The exceptional Battle of Berlin IL-2 Sturmovik Pilot’s Gold Star for a Hero of the Soviet Union awarded to Guards Senior Lieutenant Mikhail Stepanovich Kamelchik, Pilot and Flight commander of the 33rd Guards Ground Assault Aviation ‘Voronezh’ Red Banner Regiment. Kamelchik was a well decorated pilot who conducted a 100 highly successful ground assault and bombing strikes during the Patriotic War, and received the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ for the extraordinary act of successfully landing his plane after an anti-aircraft shell exploded in the cockpit of his plane, blinding him and resulting in severe burns to his face. On making his home airfield, having been guided in by two of his wingmen, he was pulled from the cockpit having fallen unconscious just feet from the ground and survived to tell the tale. This not the first time he had a close shave on a previous mission over a Railway Station on the Eastern Front he had flown so low that on his exit from his low level attack he hit a telegraph pole and ripped off part of his wing, somehow managing to limp the plane back and survive. Kamelchik would later be one of four pilots who took part in a famous propaganda stunt when they dropped symbolic ‘keys to Berlin’ on the troops that were advancing on the Seelow Heights on the first day of the Berlin offensive. A copy of one of these keys is now held in the Central Museum to the Armed Forces in Moscow. He would take part in the Victory Parade on Red Square on 24th June 1945 as well as anniversary Victory Parades in 1960, 1985 and 1990. He would be awarded the title Honoured Worker of Culture of the RSFSR in 1983 for his work as the Deputy Chairman of the Smolensk section of the War Committee of War Veterans. An honorary citizen of the city of Poznan and the Lodz Viovodeship he would pass away in 2006 being buried in Smolensk.
Gold Star for a Hero of the Soviet Union, type 2, reverse officially numbered 8263. Made of solid 23 carat gold. It measures 32.22 mm in height including the eyelet, 30.26 mm in width and it weighs 21.1 gram without its suspension. The text Герой СССР (Hero of the USSR) is located at the centre of the reverse right underneath the impressed serial number ‘8263’. The suspension is authentic to the medal and measures 26.32 mm in width at his widest point and 21.71 in height without the eyelet.
Condition: some evidence of wear, as typical of an awarded and worn piece, Good Very Fine
Mikhael Stepanovich Kamelchik was born on 8th June 1921 in the village of Bushmin, now in the Tolochin district of the Vitebesk Region. He would graduate from the Orsha railway technical school in 1939 and thus from the local flying club. Joining the Red Army in 1940, a year later he would graduate from the Odessa Military Aviation Pilot School.
His first posting was to the 162nd Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Belarusian Military District as the pilot of an I-16 fighter. It was here on the outbreak of war he would see his first action.
From the very first days he would involved in fierce battles. With his I-16 fighter he would be involved in the defence of Gomel and the railway bridges there, making 5-7 flights a day. Soon, part of his Regiment’s personnel including Kamelchik himself would be sent to the rear for retraining on the Il-2 Sturmovik attack aircraft. Refresher training would take place in the 34th Reserve Aviation Regiment in the city of Izhevsk
His baptism of fire in this formidable new machine took place in the 288th (from November 1942 becoming the 33rd Guards) Assault Aviation Regiment on the North-Western Front. As part of his regiment, the attack pilot Kamelchik marched until the end of the war taking part in the liberation of Novgorod, Pskov, Pinsk, Lublin, Warsaw, Poznan and in the battle for the Oder and Berlin.
From his very first sorties, the young pilot showed himself to be a brave and skilful warrior. One of the sorties took place without fighter cover. Junior Lieutenant Kamelchik as a wingman, paired with Lieutenant Udachin, covered the rest of the aircraft. Having taken on anti-aircraft fire, they withstood the attack of German fighters. Under the cover of our two attack aircraft, other aircraft successfully completed their combat mission. In one of the following combat missions, during an attack on an enemy column, he dropped so low that his wing touched a telegraph pole. It was only thanks to his skill that he brought the plane with practically one wing to the airfield.
