Heroes of the Soviet Union Majors Endel Pusep and A. Shtepenko in a Pe-8 bomber

Heroes of the Soviet Union Majors Endel Pusep and A. Shtepenko in a Pe-8 bomber

Mar 16, 2019 #Red Army
Heroes of the Soviet Union, Pe-8 bomber

 

Heroes of the Soviet Union, Majors Endel Karlovich Pusep (Puusepp) (left) and Alexander Pavlovich Shtepenko at the Pe-8 bomber (TB-7).

In May 1942, a Pe-8 bomber under the command of Endel Pusep brought the Soviet delegation, headed by Vyacheslav Molotov, for negotiations, first to the UK and then to the United States.
The plane flew across the front line over the territory occupied by German troops and arrived safely in London, and then through Iceland and Canada into Washington.
Endel Pusep’s crew personally received Winston Churchill and Franklin Roosevelt. On the way back, the flight took place in the hardest weather conditions, with a disappearing connection, but thanks to the navigator A. P. Shtepenko aircraft did not stray from the course and on June 12, 1942 he returned successfully to Moscow.

June 20, 1942 “for the courage and heroism shown in the performance of the Government’s assignment for the implementation of a long-distance responsible flight” Endel Pusep and A. P. Shtepenko were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union.

This photo was published on the cover of the magazine Ogonek in 1942, told about the feat of pilots.


Source of photo information:

  1. ru.wikipedia.org




Location: USSR
Image Date: 1942
Photo by A. Krichevsky

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