Leonid Ignatevich Beda
Beda, Leonid Ignat’evich
Born Aug. 16, 1920, in the village of Novaia Pokrovka, Kustanai Oblast. Twice Hero of the Soviet Union (Oct. 26, 1944, and June 29, 1945); major general of aviation (1960). Member of the CPSU since 1942. Ukrainian by nationality.
Beda was a teacher. He entered the Soviet Army in 1940. He graduated from the Chkalov Air Force School (1942). During the Great Patriotic War he started out as a pilot; at the end of the war he was deputy commander of the 75th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment; he carried out more than 200 combat missions, including 147 as group leader. After the war, he completed the Higher Officers’ Tactical Flight School (1945), the Air Force Academy (1950), and the Military Academy of the General Staff (1957). He is currently serving in the air force. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of the Patriotic War First Class, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and the Order of the Red Star.