit 588th Night Bomber Regiment
Battles/wars World War II
Awards Hero of the Soviet Union

Irina Feodorovna Sebrova (Russian: Ирина Фёдоровна Себрова) (December 25, 1914 – April 5, 2000) was a lieutenant and pilot for the Soviet Air Forces who served in the all-female Night Witches during the Second World War. Sebrova was awarded the title Hero of Soviet Union on 23 February 1945 for her first 825 bombing missions.[1]

Early life

Born in December 25, 1914 in Tetyakovka, Novomoskovsk to a working-class family, Sebrova moved to Moscow and graduated with a degree in milling from Moscow University, after which she worked in a factory. At the age of 23, she was already an experienced flight instructor at the Frunze flight club in Moscow. In 1938, she graduated from the Moscow Aeroclub, and in 1940 she began training in military aviation.[1]

Military career

After joining the Red Army in October 1941, she completed her military aviation studies at Engels and was assigned to the 588th Night Bomber Regiment in 1942 which was later nicknamed the "Night Witches" by German troops. The regiment was later awarded the Guards designation and became the 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment under the 4th Air Army. Sebrova joined the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in 1943. During the war she flew 1,008 sorties on the Po-2, after 825 of which she was nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union which she received on 23 February 1945.[2][3]

Sebrova retired from the Air Force in 1948, joining the Moscow Aviation Institute. She died on 5 April 2000 and is buried in Rakitin Cemetery.[4]

Awards

With the title Hero of Soviet Union Sebrova was awarded an Order of Lenin.[5] She was also awarded three Orders of the Red Banner;[6][7][8] the Order of the Patriotic War in the 1st and 2nd class;[9] the Order of the Red Star;[10] as well as various campaign and jubilee medals.[11]

See also

References

  1. 1 2 "Себрова Ирина Фёдоровна". www.warheroes.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  2. ↑ "Себрова Ирина Фёдоровна". airaces.narod.ru. Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  3. ↑ Rakobolskaya, Irina; Kravtsova, Natalya (2005). Нас называли ночными ведьмами : так воевал женский 46-й гвардейский полк ночных бомбардировщиков. Moscow: University of Moscow Press. ISBN 5211050088. OCLC 68044852.
  4. ↑ "Надгробный памятник". www.warheroes.ru (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-02-12.
  5. ↑ "Себрова Ирина Федоровна, Герой Советского Союза (Орден Ленина и медаль «Золотая звезда»)". podvignaroda.ru. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  6. ↑ "Себрова Ирина Федоровна, Орден Красного Знамени (1942)". podvignaroda.ru. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  7. ↑ "Себрова Ирина Федоровна, Орден Красного Знамени (1944)". podvignaroda.ru. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  8. ↑ "Себрова Ирина Федоровна, Орден Красного Знамени (1945)". podvignaroda.ru. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  9. ↑ "Себрова Ирина Федоровна, Орден Отечественной войны". podvignaroda.ru. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  10. ↑ "Себрова Ирина Федоровна, Орден Красной Звезды". podvignaroda.ru. Retrieved 2018-04-01.
  11. ↑ Piero., Milanetti, Gian (2013). Soviet airwomen of the great patriotic war : a pictorial history. Roma: IBN. ISBN 9788875651466. OCLC 955303338.
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