Marina Mikhaylovna Raskova (1912 - 1943)

Born 15 Mar 1912 in Moscow, Russia

Died 4 Jan 1943 at age 30 in Saratov, Soviet Union

Biography

Marina Mikhaylovna Raskova was a famous Soviet pilot and navigator. She later became one of over 800,000 women in the military service, founding three female air regiments which would eventually fly over 30,000 sorties in World War II and produce at least 30 Heroes of the Soviet Union.

Altogether these daredevil heroines (known as the Night Witches) flew more than 30,000 missions in total, or about 800 per pilot and navigator. They lost a total of 30 pilots, and 24 of the flyers were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Raskova, the mother of the movement, died on January 4, 1943, when she was finally sent to the front line—her plane never made it. She was given the very first state funeral of World War II and her ashes were buried in the Kremlin.

Despite being the most highly decorated unit in the Soviet Air Force during the war, the Night Witches regiment was disbanded six months after the end of World War II. And when it came to the big victory-day parade in Moscow, they weren’t included—because, it was decided, their planes were too slow.

Sources

• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marina_Raskova
  

  Marina Raskova is Notable.