Georgy Mikhailovich
Parshin
1916-1956
Georgy Mikhailovich Parshin was a squadron commander in ground-attack aviation, a major, a test pilot, and a two-time Hero of the Soviet Union. He was born in the village of Setukha, Oryol Oblast, and worked as a fitter before beginning his aviation career at the Dnepropetrovsk Aeroclub in 1936. He later became a flight instructor and trained novice pilots in several cities. From January 1942 onward, he served at the front as a pilot with the 65th Assault Aviation Regiment. In 1943, while commanding a squadron of the 943rd Assault Aviation Regiment on the Leningrad Front, he specialized in destroying enemy long-range artillery positions. During the offensive, he flew as many as five sorties a day. In one combat episode, he covered the damaged aircraft of his friend, Andrei Kizima. On another mission, his aircraft was shot down, but Parshin and his gunner miraculously survived and returned to their regiment with a group of Soviet scouts. He subsequently received a new aircraft purchased by the Barinov women of Leningrad. It bore the inscriptions “Revenge of the Barinovs” and “For Leningrad!” By March 1944, Major Parshin had completed 138 successful combat sorties. On August 9, 1944, he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. For his subsequent 96 sorties and for personally shooting down 10 enemy aircraft, he was awarded a second Gold Star medal on April 19, 1945. At the end of the war, he commanded an assault aviation regiment during the battles for Estonia and provided air cover for a landing force near Königsberg. His awards included two Gold Stars of the Hero of the Soviet Union, the Order of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, the Order of Suvorov, Third Class, the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the Order of the Patriotic War, First Class, and the American Distinguished Flying Cross. After being demobilized in 1946, Parshin continued to work as a pilot. In 1950, he became a test pilot at Moscow Aircraft Plant № 30. In 1952, he transferred to the Scientific Research Institute of Aircraft Equipment (NISO). A street in Moscow has been named after him.
Address: Moscow, Parshina street
