Ivan Semenovich
Polbin

1905-1945


Ivan Semyonovich Polbin was the Commander of the 150th high-speed bomber Aviation Regiment, a Guards Major General of Aviation, Twice Hero of the Soviet Union. He was born in the city prison, where his mother, Ksenia Alekseevna, was for participating in a peasant meeting. As a child, he worked as a farmhand, in October 1918 – May 1920 he was a laborer at the Vyry station (now the Mainsky district). In 1926 he finished the 9th grade of the 2nd stage school in the village of Karlinskoye (now the Mainsky district). In 1926-1927 he worked as the head of the hut-reading room in the village of Maina and secretary of the Main volost committee of the Komsomol. He was in the army since November 1927. In April 1938 – June 1939 he was the commander of the air squadron of the 32nd high-speed bomber Aviation Regiment (in the Trans-Baikal Military District; the village of Bada Khiloksky district of the Trans-Baikal Territory). He flew an SB bomber. He was a participant in the battles with the Japanese on the Khalkhin-Gol River: in June – September 1939 he was the commander of the air squadron of the 150th high-speed aviation regiment. He made 19 combat sorties on an SB bomber. After the end of the battles on Khalkhin-Gol, he continued to command the air squadron of the 32nd high-speed bomber Aviation Regiment (in the Trans-Baikal Military District; the city of Chita). Since February 1940 he was the Commander of the 150th high-speed bomber Aviation Regiment (Chita city). He flew bombardment since 1939 as a squadron commander of the 150th Bomber Aviation Regiment, participated in battles on the Khalkhin-Gol River. He made 19 sorties.  He was on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since July 1941. He commanded the 150th Bomber Aviation Regiment. On November 23, 1942, he was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union for his courage and military valor shown in battles with enemies. During the entire period of military operations during the Great Patriotic War, he made 157 sorties. He died on February 11, 1945 in an air battle near Breslau (Poland). For exemplary performance of combat missions of the Command at the front of the struggle against the German invaders, which entitles to the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union, by Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR dated April 6, 1945, Guards Major General of Aviation Ivan Semyonovich Polbin was awarded the second Gold Star medal (posthumously).

Address: Moscow, Polbina str., 44