“We flew two planes . . . make a successful attack”: Polina Gelman in Noggle, 40.
In the dark, without lights: Irina Rakobolskaya in Noggle, 30.
Nadya Popova and her navigator, Katya: Marina Chechneva in Cottam 1997, 167.
“In a few seconds, we found . . . operators as long as possible”: ibid., 167–68.
As Marina threw her little Po-2: ibid., 168.
Later that month, chief of staff Irina: Markwick & Cardona 2012, 97.
Maybe it was because of their screams: This was suggested to me in a personal discussion with Vladimir Ivanovich, a retired Soviet Air Force officer serving as a docent at the Central Air Force Museum in Monino, Moscow Oblast, Russia, on November 15, 2016.
“Nobody knows the exact day . . . shoot us down”: Serafima Amosova-Taranenko in Noggle, 46.
“Attention, attention . . . stay at your shelter”: Anonymous German prisoner quoted by Serafima Amosova-Taranenko in Noggle, 46.
“sometimes, when our planes . . . could hear them”: Nina Yegorova-Arefjeva in Noggle, 64.
Soviet soldiers were more sympathetic: Irina Rakobolskaya in Cottam 1997, 152.
When male pilots flew over their air base: Raisa Zhitova-Yushina in Noggle, 90.
“When I was flying very low . . . light their torches”: Raisa Zhitova-Yushina in Noggle, 90.
“Before each mission . . . fear of being killed”: Mariya Smirnova in Noggle, 32.
“After bombing . . . glass of clear river water”: Nina Raspopova in Noggle, 26.
“When you leave behind . . . you recover”: Larisa Rozanova-Litvinova in Noggle, 68.
When Alexandra was given a cardiogram: Alexandra Semyonovna Popova in Alexievich 2017, 194.
Irina Rakobolskaya, the 46th’s chief of staff: Irina Rakobolskaya in Cottam 1997, 156.
“Either you have no time . . . lives of your friends”: Antonina Khokhlova-Dubkova in Noggle, 116.
Sidebar: Equality in the Air
On August 5, 1943, the Women’s Flying: Strebe 2009, 8.
The WASP wasn’t a military organization: Merry, 65.
They were paid less than men: Strebe 2009, 53.
But at last American women: ibid., 8–9.
WASP pilots had to cope with: Merry, 70; Strebe 2009, 38–39.
There was even nasty and deliberate: Merry 99, 102.
A 1944 Hollywood movie: Strebe 2009, 43.
“I was never so embarrassed in my life”: Caro Bayley Bosca quoted in Strebe 2009, 43.
But perhaps best of all was that, in June 1943: Curtis, 200; Merry, 48, 99.
CHAPTER 31: LOSS AND HONOR FOR THE DIVE-BOMBERS
in the summer of 1943 their crews: Pennington 2001, 99.
Early in July, the German army: Beevor & Vinogradova in Grossman 2006, xvi; Hook, 123.
The tanks were defended: Vinogradova 2015, 284; Wetterhahn, 56–61.
By the end of August, the Red Army: Hook, 122.
One hot, hazy, dusty day: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 80.
That’s what happened to pilot Sasha: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 83; Nina Karaseva in Cottam 1997, 86–87.
“For the third time . . . starboard wing were burning”: Nina Karaseva in Cottam 1997, 88.
Sasha ordered Nina and Aleksandr: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 84; Nina Karaseva in Cottam 1997, 88.
Sasha, the pilot, hit the ground hard: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 83–85.
Behind enemy lines, Sasha’s navigator Nina: Nina Karaseva in Cottam 1997, 88.
“Their eyes were wild-looking and their faces distorted”: ibid.
“Don’t touch!”: ibid.
It all happened so quickly: ibid.
Nina and Aleksandr had been taken: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 85.
“Don’t mention it to anyone. We don’t shoot at women”: Artur Gartner quoting his commanding officer in Wasps and Witches, 38:00 ff.
Nina had to endure something far: Nina Karaseva in Cottam 1997, 89–91.
It would be years before the pilot: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 85.
Yet another Pe-2 crew came to grief: Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Cottam 1997, 120–23; Cottam 1998, 142; Markova 1983, 71, 72; Pennington 2001, 100.
Antonina Bondareva—the pilot: Antonina Grigoryevna Bondareva in Alexievich 2017, 28; Antonina Bondareva-Spitsina in Noggle, 106–7 (the same woman, interviewed and quoted by different people under both her maiden name and her married name).
“Don’t come back, you may not come back, I won’t let you in!”: Antonina Bondareva-Spitsina quoting her father, Grigoriy Bondarev, in Noggle, 107.
But her mother let her go: Antonina Bondareva-Spitsina in Noggle, 107.
