Petr Gnido
UkraineBiography of Petr Gnidо
Petr Andreevich Gnidо, a Ukrainian, was born on December 22, 1919, in the village of Starodonskaya Balka, now part of the Berezovsky district of the Odessa region. He came from a peasant family. In 1937, Gnidо graduated from the Odessa Medical Technical School and worked as the head of the sanitary service.
Early Military Career
Gnidо joined the Red Army in 1940 and completed his training at the Stalingrad Military Aviation School the same year. He served as a pilot in the 248th Fighter Aviation Regiment, part of the Air Force's 56th Separate Army on the Southern Front. On December 12, 1941, Gnidо engaged in an aerial battle and, after running out of ammunition, rammed the enemy aircraft while flying an I-16 fighter. From 1942, he fought on the La-5 fighter aircraft.
Hero of the Soviet Union
On May 1, 1943, Gnidо was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, along with the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal, for his achievements in 206 combat missions, including 43 aerial battles. He personally shot down 14 enemy aircraft and 7 more as part of a group. Throughout the war, Gnidо successfully destroyed a total of 34 enemy aircraft on his own and 6 as part of a group.
Post-War Career
After the war, Gnidо continued his service in the Air Force. In 1952, he graduated from the Military Air Academy, and in 1960, he completed his studies at the General Staff Military Academy. Since 1975, Major General Gnidо has been in the reserve and resides in Odessa. He worked as the chairman of the trade union committee at the regional repair and construction trust. Gnidо has been awarded numerous honors, including the Order of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, Orders of Alexander Nevsky, the Labor Red Banner, two Orders of the Patriotic War 1st Class, three Orders of the Red Star, and the Order "For Service to the Homeland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" 3rd Class, as well as several medals.
