The aces pilots of the Great Patriotic War are heroes that our country remembers and is proud of. They are a model of courage and imitation. To this day, those who conquer the sky are equal to them.
Biography
Andrey Ivanovich Trud was born in a small village in the Kirovograd region of Ukraine. From the village of Ingulo-Kamenka, Novgorod region, in 1933, the family moved to Krivoy Rog. He studied in a regular high school. Having moved from Krivoy Rog to Kirovograd, the boy spent some time in an orphanage. Since childhood, he was fond of airplanes, dreamed of becoming a pilot. He graduated from the seven-year school together with the flying club. Already at the age of 19 he served in the Red Army. Continuing to think about aviation, in 1941 he graduated from the military aviation school, which was located in Kachinsk.
War
Andrei Ivanovich got to the front at the beginning of the war - July 1941. Begins to serve as a pilot. He flew on airplanes I-153, MiG-3, I-16, Yak-1. He also flew in the "Aircobra". The Airacobra is a legendary American-made aircraft. During the war, the most famous aces pilots flew on it.
Promotions
Andrei Ivanovich has always been distinguished by courage and fearlessness. In May 1943 in one of the air battles he was shot down. He was lucky enough to stay alive, but he received serious burns to his face and neck. In November of the same year, he was appointed deputy squadron commander of the 16th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment.
Feats and awards
Labor makes a huge number of sorties. By the end of 1943, there were more than 314 of them. By this time, he had shot down 21 enemy aircraft. He won 18 personal victories and was deservedly awarded the highest award of the country. He was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.
After being awarded the title of hero of the country, he is appointed to the position of squadron commander. And since the end of 1944, he has been in command of an air rifle regiment. Continues to fly and destroy enemy aircraft. By the end of the war, he had more than 600 sorties. The hero of the country personally shot down 25 enemy aircraft, not counting those that he shot down in a group with other pilots.
Andrei Ivanovich Trud fought on almost all fronts - North Caucasian, South, Transcaucasian, 1, 2, 4 Ukrainian. The Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded many awards for his heroic deeds, both of his own country and of other socialist countries, where he also fought heroically, liberating the country from the fascist invaders.
Post-war service
After the end of the war, Andrei Ivanovich did not leave the service. Continuing his education, in 1955 he graduated from the Military Academy. Until 1872, he served in the country's Armed Forces in various military positions. The hero flew supersonic aircraft until his departure from aviation. Having gone to the reserve with the rank of Colonel of the Guards, Andrei Ivanovich did not part with aviation. He began to work as Deputy Chairman of the DOSAAF Aviation Committee in the city of Rostov-on-Don. He taught young people flying art.
Trud was a fan of his craft and a worthy student of the famous pilot and his teacher Alexander Pokryshkin. Andrey Ivanovich Trud in Ukraine died in 1999.
Memoirs of the pilot's contemporaries
Those people who know and remember Andrei Ivanovich Trud remember him not only as a great ace pilot, brave fighter and clever tactician, but also as a handsome, cheerful person. He had a great sense of humor, for which he was appreciated by his comrades. He also loved music and was a good pianist.
