Measures 3 ¼" x 4 ½", printed on cardboard matte photo paper. The photo presents an Air Force Colonel wearing an impressive array of WW2 decorations including two Orders of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War, two Orders of the Red Banner, and four medals including Medal for Combat Service. He is also wearing the Pilot Instructor Badge, and Air Force Pilot Qualification wings. The handwritten archival entry on the verso identifies the officer as Col. Viktor Kozlov (Виктор Лаврентьевl

Measures 3 ¼" x 4 ½", printed on cardboard matte photo paper. The photo presents an Air Force Colonel wearing an impressive array of WW2 decorations including two Orders of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War, two Orders of the Red Banner, and four medals including Medal for Combat Service. He is also wearing the Pilot Instructor Badge, and Air Force Pilot Qualification wings. The handwritten archival entry on the verso identifies the officer as Col. Viktor Kozlov (Виктор Лаврентьевич Козлов), is hand-signed by the commanding officer of the Red Banner Baltic Pilot School and bears the school's seal. The entry is dated 12 November 1954.

In excellent, outstanding condition. The paper is unwrinkled, the image is pristine and in sharp focus providing an excellent opportunity to have a close look at the decorations and details of the uniform.

Russian military archival website pamyat-naroda.ru has an incomplete record of Kozlov's decorations but what they do have is very impressive: two Orders of the Red Banner, two orders of the Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War 1st cl., Medal for Combat Service, Medal for Defense of Moscow, and Medal for Victory over Germany. The first Order of the Red Banner was awarded early on, 20 January 1942, and had to be a screwback, so that the one he is wearing was either converted to suspension or re-issued.

According to the award commendations, Viktor Kozlov was in the Air Force since 1931, flew combat missions as a fighter pilot since the beginning of the Patriotic War, and was wounded during one of them in December 1941. After recovery he was deployed to the 13th Air Force Reserve Fighter Regiment as squadron commander and proved himself an excellent pilot instructor. Over the course of the war, he trained hundreds of fighter pilots. The technical personnel of Kozlov's squadron assembled and sent to the frontlines 359 fighter planes. He personally led his squadron in transporting 112 Yak fighter planes from the manufacturer to the frontlines. Colonel Viktor Kozlov remained on active duty until 1955.

Research Materials: b/w photocopies of the award commendations for the Order of the Red Star and the Order of the Patriotic War.

Please note that the penny in our photo is for size reference.
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