By 1943 her husband had been killed: Antonina Grigoryevna Bondareva in Alexievich 2017, 29; Antonina Bondareva-Spitsina in Noggle, 107.
Yekaterina Chujkova joined the 587th: Yekaterina Chujkova in Noggle, 142.
In January 1943, Soviet soldiers: Hook, 108.
Yekaterina’s sister worked at a factory: Yekaterina Chujkova in Noggle, 142–43.
Each aircrew usually flew three: Yevgeniya Zapolnova in Cottam 1997, 110.
“I’m sorry, but I’m going to shoot; excuse me, I’m going to shoot!”: Yekaterina Chujkova in Noggle, 143.
One night, a figure appeared: ibid.
They were rewarded for it: Merry, 110, 152–53; Pennington 2001, 90, 100.
“When we are awarded orders . . . instead of the crystal”: Yekaterina Chujkova in Noggle, 142.
September 1943 also marked a significant: Hook, 127.
But the nations of Europe: ibid., 123–24.
It was a slow but steady process: Pennington 2001, 73.
On October 14 they lost three: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 79; Pennington 2001, 100.
“little yellow flames, in the rays of the setting sun”: Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 79.
O black raven!: Quoted by Valentina Kravchenko in Cottam 1997, 79. It is a traditional Russian folk song. The English translation is my own, based on several English versions.
CHAPTER 32: OVER THE BLACK SEA
They were now named the 46th Taman Guards: Pennington 2001, 85.
That same month, Marina Chechneva: Marina Chechneva in Cottam 1997, 169.
“Take the ‘crown,’ . . . before the war ends”: Mariya Smirnova quoted by Marina Chechneva in Cottam 1997, 171.
The German army’s blockade of the city: See Anderson, 2015, for a detailed account of the Leningrad blockade.
Some Soviet citizens, thinking positively: Beevor & Vinogradova in Grossman 2006, 266.
On March 8, 1944, International Women’s Day: Pennington 2001, 74.
“We don’t need any helpers, we’re managing just fine on our own!”: quoted in Pennington 2001, 74, from “Bomber at Night” by N. Chaika, Vol. 2, 152–53; see Pennington, 2001, 242, note 10, and 276.
“But . . . much better in the women’s regiment”: Olga Yerokhina-Averjanova in Noggle, 58.
They moved to a base in a resort area: Kaleriya Rylskaya-Tsiss in Cottam 1997, 184; Nadezhda Popova in Noggle, 82; Overy, 236; Pennington 2001, 73, 86.
Once, when the 46th Guards arrived: Mariya Smirnova in Noggle, 34.
“You must get up . . . your aircraft are burning!”: Anonymous hostess quoted by Klavdiya Ilushina in Noggle, 51.
Klavdiya and her companions: Klavdiya Ilushina in Noggle, 51.
“A broads’ regiment . . . Well, well”: Black Sea Fleet pilots quoted by Serafima Amosova-Taranenko in Cottam 1997, 180.
“There were snow-white sheets . . . containers on tables”: Serafima Amosova-Taranenko in Cottam 1997, 180.
The young women wondered: ibid.
Despite their lukewarm first impression: ibid., 182.
One of the jobs that the 46th Guards had: Marina Chechneva in Cottam 1997, 171.
“Take your ‘presents,’ brothers
! . . . Women’s Air Regiment!”: Marina Chechneva, quoting conversation with her navigator in Cottam 1997, 172.
“The whistling of the wind . . . hear the voices”: Marina Chechneva in Cottam 1997, 172.
On April 9, 1944, Chief Navigator: Nadezhda Popova in Noggle, 84.
Pilot Kaleriya Rylskaya and navigator: Kaleriya Rylskaya-Tsiss in Cottam 1997, 184, 185.
They had trouble taking aim: Cottam 1998, 97.
“Who came back?”: Ground crew quoted by Kaleriya Rylskaya-Tsiss in Cottam, 185.
This is silly . . . best time of my life: Zhenya Rudneva, diary entry for December 2, 1942, quoted in Cottam 1997, 220.
“I saw their aircraft . . . hold it in their lights”: Nadezhda Popova in Noggle, 84.
Zhenya and Polina were both killed: Kaleriya Rylskaya-Tsiss in Cottam 1997, 185; Krylova 2010, 37, 286.
It had been Zhenya’s 645th combat mission: Nadezhda Popova in Noggle, 84.
“Grief paralyzed me . . . regiment on the ground”: Irina Rakobolskaya in Noggle, 30.
Zhenya Rudneva, astronomy student: Nadezhda Popova in Noggle, 84.
Larisa Rozanova took her place: Cottam 1998, 63.
