Nelson Stepanyan
Encyclopedia
Nelson Gevorgi Stepanyan was a Soviet
Armenian
dive bomber
pilot during the second World War in the Red Air Force. He was twice awarded with the military title of the Hero of the Soviet Union
, the highest title in the former USSR.
, Elisabethpol Governorate
in 1913, but moved with his family to Yerevan
at an early age. Stepanyan attended the Transcaucasian Preparatory Military School, graduating in 1930. He continued his studies, graduating from the Bataisk Naval Aviation School in 1935 and later becoming a flight instructor at the school from 1935 to 1938.
invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. He volunteered for combat and participated in a multitude of aerial battles as a pilot of an Ilyushin Il-2
fighter bomber. He defended the skies over Leningrad
while he was a member of the 57th Division, 8th Air Brigade, 2nd Air Squadron. After he was promoted to the rank of major in 1943, he became the commander of the 47th Fighter Division. With his unit, he took part in the Soviet offensives around Sevastapol, Theodosia, and Sudak (in the Crimea
); for its efforts, the 47th Fighter Division was named after the town of Theodosia. In May 1944, his fighter division returned to the Baltic and took part in several more battles against the Germans and the Finns.
As of November 1942, Stepanyan was reported to having destroyed 78 German trucks, 67 tanks, 63 anti-aircraft guns, nineteen mortars, 36 railroad cars, twenty merchantmen and warships (including a destroyer
), thirteen fuel tankers, twelve armored cars, seven long-range guns, five ammunition dumps, five bridges.
Stepanyan was also shot down over enemy lines, although friendly guerrilla fighters aided him to reach back Soviet lines. Stepanyan was called "Storm Petrel of the Baltic Sea," and was awarded twice with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union
(the second one was given posthumously).
On his final sortie in Liepāja
, Latvia
on December 14, 1944, his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and though wounded, he rammed his own plane into a German warship
. Stepanyan's loss devastated the rest of the men in the squadron. His fellow pilots sent the following letter to his parents after his death:
Soviet sources assert that Stepanyan had undertaken no less than 239 combat sorties, sunk 53 ships thirteen of which he did alone, destroyed 80 tanks, 600 armored vehicles, and 27 aircraft.
There were four statues dedicated to him: one in Yerevan
, the second in Liepāja, the third in Stepanakert
and the last in his home town of Shusha; however, the one in Shusha was destroyed by Azeris. The statue from Liepāja
was going to be destroyed too by the order of the new independent Latvian authorities, but it was rescued by the Russian Navy, located in Liepāja until mid-1990s, and it was transported to Kaliningrad
and is now placed near the Baltic Fleet Naval Aviation headquarters in Kaliningrad
, Russia. During the Soviet era, a large fishing trawler and Pioneer
detachments were named after him.
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union , officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics , was a constitutionally socialist state that existed in Eurasia between 1922 and 1991....
Armenian
Armenians
Armenian people or Armenians are a nation and ethnic group native to the Armenian Highland.The largest concentration is in Armenia having a nearly-homogeneous population with 97.9% or 3,145,354 being ethnic Armenian....
dive bomber
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
pilot during the second World War in the Red Air Force. He was twice awarded with the military title of the Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
, the highest title in the former USSR.
Education
Stepanyan was born in ShushaShusha
Shusha , also known as Shushi is a town in the disputed region of Nagorno-Karabakh in the South Caucasus. It has been under the control of the self-proclaimed Nagorno-Karabakh Republic since its capture in 1992 during the Nagorno-Karabakh War...
, Elisabethpol Governorate
Elisabethpol Governorate
Elisabethpol Governorate or Elizavetpol Governorate was one of the guberniyas of the Russian Empire, with its centre in Elisabethpol . Its area was 44,136 sq. kilometres, and it had 878,415 inhabitants by 1897....
in 1913, but moved with his family to Yerevan
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
at an early age. Stepanyan attended the Transcaucasian Preparatory Military School, graduating in 1930. He continued his studies, graduating from the Bataisk Naval Aviation School in 1935 and later becoming a flight instructor at the school from 1935 to 1938.
