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Lieutenant Colonel Boris Safonov was the top Soviet naval fighter ace, credited with 30 personal and 14 shared victories. He defended the Arctic convoys from Luftwaffe attack and was one of the few Soviet airmen to receive the British Distinguished Flying Cross for protecting Allied shipping. He was killed in action on 30 May 1942 during convoy PQ-16 when his aircraft went down in the Barents Sea. He was the only pilot to be twice awarded the Hero of the Soviet Union during 1941-1942. A Liverpool maritime history group registered his story.
Biography (Russian)
Подполковник Борис Сафонов — лучший советский морской ас: 30 личных и 14 групповых побед. Защищал арктические конвои. Единственный пилот, дважды удостоенный звания Героя Советского Союза в 1941-1942 годах. Погиб 30 мая 1942 года при конвое PQ-16.
Awards & Decorations
- ★Hero of the Soviet Union (x2)
- ★Order of Lenin
- ★DFC (British)