Alexei Ivanovich Semenkov (March 29, 1915 - October 16, 2000) - Soviet military leader, Lieutenant General of the USSR Air Force, participant of the Great Patriotic War, Hero of the Russian Federation (1998). Born on March 29, 1915 in the village of Tesaly, Gorodok district, Vitebsk province (now the village of Gurki, Mekhovsky district, Vitebsk region, Republic of Belarus). In 1929 he graduated from seven classes of school, soon moved to Leningrad. After graduating from the workers' school, he worked at the Krasny Oktyabr plant. He began his studies at the aviation school of the Civil Air Fleet of the USSR in Tambov, graduated in 1936. He stayed at the school as an instructor pilot. In 1938 he became the commander of a ship (Moscow Directorate of the Civil Air Fleet of the USSR), was a member of the crews of ambulance and passenger aircraft. Member of the Soviet-Finnish war. He served in the air ambulance aviation, showed courage, was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. In the Red Army since 1941, a participant in the Great Patriotic War from the first days. He became a member of the Moscow Special Purpose Group of the Civil Air Fleet. In September 1941, he became deputy squadron commander of a special squadron for supplying besieged Leningrad. By the end of the year, he made about 120 flights to the besieged city. Lieutenant Semyonkov did an excellent job with the tasks - during the work of the group, he delivered 81 tons of cargo to Leningrad and removed about 650 people from it. As of January 16, 1942, Alexei Ivanovich Semenkov flew 223 sorties, 12 sorties for airborne drops. On May 25, 1942, the head of the GUGVF, Lieutenant-General Astakhov, Senior Lieutenant Semenkov was presented for the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, but was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree. He was a squadron and regiment commander. Participated in the operation to force the Dnieper, the Battle of the Kursk Bulge. In total, during the entire war, he made more than 500 sorties. On the night of May 9, 1945, Alexei Ivanovich Semenkov was instructed to deliver to Moscow a Soviet copy of the Act of Germany's unconditional surrender. After Victory - again in the Civil Air Fleet of the USSR, he was appointed commander of a separate air group of international air communications, then held other positions. In 1953 he became the head of one of the departments of the Civil Air Fleet of the USSR, later became the head of the State Aviation Inspectorate. In 1957, he was the first in the USSR to fly a transatlantic flight from Moscow to New York on a Tu-104 aircraft. Since 1970 - First Deputy Minister of Civil Aviation. In 1975 he retired with the rank of lieutenant general. He lived in Moscow, worked in one of the Moscow military registration and enlistment offices. By the Decree of the President of the Russian Federation No. 83 of January 26, 1998, Alexei Ivanovich Semenkov was awarded the title of Hero of the Russian Federation for his courage and heroism in the struggle against the Nazi invaders in the Great Patriotic War. He died on November 16, 2000 in Moscow. He was buried at the Troekurovsky cemetery. Awards and honorary titles: Hero of the Russian Federation (January 26, 1998) Gold Star Medal Two Orders of Lenin Order of the October Revolution.