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1st Air Army
1st Air Army
	;
Active	May 10, 1942—January 10, 1949 (renamed)
Country	Soviet Union
Branch	Air Force
Type	Air Army
Size	Several
Part of	Western Front; 3rd Belarusian Front
Engagements	Battles of Rzhev; Battle of Kursk; Battle of Smolensk; Battle of Memel; Operation Bagration; East Prussian Offensive
Commanders
Notable; commanders	T. F. Kucevalov (May — June 1942); S. А. Hudyakov (June 1942 — May 1943); М. М. Gromov (May 1943 — July 1944); Т. Т. Khryukin (July 1944 — May 1945)

The 1st Air Army (Russian: 1-я воздушная армия) was an Air Army in the Soviet Air Force which served during World War II. It was formed on May 10, 1942 within the Soviet Western Front, and renamed the 26th Air Army on January 10, 1949 in the Belorussian Military District.^[5]

[edit] History

In 1942, the First Air Army fought alongside the troops of the Western Front, supporting them near Yukhnov, Gzhatsk and Rzhev. The Air Army later participated in the Rzhev-Sychevka, Rzhev-Vyazma, Oryol, Smolensk, Belarusian, Memel and East Prussian offensive operations.

Throughout the war, the First Air Army made 290,000 sorties. Five of the Air Army's formations where reorganized as "Guards Units", 50 formations where given "honourable titles", 44 formations received various awards, 145 pilots and navigators received the title "Hero of the Soviet Union"^[6] and over 17,000 of its servicemen were also given various medals and decorations.

[edit] Command structure^[7]

[edit] Commanders

Lieutenant General (of Aviation) T. F. Kucevalov (May — June 1942)
Major General (of Aviation) S. А. Hudyakov (June 1942 — May 1943)
Lieutenant General (of Aviation) М. М. Gromov (May 1943 — July 1944)
Colonel General (of Aviation) Т. Т. Khryukin (July 1944 — May 1945)

[edit] Chiefs of Staff

Major General (of Aviation) A. S. Pronin (5 May 1942 — 9 August 1944)
Major General (of Aviation) I. M. Belov (12 February 1945 — )^[4]

[edit] Military Commissars

Major General (of Aviation) I. G. Litvinenko (5 May 1942 — )
Major General (of Aviation) I. T. Chernyshyov (23 March 1942 —)

[edit] Structure

May 10, 1942:

201st Fighter Aviation Division
202nd Fighter Aviation Division
203rd Fighter Aviation Division
214th Close air support Aviation Division
215th Mixed Aviation Division

May 23, 1942:^[8]

201st Fighter Aviation Division
202nd Fighter Aviation Division
203rd Fighter Aviation Division
234th Fighter Aviation Division
235th Fighter Aviation Division
204th Bomber Aviation Division
213th Night Bomber Aviation Division
215th Mixed Aviation Division
214th Close air support Aviation Division
224th Close air support Aviation Division
231st Close air support Aviation Division
232nd Close air support Aviation Division
233rd Close air support Aviation Division

In March 1943, the Air Army also included the French Normandie-Niemen squadron, which was later reorganized into a regiment.^[4]

[edit] References

^ Western Front. 1st Air Army (in Russian)
^ 1st Air Army. Allaces.ru (in Russian)
^ Commanders of the Soviet Air Force 1942—1945 www.soldat.ru (in Russian)
^ ^a ^b ^c 1st Air Army victory.mil.ru Russian Ministry of Defense (in Russian)
^ www.mod.mil.by Belarusian Ministry of Defence
^ 17 of them received this title twice
^ Commanders of the Soviet Air Force 1941—1945 http://militera.lib.ru (in Russian)
^ [1] (in Russian)

[0] Western Front. 1st Air Army (in Russian)

[1] 1st Air Army. Allaces.ru (in Russian)

[soldat-2] Commanders of the Soviet Air Force 1942—1945 www.soldat.ru (in Russian)

[victory-3] 1st Air Army victory.mil.ru Russian Ministry of Defense (in Russian)

[4] www.mod.mil.by Belarusian Ministry of Defence

[5] 17 of them received this title twice

[libru-6] Commanders of the Soviet Air Force 1941—1945 http://militera.lib.ru (in Russian)

[7] [1] (in Russian)

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