Slepnev, Mavrikii Trofimovich

Born June 15 (27), 1896, in the village of Iamskovichi, Olonets Province, in what is now Kingisepp Raion, Leningrad Oblast; died Dec. 19, 1965, in Moscow. Soviet aviator; colonel. Hero of the Soviet Union (Apr. 20, 1934). Member of the CPSU from Apr. 20, 1934.

Slepnev graduated from a school for praporshchiki (ensigns) in 1915, the Gatchina Aviation School in 1917, the First Higher School of Military Pilots in 1923, the N. E. Zhukovskii Air Force Academy in 1936, and the advanced training courses at the Academy of the General Staff in 1941. He served in World War I as a junior captain. During the Civil War of 1918-20, Slepnev was an army engineer in the 25 th Chapaev Rifle Division. In 1925 he became a pilot of the Civilian Air Fleet and helped establish air routes in Middle Asia, the Far East, and the arctic. In 1934 he took part in the rescue of the crew of the icebreaker Cheliuskin. In 1936, Slepnev became deputy head of the Chief Inspectorate of the Civilian Air Fleet; he served as head of the inspectorate from 1937 to 1939. Simultaneously, beginning in 1937, he was commander of a squadron of dirigibles. In 1939 he became director of the Academy of the Civilian Air Fleet. During the Great Patriotic War of 1941–45, Slepnev served as deputy commander of an aviation brigade of the Air Force of the Black Sea Fleet in 1941 and 1942; he subsequently served in the Naval Air Force and in the Main Headquarters of the Navy. He retired in September 1946.

Slepnev was a member of the Central Executive Committee of the USSR from 1935 to 1938. He was awarded two Orders of Lenin, the Order of the Red Banner, the Order of the Red Crescent of the Tadzhik SSR, and various medals. [23–1662–]