“Below, quite near, the white crests . . . sprinkled with many stars”: Serafima Amosova-Taranenko in Cottam 1997, 181.
CHAPTER 33: CROSSING THE LINE
In the personal histories: See Alexievich 2017 for the many different experiences of women who served in the Soviet military in roles other than aviation.
There certainly were problems: Markwick & Cardona 2012, 139, 140.
Olga Lisikova, who flew . . . early the next morning: The story and quotations are those of Olga Lisikova as told in Noggle, 242.
Yelena Karakorskaya . . . “the girls hung on his arm and prevented it”: This story and the quotations are as told by Yelena Karakorskaya in Noggle, 214.
Instead of being shot: ibid., 215.
“Why aren’t the pilots in their cockpits by now?”: Yekaterina Fedotova quoting a visiting dignitary in Cottam 1997, 113.
Katya had to unfasten her straps: Yekaterina Fedotova in Cottam 1997, 114.
Tail gunner Tonya Khokhlova . . . “last drop of our blood. Thank you!”: This story, and the quoted message, are told by Antonina Khokhlova-Dubkova in Noggle, 113.
returning the joke by dropping homemade wooden dolls: Markova 1983, 125.
CHAPTER 34: ALLIED FORCES
The 586th spent the fall of 1943 defending Kursk: Valentina Petrochenkova-Neminushaya in Noggle, 177; Pennington 2001, 122–23.
On June 5, 1944, 586th pilot Klavdiya: Klavdiya Pankratova in Cottam 1997, 283.
“We flew home wing tip . . . received a fatal wound”: ibid., 284.
The “second front” had been a dream: Overy, 240.
The 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment was part of the storm: ibid., 241.
Late in 1943, an unusual section of the French Air Force: Galina Brok-Beltsova in Cottam 1997, 131; Galina Turabelidze in Cottam, 143.
“Delighted, we watched . . . in very poor visibility”: Léon Cuffaut, quoted by Galina Turabelidze in Cottam 1997, 143.
He and the other French pilots: Galina Turabelidze in Cottam 1997, 143–44.
“When there were friends . . . seemed less terrible”: Galina Brok-Beltsova in Cottam 1997, 131.
Yevdokia Bershanskaya, the commander of the 46th: Krylova 2010, 287.
Tamara Pamyatnykh, the 586th Regiment’s squadron: Tamara Pamyatnykh in Noggle, 162.
Several women of the 125th Guards ended up married: Mariya Dolina in Noggle, 122; Pennington 2001, 98.
Tonya Khokhlova, the tail gunner: Noggle, 118.
After the war, Valentin Markov himself married: Cottam 1998, 135.
“they didn’t act in any way . . . carried Galya out of the plane”: Antonina Lepilina in Noggle, 129.
There was, however, a bit of a double standard: Markwick & Cardona 2012, 103–4.
“She bombed the Germans while pregnant. What a hero!”: K. A. Vershinin, quoted in Markwick & Cardona 2012, 104.
It wasn’t a joke for the 46th Guards, though: Markwick & Cardona 2012, 103.
Brotherhood and sisterhood in wartime: ibid., 104.
Sidebar: Taran: Aerial ramming
The celebrated Russian aviator: Legge, April 12, 2016; Reichhardt, October 4, 2014; Von Hardesty & Grinberg, 31.
As you can imagine, this desperate measure: Vinogradova 2015, 123; Von Hardesty & Grinberg, 31.
Only one woman, the Soviet pilot: Cottam 1998, 33; Merry, 111.
CHAPTER 35: THE EDGE OF THE CLOUDS
In the spring of 1944, as poor weather: Markova 1983, 65–67.
“I don’t like doing two things at the same time”: Klavdiya Fomicheva as quoted by Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Markova 1983, 75.
And she noticed that Klava still carried: Markova 1983, 89.
On June 23, 1944, the 125th’s commander: Yekaterina Fedotova in Cottam 1997, 53.
Only minutes before, Galya had been checking: Markova 1983, 97.
“Was he killed? . . . Was he really killed?”: Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Markova 1983, 98.
soon the entire left wing was blazing: Mariya Dolina in Cottam 1997, 69; Markova 1983, 98.
“They were mentally saying goodbye to us”: Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Markova 1983, 98.
But Klava and Galya didn’t yet dare: Markova, 1983, 99.
“flew off instantly, like a piece of paper”: Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Markova 1983, 99.
But when Klava tried to tip: Mariya Dolina in Cottam 1997, 70; Markova 1983, 99.
They fought and struggled to get free: Markova 1983, 99–100.
Klava’s boots were dragged off: Mariya Dolina in Cottam 1997, 70; Markova 1983, 100.
Valentin Markov lifted Galya: Antonina Lepilina in Noggle, 129.