In battles on Belarusian soil, during a reconnaissance flight on the Luminets – Kobrin railway section, Senior Lieutenant Kamelchik discovered two enemy echelons with equipment at the station and attacked the target on the move. The blow was unexpected and accurate. Enemy anti-aircraft guns opened fire only when the cars were on fire, and the attack aircraft were already heading for their airfield.
Kamelchik would continue to fight bravely. On 16th January 1944, as the head of a group, he flew out on the next mission. It was necessary to stop the flow of vehicles with troops and equipment heading west on the Pisshukha-Opochko highway. As a result of the assault, five vehicles were burned, about 200 soldiers and officers were killed and the enemy’s movement along an important highway was paralysed for a long time. The defeat of the enemy column was completed by the advanced units of the tanks.
He would go on to receive the title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ and the Gold Star by decree of the Supreme Soviet on 15th May 1946 for his actions in the final part of the war. The recommendation for his award as follows:
‘Comrade Kamelchik is a Patriotic War participant since the first days. He arrived to the 33rd Guards Ground Assault Aviation Regiment in May 1943. During this period, he grew up from an ordinary pilot to an experience flight commander, and was promoted from Junior Lieutenant to Senior Lieutenant.
He conducted 100 highly successful ground assault and bombing strikes, of which 12 sorties as a group leader and 6 reconnaissance sorties as a pair leader for the enemy rear area surveillance.
After having made 43 missions, he was bestowed as follows: for 3 combat sorties with medal ‘For Bravery’, for 20 combat sorties with order ‘Red Banner’ and for the subsequent 20 combat missions with order ‘Patriotic War 1st Class’. For 22 combat sorties, he was again recommended for his second order ‘Red Banner’. Since his latest bestowal he conducted 57 further combat sorties, proving himself again as a fearless ground assault pilot, who is boundlessly devoted to his Socialist Motherland.
Having excellently mastered his mighty machine, he never had a case of losing it to the ground Anti-Aircraft fire. In case an enemy stray projectile would damage his plane’s vital mechanisms, he would exercise exceptional self-control and composure, bring his plane back, and land masterfully, saving both the crew and the aircraft.
In the mission for destruction of the Fascist lair – Berlin city – on 22nd April 1945, an enemy shell exploded inside the cockpit of our fearless pilot. Despite severe burns to his face, damage to his eyes, the blood pouring over his face, he remained in the mission and finished it perfectly, returning to the home airfield with the group.
The group leader HSU Guards Major Belavin gave him many times permission to land on some intermediate airfields, but Guards Senior Lieutenant Kamelchik brought his aircraft to the home airfield, overcoming terrifying pain in the face and in the eyes. He masterfully landed the plane, thus saving both the crew and the machine. Such an heroic feat could be done only by a pilot like Guards Senior Lieutenant Kamelchik with his iron will and perpetual energy.
Special character facet of this remarkable Bolshevik warrior is his modesty on the ground and boundless bravery in the air. His hatred towards the German slave masters is boundless. He harshly punishes the enemy for the sufferings of the Soviet people, for the death of his close and loved ones.
Guards Senior Lieutenant Kamelchik conducted 10 air engagements against enemy fighter aircraft. He masterfully combined his aircraft cannon’s punch with fine piloting techniques and never had losses to the German vultures.
In his 100 highly effective combat missions, he personally destroyed: 84 loaded trucks, 57 loaded horse carriages, 39 artillery pieces of different types, 1 armoured personnel carrier, 5 tanks, 3 dugouts, 1 pillbox, 1 steam engine, 232 rail wagons, caused 6 large explosions, ignited 21 large fires. Together in a group, he destroyed 1 railroad bridge, 2 river crossings and 4 ammunition depots.
The results of the combat missions was confirmed by the ground troops, by the representatives of the political corps, and by the aerial photography.
