Vasilii Nikolaevich Osipov

Born Dec. 17 (30), 1917, in Petrograd. Soviet pilot; major (1944); twice Hero of the Soviet Union (June 20, 1942, and Mar. 13, 1944). Member of the CPSU from 1942.

Osipov entered the Soviet Army in 1937 and graduated from the Chkalov Military Aviation School in 1940. In the Great Patriotic War (1941–45) he served from June 1941 as a pilot, flight commander, and deputy commander and commander of a strategic-aviation squadron of the Fifth Guards Bombardment Regiment on the Southern, Southwestern, and other fronts. He made about 400 combat flights. After the war, Osipov continued serving in the air force and graduated in 1949 from the Higher Tactical Flight School for Officers. He entered the reserves in May 1954 for reasons of health. Osipov was awarded the Order of Lenin, two Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, and various medals.