Alexei Petrovich Maresiev (Russian: Алексе́й Петро́вич Маре́сьев; May 20, 1916 – May 19, 2001) was a famous Russian flying ace, Great Patriotic War veteran. 20 May is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... 1916 (MCMXVI) is a leap year starting on Saturday (link will take you to calendar) // Events January-February January 1 -The first successful blood transfusion using blood that had been stored and cooled. ... May 19 is the 139th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (140th in leap years). ... 2001: A Space Odyssey. ... The Eastern Front1 was the theatre of combat between Nazi Germany and its allies against the Soviet Union during World War II. It was somewhat separate from the other theatres of the war, not only geographically, but also for its scale and ferocity. ...

He was born 20th of May 1916 in Kamyshin. He started his flights as a fighter pilot in August 1941; he shot down 4 Nazi planes until April 1942, when his fighter plane was downed near Staraya Russa, then occupied by Germans. Despite being heavily injured, Alexei managed to return to the Soviet-controlled territory on his own. During his 18-day long journey, his injuries deteriorated so badly that both of his legs had to be amputated below the knee. Desperate to return to his fighter pilot career, he subjected himself to near a year of excercise to master the control of his prostethic devices, and succeeded at that, returning to flying in June 1943. During one of the dog fights in August 1943 he downed 3 Nazi FW-190 fighters. In total, he completed 86 combat flights and shot down 11 Nazi warplanes. He was awarded a Golden Star of Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest military decoration in USSR. Kamyshin (Камышин in Russian) is a city in the Volgograd Oblast in Russia, located on the right bank of the Volgogradskoye Reservoir in the estuary of the Kamyshinka River. ... Staraya Russa (Старая Русса) is an old town located 99 km south of Novgorod the Great. ... Dog fight is a common term used to describe close-range aerial combat between two or more military aircraft. ... Focke-Wulf Fw 190A in flight. ... Hero of the Soviet Union (Russian: Герой Советского Союза) was the highest honorary title and the superior degree of distinction of the former USSR. It included the Order of Lenin (the highest Soviet award) and, as the sign of excellence, the Gold Star medal with the certificate of the heroic deed (gramota) from...

In 1956 Maresiev obtained a Ph.D. in History, and started working in the Soviet War Veterans Comitee. Eventually he became a member of Supreme Soviet. The Supreme Soviet (Верховный Совет, Verhovniy Sovet, literally the Supreme Council) comprised the highest legislative body in the Soviet Union in the interim of the sessions of the Congress of Soviets, and the only one with the power to pass constitutional amendments. ...

He died of heart attack May 19th, 2001, just an hour ahead of his official 85th birthday celebration.

His story became the basis for novel by Boris Polevoy, Story of a Real Man. Boris Nikolaevich Polevoy (Russian: Бори́с Никола́евич Полевой; March 17 [4], 1908 – July 12, 1981) was a notable Russian writer. ...

External links

• Алексей Маресьев: "Я человек, а не легенда!"
• Aleksei Maresyev, Heroic Russian Pilot, Dies at 84