Endel Puusepp facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Endel Puusepp
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Podpolkovnik Endel Puusepp c. 1942.
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| Born | 1 May 1909 Samovolny farm, Yeniseysk Governorate, Russian Empire |
| Died | 18 January 1996 (aged 86) Tallinn, Estonia |
| Allegiance |  Soviet Union |
| Service/ |
 Soviet Air Force |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Awards | Hero of the Soviet Union |
Endel Puusepp (born May 1, 1909 – died June 18, 1996) was a brave pilot from the Soviet Union. He was of Estonian background. Endel flew many important missions during World War II. He was a bomber pilot who flew over 30 nighttime missions.
He received the top award, Hero of the Soviet Union. This was for flying a very important group of people. He flew them from Moscow to Washington, D.C. and back. This secret trip helped discuss opening a new battle front in the war.
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Endel Puusepp's Early Life
Endel Puusepp was born in 1909. His family were farmers from Estonia. They had moved to Siberia in a place called Yeniseysk Governorate.
From a young age, Endel dreamed of flying airplanes. But his parents wanted him to be a teacher or a farmer. After finishing seven grades of school, Endel moved to Leningrad. There, he started studying to become a teacher.
Becoming a Pilot
After one year at the teacher's college, Endel changed his path. He joined a pilot's school instead. First, he went to a school in Volsk. Then, he moved to another in Orenburg.
After he finished his training, he stayed at the Orenburg school. He worked there as a flight instructor. Later, he joined a new group of pilots. This group focused on flying using instruments and flying at night.
Flying in the Arctic
By 1938, Puusepp was a very skilled pilot. He was especially good at flying using only his instruments. Before this, he even helped search for a missing plane. This plane, flown by Sigizmund Levanevsky, had disappeared in the Arctic.
Endel loved the North so much that he decided to work there. He flew to the North Pole-1 ice station many times. He also visited other Soviet stations in the Arctic. He helped find the best paths for ships through the ice. He also watched how the ice moved.
While flying over the Kara Sea on one of these missions, he heard big news. Operation Barbarossa had started. This meant the war had begun. When he landed, Endel asked to be sent to the front lines. He wanted to help fight.
A Hero in World War II
On August 8, 1941, Endel Puusepp flew his first bombing mission. He was part of a group led by Mikhail Vodopyanov. They successfully bombed Berlin. But on the way back, his plane was badly hit. Anti-aircraft guns damaged it.
He had to make an emergency landing in Estonia. At that time, Nazis controlled Estonia. When the crew got out, they met a scared shepherd boy. Endel remembered his native Estonian. He talked to the boy. He learned where the Nazi troops were. This helped his crew avoid capture. They safely returned to Soviet territory.
By April 1942, Endel had completed 30 nighttime bombing missions. He bombed important places like Berlin, Danzig, and Königsberg.
The Secret Mission to America
During the war, the Soviet Union talked with its Allies. They wanted to open a new battle front in Western Europe. To do this, a Soviet group needed to travel. The Foreign Minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, led this group. They would fly first to Great Britain and then to the United States.
Endel Puusepp was chosen to be the pilot for this very risky trip. He had to fly over enemy lines and controlled areas. On May 29, 1942, the journey began. They stopped in places like Tealing, Prestwick, Reykjavík, and Goose Bay. Finally, the Petlyakov Pe-8 plane landed in Washington.
The trip back home was even more dangerous. Endel worried the Nazis knew about the talks. He thought they might try to attack the plane. So, a clever trick was used. Soviet newspapers printed news that the group had already returned. Only after this false news was spread did the plane fly back to Moscow. For successfully completing this mission, Endel Puusepp was given the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.
He continued flying bombing missions in places like Stalingrad, Kursk, Oryol, and Belgorod. During one mission, Endel was hurt. A piece of shrapnel hit his spine. He needed five surgeries. He never fully recovered from this injury. In 1946, he retired from the Soviet Air Forces. He was a colonel at that time.
Life After the War
After the war, Endel Puusepp moved to Tallinn. This is the capital city of Estonia. He became the head of road transport for the Estonian SSR.
In 1950, he was chosen for an important role. He became the Vice Chairman of the Supreme Soviet of the Estonian SSR. Later, he worked as the Minister of Social Insurance for the republic.
Endel Puusepp passed away on June 18, 1996. He is buried in the Metsakalmistu cemetery in Tallinn.
