Galina Dzhunkovskaya (1922-1985) Галина Ивановна Джунковская
Squadron navigator in 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment during the Second World War who was honored with the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 18 August 1945.

Dzhunkovskaya was born in Yurkovka, Kiev Oblast to a Ukrainian peasant family. She graduated as a nurse from Grozny medical school in 1938. Then, she changed her mind and went to Moscow to study aeronautical engineering in Moscow Aviation Institute.

When the war started, she was recruited by Marina Raskova to the 122nd Special Aviation Group and had her navigator's training at Engels Military Flying School. Then, she was assigned to the 587th Bomber Aviation Regiment, which was later renamed the 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment in which she flew as navigator on a Petlyakov Pe-2 bomber.

On 6 June 1943, Dzhunkovskaya took part in a fierce aerial combat. Her squadron (9 aircraft), flying in V-formation, was attacked by 10 German fighters. The squadron is credited with 5 kills in that combat, one of which was the second shared kill of Dzhunkovskaya, while four Pe-2 aircraft were seriously damaged and made emergency landings on available Soviet airfields near the front. One of these aircraft was the Dzhunkovskaya's, which had both engines aflame. Her pilot Klavdia Fomicheva commanded her and the gunner to bail out, but they disobeyed because German fighters persisted in attacking the aircraft. Both the navigator and the gunner kept fighting the Germans. When the navigator run out of ammunition, she used aerial grenades (some sources claim that she used signal flares). After the enemy fighters broke off, Dzhunkovskaya helped Fomicheva to find a suitable landing place, an airfield, and to land the burning aircraft. During the spring of 1944, Dzhunkovskaya and Fomicheva flew together for a long time. On 23 June 1944, in their second sortie of the day, their aircraft was hit by enemy flack while approaching the target; the left engine was set aflame and the gunner killed. Fomicheva herself was severely wounded in the leg, but continued the mission and dropped the bombs on the target. Then she turned the burning aircraft and flew on until they reached friendly territory. Fomicheva and Dzhunkovskaya bailed out at an altitude of about 200 metres (660 ft); both suffered serious burns.

On 23 December 1944, Dzhunkovskaya was nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union for having completed 62 missions, taken part in five aerial engagements and been credited with two shared kills.


Rare - Authentic photo signed in Moscow in March 1973.


Size : 18x11.5 cm.

Condition : please see scans.

Provenance : Claude Chauveau collection.


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