Memorial Ivan Polbin

This is the monument for Ivan Polbin in the district of Pechatniki. Ivan Semionovich Polbin was a general-major of Soviet aviation and twice Hero of Soviet Union.

He was born on January 14, 1905 in the village of Rtishchevo-Kamenka of Simbirsk province. After the graduation from the school in the village of Karlinskoye, he worked as repair worker on the railway. In 1922, he joined the Komsomol and later became the secretary of local Komsomol organization.

Ivan Polbin joined the Red army in 1927 and was sent in Zhitomir (Ukraine). Since June 1928, he was on long-term leave, that ended when he returned to service in June 1929 and was sent to the Volsk United Military School of Pilots and Aircraft Technicians. In 1930, he was sent to the 3rd Orenburg Military School of Pilots and Observer Pilots named after K. E. Voroshilov. In January 1932, he was appointed to the position of instructor pilot of the 9th military school of pilots, stationed in the settlement of Rogan (Ukrainian military district), and in July 1933 — to the position of commander of the bomber "TB-3" in the 115th aviation squadron of the 29th Aviation Brigade of the Moscow military District, stationed in Voronezh. In August 1936, he was appointed to the position of commander of the aviation detachment (102nd heavy Aviation Squadron, 101st Aviation Brigade) stationed at Domno station, in April 1938-to the position of squadron commander of the 32nd high-speed bomber Aviation Regiment stationed at Bada station, and in July 1939 — to the position of squadron commander of the 150th high-speed bomber Aviation Regiment (100th Aviation Brigade, 57th Special Corps), stationed in the Mongolian People's Republic. Ivan Polbin participated in the fighting on Khalkhin-Gol and was awarded the Order of Lenin for the courage.In February 1940, he was appointed commander of the 150th high-speed Bomber Aviation Regiment stationed in Chita.

At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, the regiment under the command of Major Ivan Polbin was relocated to the west and since July has been fighting on the Western Front. Already in November 1941, for the 30 combat missions carried out personally, the skilful command of the regiment and big damage inflicted on the enemy, he was presented with the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (but later the award was replaced by the Order of the Red Banner). In September 1942, he was appointed head of the Bomber Aviation Department. By August 1942, he had flown 107 flights (including 74 at night). In a sortie on July 15, 1942, he destroyed a large German fuel depot in the village of Morozovsky, thus disrupting the offensive of German tank units in that sector of the front. By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 23, 1942, Lieutenant Colonel Ivan Semyonovich Polbin was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star Medal.

On February 11, 1945, Major General of Aviation Ivan Semyonovich Polbin died in the sky over the fortress city of Breslau (Wrozlav), making his 158th combat flight. Together with Polbin, the navigator, Lieutenant Colonel M. K. Zarukin, was killed, and the gunner-radio operator, foreman V. A. Orlov, jumped out on a parachute, after which he was captured, but was soon released.

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