Pavel Argeev Fighter pilot Date of Birth: 01.03.1897 Country: Ukraine

1. Biography of Pavel Argeev
2. Early Career and Controversies
3. World War I
4. Becoming a Pilot
5. Later Career and Death

Biography of Pavel Argeev

Pavel Argeev was born on March 1, 1897, in Yalta. His father, Vladimir Akimovich, served as a steamship mechanic in the Black Sea Fleet. Choosing a military career, Pavel graduated from the Odessa Cadet School by the summer of 1914 and was sent to the 29th Chernigov Infantry Regiment.

Early Career and Controversies

One day, Lieutenant Argeev refused to follow the orders of his regiment commander to punish a soldier, considering the punishment unjust. As a result, Pavel was sentenced to a month of disciplinary confinement. After serving his punishment, he left the regiment. Later, he got into a fight with a relative, a gendarme, and slapped him. After these events, Argeev left Russia and went to France, where he found himself when the war broke out.

World War I

When German forces broke through the allies' defenses and approached Paris, Argeev applied to be enrolled and sent to the front. On August 30, he was promoted to Lieutenant, and on September 12, Pavel was already fighting at the Battle of Marne, where the Germans were defeated. On September 23, Argeev was wounded but returned to the front at the end of October. In November, he was promoted to Captain. On April 17 of the following year, Pavel was wounded again, but he remained in service and led his platoon's counterattack. He was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor for this feat. In late May, Argeev received his third injury, after which he was declared unfit for frontline infantry service. He then submitted a request for transfer to aviation, as the medical requirements for pilots were less strict than for infantry officers.

Becoming a Pilot

It was believed that the most important quality for a pilot was the "bird's instinct" - the ability to merge with the aircraft and feel as confident in the air as on the ground. Argeev possessed this talent to the fullest. On October 22, 1915, he received his pilot's diploma. In January 1916, Captain "Paul d'Argeff" joined the 48th reconnaissance squadron. After a year, he decided to return to Russia. In February 1917, Pavel Argeev became a pilot in the 1st Combat Aviation Group of the Southwest Front, commanded by the renowned Russian ace Alexander Kazakov. On February 27, he achieved his first victory by shooting down an Albatros reconnaissance aircraft. In April, he shot down another Albatros and a Fokker fighter. In June, flying in tandem with Kazakov, Argeev increased his victories to six. After Kazakov was appointed commander of the aviation group, Argeev took over the squadron. He fought bravely and received numerous awards, including the French honors and the Order of St. George with swords, Order of St. Vladimir with swords, and Order of St. Anne with swords.

Later Career and Death

In the summer of 1917, Pavel was appointed commander of the 3rd combat group of the Southwest Front. In the recommendation for this position by the new Aviation Department V.M. Tkachyov, Argeev was described as an "outstanding military aviator." Despite his high-ranking position, he continued to fly and participate in battles. By autumn, he had shot down nine enemy aircraft. He received additional awards, including the Golden Arms of St. George, the Order of St. Anne, and the Order of St. Stanislaus. With the outbreak of the October Revolution and the subsequent collapse of the front, officers of the Imperial Army faced a difficult choice. Kazakov joined the White Guard, while Argeev traveled to France via Archangel, which was captured by the British, to continue the war against Germany. From May 1918, he flew in the 124th Fighter Squadron, which was staffed by foreign volunteers and provided cover for Reims. The French command described him as a pilot who "astonished his comrades with his extraordinary courage, composure, and cheerfulness." Argeev shot down several enemy aircraft, including a Rumpler bomber on May 31 and a Fokker D-VII fighter on September 27. On October 30, he scored his final victory, bringing his total to nine confirmed victories. He was awarded the second Order of the Legion of Honor. In total, Argeev achieved 16 aerial victories, received four wounds, and was highly decorated by both Russia and France. Unfortunately, his peaceful life as an ace was short-lived. On October 30, 1922, Pavel, who was now a pilot for the Franco-Romanian airline "Paul d'Argeff," was flying with a cargo of mail from Prague to Warsaw. In the dense fog of the Czech Tatras, near Trantenau, the plane crashed into a cliff near the Polish border at 12:30 pm.