Vera Belik
| Vera Lukianovna Belik | |
|---|---|
|
| |
| Native name | Віра Лук`янівна Білик |
| Born |
5 August 1921 Yakymivka Raion, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine. |
| Died |
25 August 1944 (aged 23) near Ostrołęka, Poland |
| Allegiance |
 Soviet Union |
| Service/branch |
 Red Army Air Force |
| Years of service | 1941-1944 |
| Rank | Guard Lieutenant |
| Unit | 46th Tamansky Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Order of LeninOrder of the Red StarHero of the Soviet Union, Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class |
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Vera Belik (August 5, 1921 – August 25, 1944) was a World War II navigator born in Yakymivka Raion, Zaporizhia Oblast, Ukraine. Belik was the oldest of six children of a master electrician.
Education
In 1939, she enrolled at the Karl Liebknecht Pedagogical Institute in Moscow, where she studied mathematics.[1]
Military career
She joined the Red Army in 1941 and became active from May 1942. Belik joined the 122nd Aviation Group and began flying combat missions with the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment (later re-designated the 46th Guards) in mid-1942.[1] She worked closely with Tatiana Makarova. In December 1942, the regiment was expanded and Belik was promoted to navigator of the second squadron. Belik flew difficult sorties over Ukraine, the Kuban area of the North Caucasus, the Crimea, Belorussia, and Poland. On August 1, 1944, she and Makarova flew the first bombing mission over East Prussia- the first aircrew of the regiment to fight over German soil.
On August 25, 1944, Belik and Makarova were attacked by a German fighter near Ostrołęka, Poland. Belik completed a total of 813 bombing missions.
References
Bibliography
- Milanetti, Gian Piero (2013). Soviet Airwomen of the Great Patriotic War - A pictorial history. Istituto Bibliografico Napoleone, Rome, Italy. OCLC 955303338.
- Goodpaster Strebe, Amy (2009). Flying for her country : the American and Soviet women military pilots of World War II. Washington, D.C.: Potomac Books. OCLC 762288771.
- Myles, Bruce (1990). Night witches : the untold story of Soviet women in combat. Chicago, IL: Academy Chicago. OCLC 891887615.
- Pennington, Reina; Higham, Robin (2003). Amazons to fighter pilots : a biographical dictionary of military women / Vol. 1, A-Q. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. OCLC 773504359.
- Aranova, R. (2006). "КРЫЛАТАЯ ГВАРДИЯ - галерея изображений". Plyac, Anatova. Retrieved 13 June 2017.