Military service
Stepanyan was teaching at another military flight academy when GermanyNazi Germany
Nazi Germany , also known as the Third Reich , but officially called German Reich from 1933 to 1943 and Greater German Reich from 26 June 1943 onward, is the name commonly used to refer to the state of Germany from 1933 to 1945, when it was a totalitarian dictatorship ruled by...
invaded the Soviet Union in June 1941. He volunteered for combat and participated in a multitude of aerial battles as a pilot of an Ilyushin Il-2
Ilyushin Il-2
The Ilyushin Il-2 was a ground-attack aircraft in the Second World War, produced by the Soviet Union in very large numbers...
fighter bomber. He defended the skies over Leningrad
Leningrad
Leningrad is the former name of Saint Petersburg, Russia.Leningrad may also refer to:- Places :* Leningrad Oblast, a federal subject of Russia, around Saint Petersburg* Leningrad, Tajikistan, capital of Muminobod district in Khatlon Province...
while he was a member of the 57th Division, 8th Air Brigade, 2nd Air Squadron. After he was promoted to the rank of major in 1943, he became the commander of the 47th Fighter Division. With his unit, he took part in the Soviet offensives around Sevastapol, Theodosia, and Sudak (in the Crimea
Crimea
Crimea , or the Autonomous Republic of Crimea , is a sub-national unit, an autonomous republic, of Ukraine. It is located on the northern coast of the Black Sea, occupying a peninsula of the same name...
); for its efforts, the 47th Fighter Division was named after the town of Theodosia. In May 1944, his fighter division returned to the Baltic and took part in several more battles against the Germans and the Finns.
As of November 1942, Stepanyan was reported to having destroyed 78 German trucks, 67 tanks, 63 anti-aircraft guns, nineteen mortars, 36 railroad cars, twenty merchantmen and warships (including a destroyer
Destroyer
In naval terminology, a destroyer is a fast and maneuverable yet long-endurance warship intended to escort larger vessels in a fleet, convoy or battle group and defend them against smaller, powerful, short-range attackers. Destroyers, originally called torpedo-boat destroyers in 1892, evolved from...
), thirteen fuel tankers, twelve armored cars, seven long-range guns, five ammunition dumps, five bridges.
Stepanyan was also shot down over enemy lines, although friendly guerrilla fighters aided him to reach back Soviet lines. Stepanyan was called "Storm Petrel of the Baltic Sea," and was awarded twice with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union
Hero of the Soviet Union
The title Hero of the Soviet Union was the highest distinction in the Soviet Union, awarded personally or collectively for heroic feats in service to the Soviet state and society.-Overview:...
(the second one was given posthumously).
On his final sortie in Liepāja
Liepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
, Latvia
Latvian SSR
The Latvian Soviet Socialist Republic , also known as the Latvian SSR for short, was one of the republics that made up the Soviet Union. Established on 21 July 1940 as a puppet state during World War II in the territory of the previously independent Republic of Latvia after it had been occupied by...
on December 14, 1944, his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and though wounded, he rammed his own plane into a German warship
Warship
A warship is a ship that is built and primarily intended for combat. Warships are usually built in a completely different way from merchant ships. As well as being armed, warships are designed to withstand damage and are usually faster and more maneuvrable than merchant ships...
. Stepanyan's loss devastated the rest of the men in the squadron. His fellow pilots sent the following letter to his parents after his death:
Soviet sources assert that Stepanyan had undertaken no less than 239 combat sorties, sunk 53 ships thirteen of which he did alone, destroyed 80 tanks, 600 armored vehicles, and 27 aircraft.
Memory
Yerevan
Yerevan is the capital and largest city of Armenia and one of the world's oldest continuously-inhabited cities. Situated along the Hrazdan River, Yerevan is the administrative, cultural, and industrial center of the country...
, the second in Liepāja, the third in Stepanakert
Stepanakert
Stepanakert is the largest city and capital of the Nagorno-Karabakh Republic, a de facto independent republic, though is internationally recognized as a part of Azerbaijan...
and the last in his home town of Shusha; however, the one in Shusha was destroyed by Azeris. The statue from Liepāja
Liepaja
Liepāja ; ), is a republican city in western Latvia, located on the Baltic Sea directly at 21°E. It is the largest city in the Kurzeme Region of Latvia, the third largest city in Latvia after Riga and Daugavpils and an important ice-free port...
was going to be destroyed too by the order of the new independent Latvian authorities, but it was rescued by the Russian Navy, located in Liepāja until mid-1990s, and it was transported to Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
and is now placed near the Baltic Fleet Naval Aviation headquarters in Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad
Kaliningrad is a seaport and the administrative center of Kaliningrad Oblast, the Russian exclave between Poland and Lithuania on the Baltic Sea...
, Russia. During the Soviet era, a large fishing trawler and Pioneer
Young Pioneer organization of the Soviet Union
The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer Organization The Young Pioneer Organization of the Soviet Union, also Vladimir Lenin All-Union Pioneer...
detachments were named after him.