Yevdokiya Bershanskaya, commander of the all-female “Night Witches” bomber regiment, photographed during the Battle of the Caucasus, 1942.
This historic World War II photograph portrays Major Yevdokiya Davydovna Bershanskaya (1913–1982), commander of the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment of the Soviet Air Force. Standing behind her is the regiment's political commissar, Yevdokiya Yakovlevna Rachkevich. The image was taken during the Battle of the Caucasus in the autumn of 1942, when the regiment was actively supporting Soviet defensive operations against the advancing German forces.
Bershanskaya commanded the only all-female bomber regiment in the Red Army throughout its entire wartime service. Formed on the initiative of the famous aviator Marina Raskova, the unit consisted almost entirely of women—pilots, navigators, mechanics, armorers, and support personnel. At a time when many doubted that women could withstand the demands of frontline aviation, the regiment demonstrated extraordinary professionalism, discipline, and courage.
Flying the modest Polikarpov Po-2 biplane, the crews specialized in nighttime harassment bombing. Although slow, lightly built, and constructed largely of wood and fabric, the aircraft proved surprisingly effective. Approaching their targets at low altitude, the pilots often cut their engines before releasing their bombs, causing the aircraft to glide almost silently through the darkness. German soldiers compared the sound of the wind rushing through the wings to the sweeping of a witch's broom, giving rise to the famous nickname "Night Witches" (Nachthexen).
The missions were exceptionally dangerous. Crews flew without armor protection, in open cockpits exposed to freezing temperatures, and frequently carried no parachutes so that additional bombs could be loaded instead. Searchlights, anti-aircraft artillery, and German night fighters posed constant threats, yet the regiment maintained an astonishing operational tempo, often flying several sorties in a single night.
On February 8, 1943, in recognition of its outstanding combat performance, the 588th Night Bomber Regiment received Guards status and became the 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. During the war its crews completed more than 24,000 combat sorties and dropped over 3,000 tons of bombs on enemy positions. Twenty-three members of the regiment were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union, while Bershanskaya herself became the only woman to receive the prestigious Order of Suvorov.
Today, Yevdokiya Bershanskaya remains one of the most respected commanders in the history of military aviation. This photograph captures not only an accomplished officer but also the woman who led one of the most remarkable combat units of the Second World War, proving that determination, skill, and leadership mattered far more than gender on the battlefield.
Technical photo data:
📍 Location: Caucasus, USSR
📅 Date: September–October 1942
📝 Event: Battle of the Caucasus, operations of the 588th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment
📷 Photographer: Yevgeny Khaldei (Source: goskatalog.ru)
Recommended literature:
- Reina Pennington – Wings, Women, and War
- Bruce Myles – Night Witches
- Lyuba Vinogradova – Avenging Angels: Soviet Women Snipers on the Eastern Front
- Anne Noggle – A Dance with Death: Soviet Airwomen in World War II
- Soviet women pilots WWII
- Night Witches Po-2 regiment
- Female air regiment commander
- Yevdokiya Bershanskaya biography photo
- 588th Night Bomber Regiment history
- Women in Soviet Air Force WWII