 |
Natan StratievskiyChief of Communications of the 96th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment
Date of Birth: 22.12.1920
Country:  Ukraine |
Content:
- Biography of Nathan Stratievsky
- Career in the Air Force
- War Experiences
- Victories and Challenges
- Post-War Life
Biography of Nathan Stratievsky
Early Life and Military ServiceNathan Borisovich Stratievsky was born on December 22, 1920, in the city of Odessa, in a working-class family. Before the war, he lived in Moscow, where he completed his first year at the Electromechanical Institute of Railway Engineers. In 1939, he joined the Red Army and graduated from the School of Junior Aviation Specialists a year later. From the early days of the Great Patriotic War, he served as a gunner-radioman in the bomber aviation units.
Career in the Air Force
By August 1944, Nathan Stratievsky had become the Chief of Communications for the 96th Guards Bomber Aviation Regiment (301st Bomber Aviation Division, 3rd Bomber Aviation Corps, 16th Air Army, 1st Belorussian Front). He completed 232 combat flights for reconnaissance and bombing of enemy railway stations, airfields, concentrations of enemy forces, and equipment. He participated in 67 aerial battles, personally shooting down 5 enemy aircraft and 5 more as part of a group. Additionally, he destroyed 7 enemy planes on airfields. On February 23, 1945, for bravery and military valor demonstrated in battles with the enemy, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
During the war, Nathan Stratievsky completed a total of 238 successful combat flights and shot down 10 enemy aircraft. After the war, he continued to serve in the Air Force. In 1949, he graduated from the Military Institute of Foreign Languages and taught English at the Kharkov Military Aviation School for Navigators. Since 1956, Guard Captain N. B. Stratievsky has been in reserve. In his later years, he lived in Moscow and worked as the director of the Foreign Language Courses No. 2 under the Moscow City Council. He was awarded the Orders of Lenin, the Red Banner, the Patriotic War 1st and 2nd Class, the Red Star (twice), and various medals. For a long time, a pioneer squad at School No. 39 in Kursk bore his name.
War Experiences
Nathan Stratievsky's first combat flight took place on June 23, 1941, the second day of the war. The aviators went to bomb a concentration of enemy tanks at a river crossing. They flew during the day at a low altitude of only 500 meters. The Germans were not expecting them, as they arrogantly believed that the Soviet aviation had been completely destroyed. The enemy's anti-aircraft gun crews lazily wandered around the crossing. The air raid siren sounded only after the first bombs fell on the crossing.
During those days, it was not uncommon for the aviators to have multiple flights in a day. They increasingly encountered heavy anti-aircraft fire over their target. The sky was filled with bursts of shrapnel. The plane shook violently, with fragments piercing through the fuselage. During one of the flights, after a bombing raid on an enemy airfield west of Bobruisk, the plane carrying Stratievsky was hit. Pilot Alexei Smirnov struggled to bring the damaged bomber back to their base. Later, it became known that several enemy aircraft had been destroyed on the airfield. By the time most of the 99th Bomber Aviation Regiment became "horseless," the aviators were sent to the rear for new planes. They were given "Petlyakovs," reliable combat machines.
One day, September 19, 1941, remained etched in Stratievsky's memory. Early in the morning, the communication officer of the South-Western Direction Headquarters handed a task order to Major Egorov: to drop a flag with instructions for the encircled troops in the area of the Borispol airfield near Kiev and select the best crew for the mission. The regiment commander decided to assign the mission to the Pe-2 crew, which included pilot Alexei Smirnov, navigator Oleg Merkurev, and gunner-radioman Nathan Stratievsky. They were all brave and courageous guys on whom one could rely. Smirnov was an experienced pilot who had been through many close calls, skillfully evading enemy anti-aircraft fire, landing his damaged plane safely with no fuel, and escaping unharmed from "Messers." Merkurev worked flawlessly in the air, accurately guiding the aircraft to the target. Stratievsky, the young student from Moscow, had earned respect in the regiment for his mental strength and never complaining about difficulties.
Victories and Challenges
Stalingrad became a test of all physical and mental strength for Nathan Stratievsky. He completed 5-6 flights per day. The pilots loved having him in their crews because he had never been shot down during the entire war. His friends jokingly called him a "lucky guy." He would playfully reply with Suvorov's words, "Luck is everything, but what about mastery?" Along with luck and combat skills, his courage, composure, and mental resilience played a significant role in his success as a young soldier who fought selflessly and dedicatedly.
The joy Nathan felt when he saw the enemy tanks, self-propelled guns, or massive staff "Büsings" rise up from the ground after their bombs hit was indescribable. He experienced real soldier's happiness when his machine gun fire cut through enemy planes, sending them spiraling and smoking towards the ground. Nathan had a sharp eye and a steady hand – many enemy fighters fell victim to his accurate fire.
Stratievsky often recalled the hardships faced during the Battle of Stalingrad, the burning "Messers," and the burning "Petlyakovs" of his regiment on enemy airfields. "Petlyakovs" took off from a makeshift airfield in the Volga region, equipped as a base, and set their course with the help of navigation. Overcoming the enemy's anti-aircraft defense system was not an easy task. Large groups of "Messers" would often intercept the Soviet pilots. When they managed to drive them away, intense anti-aircraft fire would begin. It would only stop when the enemy fighters reappeared. Despite this, the bombs still accurately hit enemy tanks, infantry, railway stations, and bridges, striking the enemy's rear. Our planes usually returned at a low altitude. And when all the planes flew in formation, the aviators could see how joyfully they were greeted by Soviet troops.
Post-War Life
The war relentlessly pushed westward, leading to the final victory in the enemy's lair. The battles of Kursk, the Belarusian Offensive Operation, the liberation of Poland, and the Berlin Operation all took place. One unforgettable day marked a triple celebration for Lieutenant Nathan Stratievsky: on February 23, 1945, on the anniversary of the Soviet Army, the Supreme Commander's order celebrated his regiment's achievements, and Stratievsky became a Hero of the Soviet Union.
By that time, his combat record included 10 enemy aircraft shot down and 238 successful combat flights. He made his first combat flight as a gunner-radioman of a dive-bomber on June 23, 1941, and his last on April 16, 1945.
It should be noted that from 1943, the official requirement for dive-bomber crew members to receive the title of Hero was set at 150 combat flights, even if the gunner did not shoot down any enemy aircraft. The main criterion was to return the bomber safely.
