BORIS PETROVICH GUSHCHIN
1919 - 1991
The hero of the USSR
Boris Petrovich Gushchin was born on March 1, 1919 in the village of Kosheli, Khvoininsky District, now Novgorod Region, into a working class family. In the army since 1937. He graduated from the Krasnodar Military Aviation School in 1940. In the battles of the Great Patriotic War since July 1941, he flew 298 combat missions to bombard enemy troops and military installations in its deep rear. The captain's flight time was 931 hours. During this period, the crew destroyed 16 aircraft on the ground, 2 crossings, the headquarters of Kleist's tank division in Taganrog. On account of his 11 direct hits in the buildings of the plant in Mariupol, 28 - on the railroad tracks. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded on September 18, 1943.
In 1947 he graduated from advanced training courses for commanders and navigators of air squadrons. He served in Long-Range Aviation and Navy Aviation. Throughout his life, he made 1908 flights, spent 3325 hours in the air. Colonel Gushchin was in reserve since 1962. He lived in the city of Gomel. He worked as a safety engineer in the DCS of the regional household administration.
"In this house from 1964 to 1991 lived the Hero of the Soviet Union Boris Petrovich Gushchin." Such an inscription is located on a memorial plaque at house No. 2 on Spartak Lane. In 1969, Heroes' Square was opened in the Bykhov garrison, on which busts of thirty Heroes of the Soviet Union of the 57th missile-carrying aviation division, including Boris Gushchin, were installed. With the enthusiasm of teachers and students of the Bykhov Lyceum No. 5, a museum of the 57th missile-carrying aviation division was opened, where a large exposition dedicated to the pilot was placed. Another one is in the museum in Kondrovo, and in the school where he studied. One of the Gomel streets bears his name. Awards: Order of Lenin, three orders of the Red Banner, World War I, Red Star, medals.