A World War II photograph of USAAF Sergeant S. Weinshenker and Tech Sergeant William Topps posing with a 10-year-old Soviet “Son of the Regiment” at Poltava Airfield, Ukraine, during Operation Frantic, June 1944.
This touching World War II photograph shows USAAF Sergeant S. Weinshenker and Technical Sergeant William Topps posing with a young Soviet boy wearing a Red Army uniform at Poltava Airfield in June 1944. The picture was taken during the period of close Soviet-American cooperation associated with Operation Frantic, when American bombers used Soviet airfields during shuttle bombing missions against Nazi Germany.
The Soviet "Son of the Regiment"
The boy, whose name has unfortunately not survived, was only 10 years old. He served as a Son of the Regiment, a uniquely Soviet wartime tradition in which orphaned or displaced children were informally adopted by military units. Many had lost their parents during the German invasion and found shelter, food, and a new family among Red Army soldiers.
Unlike regular soldiers, these children usually performed support duties such as carrying equipment, delivering messages, assisting mechanics, or helping in field kitchens. Although they were not intended to serve as combat troops, many inevitably found themselves living and working close to the front lines because of the realities of the war.
A Young Helper at Poltava
According to available records, the boy worked as an assistant armament technician at the 169th Special Purpose Air Base (169th ABON). Despite his age, he was awarded the prestigious Soviet Medal "For Courage", one of the country's highest decorations for personal bravery. While the exact circumstances of his award remain unknown, the decoration itself reflects the extraordinary demands that war placed even upon children.
His meeting with American servicemen illustrates the everyday human side of Allied cooperation. Language barriers mattered little when photographs like this captured smiles, curiosity, and mutual respect between Soviet personnel and their American allies.
Operation Frantic and Allied Cooperation
During the summer of 1944, Poltava became one of the principal Soviet airfields supporting Operation Frantic, the Allied shuttle bombing campaign. American B-17 Flying Fortress bombers flew missions against German targets before landing in the Soviet Union to refuel, rearm, and prepare for further operations. The airfield temporarily became home to thousands of Soviet and American servicemen working together despite their different languages, equipment, and military traditions.
This young "Son of the Regiment" became part of that unique chapter in wartime history. His photograph with American airmen reminds us that behind large military operations stood countless individual stories—many of them involving children whose lives had been permanently changed by the war.
Technical photo data
📍 Location: Poltava, Ukrainian SSR, Soviet Union
📅 Date: June 1944
📝 Event: USAAF personnel with a Soviet Son of the Regiment during Operation Frantic at the 169th Special Purpose Air Base
📷 Photographer: US Air Force Museum
Recommended reading
- Valentin Kataev — Son of the Regiment
- Roger A. Freeman — The Mighty Eighth War Diary
- David M. Glantz — When Titans Clashed: How the Red Army Stopped Hitler
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