The flight under his command conducted 284 successful combat sorties, having suffered the following own combat losses: 2 pilots, one aerial gunner, 2 aircrafts IL-2. There were no other losses suffered due to incidents and such.
Here are some examples of Guards Senior Lieutenant Kamelchik’s courage and bravery:
On 29.04.1944, a group of 6 IL-2 attacked an enemy armour and vehicle concentration near the forest west of Selets. Despite the hurricane of enemy AA fire, our group made two attack runs, destroying 4 tanks, 8 trucks, caused 6 fires and 4 large explosions (presumably 2 ammunition and 2 fuel depots). 2 AA cannons were suppressed. In this engagement Guards Senior Lieutenant Kamelchik personally destroyed 1 tank, 2 trucks and exploded an enemy fuel depot.
On 04.07.1944, two IL-2 led by Kamelchik went to a free hunting reconnaissance mission along the railway line Janow-Kobryn-Snitowo. They discovered 2 enemy trains on the Snitowo station and began strafing them with fire and dropping bombs. Having done 5 attack runs, they disabled 2 steamers and 4 wagons. The reconnaissance was conducted perfectly and its results were photographed.
On 26.08.1944, group of 6 IL-2 led by Kamelchik bombarded and strafed the enemy mortar positions and vehicle concentration near the settlements Horsyzow-Piskurow. Despite strong enemy AA fire from the ground, the group made 4 attack runs. Having sustained no damage themselves whatsoever, the group destroyed: 15 trucks, 1 field artillery battery, up to a platoon of enemy troops and caused 10 fires.
On 27.03.1945, group of 7 IL-2 conducted ground assault strike against the armour concentration near the settlement Golzow. Having made 4 attack runs, the group destroyed 6 tanks, and up to 30 enemy troops. Guards Senior Lieutenant Kamelchik exhibited unparalleled bravery in this mission.
He is an exemplary disciplined and organised serviceman. He is demanding towards himself and the subordinates. The discipline in his flight is on good level. His flight personnel is trained in combat cohesion and is ready for any mission.
For 100 highly effective combat missions, for excellent execution of the missions assigned by the command, for exhibited courage and bravery, he deserves to be bestowed with the highest state award – title ‘Hero of the Soviet Union’ accompanied by bestowal with order ‘Lenin’ and medal ‘Gold Star’.
On 16th April 1945 the Red Army launched their final offensive on Berlin with an all out attack on the Seelow Heights, the final organised defensive positions before the city. Kamelchik on this day would take part in a propaganda exercise that would involve the dropping of four symbolic keys to the city of Berlin on the advancing troops. Each being noted with the dates of the previous Russian attacks on the city such as the year 1760. A copy of one of the keys is now held in the Central Museum of the Russian Armed Forces in Moscow. Kamelchik is said to have been one of the four pilots to drop the keys as part of the 33rd Guards Assault Aviation Regiment under Guards Major Hero of the Soviet Union Nikolai Ivanovich Belavin.
After the war, he would continue to serve in the Air Force. In 1953 he graduated from the Krasnodar Higher Officer School of Navigators. He continued his flight practice as a navigator of an aviation regiment. In 1958 Lieutenant Colonel Kamelchik retired for health reasons.
In the same year, he would move to the city of Smolensk, went to work at a school as a teacher. In 1967 he graduated from the Smolensk Pedagogical Institute at the department of Marxism-Leninism. Since 1970, he worked as a teacher of the history of the CPSU at the Smolensk State Medical Institute. In 1983 he was awarded the title Honoured Worker of Culture of the RSFSR for his work as the Deputy Chairman of the Smolensk section of the War Committee of War Veterans. Kamelchik was also an Honorary Citizen of the Polish city of Poznan and the Lodz Viovodeship. He would take part in the Victory Parades on Red Square, as well as the anniversary parades of 1960, 1985 and 1990.
He died on 27th October 2006 and is buried at the Bratsk Cemetery in Smolensk.
