Evgeny Ivanovich
Balashov

1920-1990


Evgeny Ivanovich Balashov was a navigator of the 95th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment, Guard senior lieutenant, the Hero of the Soviet Union. He was born on March 4, 1920 in the city of Rybinsk, the Rybinsk district, the Yaroslavl province (now the Yaroslavl region). Since 1923 he lived in Moscow. In 1935 he finished the 7th grade of the school, in 1940 – Moscow Automotive Technical School and the Proletarian Aero Club of Moscow. In July 1940 he worked as a technician for cold metal processing at the 1st State Bearing Plant. He was in the army since July 1940. Until December 1940, he studied at the Olsufiev Military Aviation School of Pilots (the Bryansk region), in June 1942 he graduated from the Balashov Military Aviation School of pilots. He served as a pilot in the 12th reserve Aviation Regiment (in the Volga Military District; the city of Kuibyshev, now Samara). During the Great Patriotic War, he participated in the Battle of Stalingrad, the Voroshilovgrad Operation, the Battle of Kursk, the Donbass, Zaporozhye, Nikopol-Krivoy Rog, Odessa, Lviv-Sandomierz, Sandomierz-Silesian, Lower Silesian, Upper Silesian, Berlin and Prague operations. On January 30, 1943, in the area of the city of Voroshilovgrad (now Lugansk, Ukraine), his plane was shot down in an air battle. Being wounded in the left arm and shoulder, he made an emergency landing on a burning plane. On July 7, 1943, near the city of Belgorod, he was wounded in the head and spine. During the war, he made 139 sorties on an IL-2 attack aircraft to strike at enemy manpower and equipment, in aerial battles his crew shot down 4 enemy aircraft. For the courage and heroism shown in the battles with the Nazi invaders, by the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated June 27, 1945, Captain Evgeny Ivanovich Balashov was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal. In September 1945 – March 1947 he studied at Air Force Academy (Monino). In 1947-1948 he was the Deputy commander of the air squadron of the assault aviation regiment (in the Central Group of Troops; Austria). Since 1948, he served as the deputy commander of the air squadron of the assault aviation regiment, in 1950-1955 – the commander and deputy commander of the air squadron of the assault aviation regiment (in the Trans-Baikal Military District; Chita region, now the Trans-Baikal Territory). Since July 1955, Captain E.I. Balashov was in reserve.

Address: Moscow, 6th Kozhukhovskaya str., 15