About a month later, the members of the 125th were honored: L. Yerusalimchik in Cottam 1997, 74; Mariya Dolina in Noggle, 123.
“flourish, continue peacetime jobs . . . our job at the front”: Mariya Dolina in Noggle, 123.
“Around this time, all kinds . . . charged with explosives”: Vera Tikhomirova in Cottam 1997, 353.
A group of young women: ibid.
Belorussia was still crawling with Nazi forces: Overy, 236.
That summer the young women of the 46th Taman Guards: Pennington 2001, 73, 86.
Decomposing bodies hung from lampposts: Saywell, 153.
Among the dead was the little boy: Markwick & Cardona 2012, 115; Litvinova 1977, 248–49.
The woodland of Belorussia: Antonina Vakhromeyeva in Cottam 1997, 190.
“led a ‘gypsy’ life . . . bedroom, and dining room”: Kaleriya Rylskaya-Tsiss in Cottam, 186.
“Then she would bustle . . . disturb the sleeping crew”: ibid.
“Please take revenge . . . nothing is left”: Nadezhda Popova quoting anonymous woman, in Saywell, 154.
“For the next few weeks . . . faces of those children”: Nadezhda Popova quoted in Saywell, 154.
For the rest of her life, pilot Yevgeniya: Yevgeniya Zhigulenko in Noggle, 57–58.
“a symbol of the great Russian tragedy . . . orphaned children”: ibid., 58.
In August 1944 the 46th Guards moved: Pennington 2001, 73.
where they would eventually take part in the battle: Markwick & Cardona 2012, 116.
They spent the last part of that summer: Natalya Meklin-Kravtsova in Cottam 1997, 203.
While they were based here, Tanya: Natalya Meklin-Kravtsova in Cottam 1997, 203–4; Pennington 2001, 87.
On one of these missions Kaleriya: Kaleriya Rylskaya-Tsiss in Cottam 1997, 187.
Latvian port of Riga on the Baltic Sea: ibid., 186.
Klava Fomicheva and her navigator: Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Cottam 1997, 124.
“Now we can relax”: ibid.
There, the sky was so dark with smoke: ibid., 124–25.
“I looked behind . . . their mission so well”: ibid., 125.
“that the fighter atta
ck . . . had never happened”: Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Markova 1983, 108.
The 125th Guards paused in their bombing missions: Markova 1983, 109.
“Smiling shyly and snapping . . . laughing and exuded joy”: Galina Dzhunkovskaya in Cottam 1997, 127.
Sidebar: “Russia Has Noted Women War Flyers”—and America Admires Them
When Marina Raskova began teaching: Arizona Republic, June 11, 1936, 18.
“buxom Amazon of the civil air force . . . the teen-age girl”: Chillicothe Constitution-Tribune, January 20, 1939, 4.
The New York Times ran a story: New York Times, March 22, 1942, 11; February 14, 1943, 18.
American radio fans could hear: Asbury Park Press, February 3, 1943, 14.
Tamara Pamyatnykh and Raisa Surnachevskaya: Wilmington Morning News, April 5, 1943, 11.
In June 1943, an American ship: Troy Record, June 27, 1943, 13; Amarillo Globe, September 3, 1943, 9.
In December 1943, an Associated Press: Gettysburg Times, December 27, 1943, 6.
In an article called . . . “fight against race discrimination”: Maurer, 109.
Quentin Reynolds, an American journalist: Reynolds, 119–32.
And in July 1944, Aviation magazine . . . “she is now a fighter pilot”: Blitzstein, 117.
CHAPTER 36: FROM THE VOLGA TO BERLIN
It should be no surprise that now Josef Stalin: Overy, 255–57.
would finish the war in Lithuania: Pennington 2001, 92.
would end up in Budapest, Hungary: Yekaterina Polunina in Noggle, 164; Pennington 2001, 104–6.
The night bombers of the 46th Guards would fly: Pennington 2001, 72.
586th Regiment didn’t see much enemy: ibid., 123.
They were stationed first in Romania: Cottam 1997, 252; Pennington 2001, 104, 105, 123.
Masha Batrokova, who’d already: Valentina Gvozdikova in Cottam 1997, 340.
Galina Burdina learned how close: Galina Burdina in Noggle, 208.
“So he gave me back my life”: ibid.
now considered one of the best aircrews: Yekaterina Fedotova in Cottam 1997, 116.
The 125th Guards operated in the German region of Prussia: Cottam 1997, 30; Pennington 2001, 102.
Katya, Klara and Tonya were shot down: Antonina Khokhlova-Dubkova in Noggle, 115.
“Because there was no one . . . and buried them”: ibid., 116.
For example, someone in a position: Galina Brok-Beltsova in Noggle, 133–34.