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 The 586 IAP,
the 587 BAP, and the 588 NBAP would be continualy used in
the equally intense fighting that took place in the Crimea fighting in the
Kuban oblast (area) of southern Russia. These female units flew their
missions against the finest fighter group of the German Luftwaffe,
JG-54. This German fighter group contained some of the world's highest
ranking fighter aces in history, including Erich Hartmann with 352 confirmed
aerial combat "kills."
Through suffering horrific losses, these women's units received many awards and personal medals in the standard Soviet method of recognizing accomplishments. These female units felt many a loss during this period as friend after friend either failed to return, or died from wounds suffered from flying as many as fifteen missions per day.  Suffering from exhaustion, lack of
material supplies, the strain of combat, and the every present enemy, all
added up to individual losses within these female units that were excessive
by even Soviet standards. These women soon could not explain even to
themselves why they fought so aggressively against the German invader.
Politics, even the personality cult of Ioseph Stalin became secondary to
these women's motivations. Revenge for what the Germans had done to their
country, and more often than not to their own families, soon drove these
women's units to one goal, Vengence.
Despite the heroic efforts of the aircrews, the story of the female ground crews has never been adequately covered in print. These women would have to struggle to haul the 60kg (124 pounds) compressed air cylinders to the aircraft needing recharging, the ammunition cans, weapons removal and maintenance, bomb loading, general maintenance, and combat repairs were done in the open weather, and done with shear physical efforts. Frost bite, sun-burns, stress, anxiety, hunger, and fatigue were all the standard day to day life of the female ground personnel.
This page was last updated by the WebMeister on 20 October 1998, and all contents are strictly copyrighted to WebMeister, Snow Leopard Productions, and the BSW Group of companies. |
