Ivan Romanenko Fighter pilot Date of Birth: 05.11.1918 Country: Ukraine

Biography of Ivan Romanenko

Ivan Romanenko was born on November 5, 1918, in the village of Zhirkovka, now part of the Mashevsky district in the Poltava region, in a peasant family. He completed his elementary school education, followed by vocational training and aeroclub courses in Kharkov. In 1935, he was drafted into the ranks of the Red Army. In 1938, he graduated from the Chuguev Military Aviation School for Pilots.

During the Great Patriotic War, Ivan Romanenko served on the front lines from October 1942. In March 1943, he was assigned to the 744th Fighter Aviation Regiment (282nd Fighter Aviation Division, 16th Air Army, Central Front) as the squadron commander. By July 1943, as a Senior Lieutenant, he had already completed 85 combat flights on a Yak-1, participating in 23 aerial battles, where he personally shot down 16 enemy aircraft and 1 in a group.

Ivan Romanenko also distinguished himself during the Battle of Kursk in the summer of 1943. The tactics of fighter aircraft were constantly evolving during the battles. When it became clear that the enemy was trying to hinder the actions of our bombers with a significant number of fighters, it was decided to form combat formations of covering fighters consisting of three groups: immediate cover, strike group, and free battle group. Such a formation of fighter aircraft proved to be effective. For example, on July 7, a group from the 774th Fighter Aviation Regiment, consisting of 10 Yak-1s, escorted 7 aircraft from the 221st Bomber Aviation Division to the Podolyan area. The combat formation of the fighters consisted of a quartet of immediate cover led by Lieutenant I.A. Bondarev, a strike quartet, and a free battle pair led by Senior Lieutenant I.I. Romanenko. In the target area, they encountered up to 10 FW-190 and Me-109, which flew in pairs at a higher altitude. Romanenko, disguising himself in the clouds, suddenly attacked them and shot down one enemy fighter at close range. The rest escaped into the clouds.

In this flight, Senior Lieutenant Romanenko and his wingman, Sergeant P.I. Pshenov, engaged in two more aerial battles. Acting decisively and skillfully, Romanenko shot down 3 enemy aircraft, while his wingman shot down one. The pilots of the strike group and immediate cover group destroyed another 3 "Messerschmitts".

Captain I.I. Romanenko, a navigator in the 744th Fighter Aviation Regiment, took part in the liberation of Belarus and Poland. On February 4, 1944, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union for courage and military valor displayed in battles against the enemy. He ended the war in Germany.

In total, Ivan Romanenko completed about 200 successful combat flights, shot down 29 aircraft personally and 3 in a group in 61 aerial battles. After the war, Ivan Ivanovich continued his service in the Air Force. In 1951, Lieutenant Colonel I.I. Romanenko graduated from the Military Air Academy. He served as the head of the Higher Military Aviation School. In 1974, he retired as a Major General. He lived and worked in Krasnodar. He was awarded the Orders of Lenin, Red Banner (five times), Alexander Nevsky, the Patriotic War 1st Class, the Red Star, and various medals. He passed away on June 8, 1978. His name is immortalized in the memorial complex erected in the village of Mashevka.