Special-Issue Greeting Card addressed to Lt. Col. Anatoly Vepryanyuk, WW2 fighter pilot, on occasion of the 25th anniversary of the victory in the war, signed by Lt. Gen. of Aviation Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Vladimir Lavrinenkov, 1970.
In folder format, the size is standard 3 ½" x 5 ½". The artwork on the front features the Order of Glory. Coincidentally, Anatoly Vepryanyuk, highly decorated WW2 fighter pilot, was awarded with the Order of Glory 3rd class. By its statute, the Order of Glory could not be awarded to officers. One exception was made for junior lieutenants, quite possibly specially to include war pilots. By the beginning of the Patriotic War, the lowest rank permitted to pilot a plane was junior lieutenant. During WW2, Vepryanyuk served as a pilot in the 240th Fighter Aviation Division. At the
In folder format, the size is standard 3 ½" x 5 ½". The artwork on the front features the Order of Glory. Coincidentally, Anatoly Vepryanyuk, highly decorated WW2 fighter pilot, was awarded with the Order of Glory 3rd class. By its statute, the Order of Glory could not be awarded to officers. One exception was made for junior lieutenants, quite possibly specially to include war pilots. By the beginning of the Patriotic War, the lowest rank permitted to pilot a plane was junior lieutenant. During WW2, Vepryanyuk served as a pilot in the 240th Fighter Aviation Division. At the time of this greeting card he was in the rank of lieutenant colonel.
In excellent condition, slight wrinkles and minuscule corner bumps. The artwork, printed text and signatures are crisp and clear. Note that this card was made by special order, with typographically printed text of the greeting and ranks and names of the signatories.
Twice Hero of the Soviet Union Lieutenant General Vladimir Lavrinenkov was Commander of the 8th Air Defense Army when he signed this card. During the war, he served as a fighter pilot with the 651st Fighter Aviation Regiment, Stalingrad Air Defense District and downed 16 enemy planes in the course of one month. Then was the 753rd Fighter Aviation Regiment, squadron commander with the 4th Regiment, 288th Fighter Aviation Division, during the Battle of Stalingrad. In August 1943, Lavrinenkov's plane was hit, he had to eject over the enemy territory, was captured but managed to escape with a comrade. While behind the enemy front lines, he joined a partisan unit and fought with them. Lavrinenkov's total wartime tally has 488 combat missions and 36 downed enemy aircraft.
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