Vera Zakharova facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Vera Kirillovna Zakharova
Native name	Вера Кирилловна Захарова
Born	12 July 1920 Delgey, RSFSR
Died	1 January 2010 Yakutsk, Russian Federation
Allegiance	Soviet Union
Service/branch	Soviet Air Force
Years of service	1943–1945
Unit	141st Separate Medical Aviation Regiment
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Order of the Patriotic War

Vera Kirillovna Zakharova (Russian: Вера Кирилловна Захарова; 12 July 1920 – 1 January 2010) was a brave pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II. She flew a special plane called a Po-2 to help injured soldiers. Vera was a student of the famous pilot Valery Kuzmin. She was also the very first Yakut woman to become a pilot.

Early Life and Dream of Flying

Vera Zakharova was born on July 12, 1920. Her family lived in a village called Delgey in the Yakut area. She had seven brothers and sisters. Her father, Kirill, was a schoolteacher. Her mother, Yevdokiya, was a doctor. Vera often helped her mother by translating, as her mother did not speak Yakut well.

When Vera was young, her family moved to Churapcha. She finished primary school there. In 1934, she moved to Yakutsk city. The next year, her brother Innokenty joined a local glider flight school. Vera joined in 1937. She became the first Yakut girl to be accepted into the aeroclub.

At the aeroclub, Vera learned to fly the Po-2 trainer plane. Her teacher was Valery Kuzmin, the first Yakut pilot. Vera also became a parachute instructor. She completed 19 parachute jumps! In 1940, she went to Moscow to study aviation. However, she had to return home because of money problems.

Serving in World War II

When Germany invaded the Soviet Union, Vera and her friends heard the news. Her brothers were called to join the army. Vera wanted to help too. She took nursing classes. She tried to join the war effort, but was turned away. She kept asking to be sent to the front lines. Even though her family faced difficulties, Vera remained loyal to her country.

Vera and other parachute instructors trained paratroopers. In February 1944, Vera and two friends, Yelena Dvoryankina and Anna Remennikova, asked to go to the front. They were accepted.

Flying Air Ambulance Missions

Vera and Yelena were sent to the 141st Separate Air Ambulance Regiment. Their job was to fly injured soldiers in Po-2 planes. They also delivered important messages and mail. When they first arrived, some officers were not happy to see women pilots. But Vera stayed strong and proved herself.

By August 1944, Vera had flown over 100 missions. She rescued more than 200 wounded soldiers. She also delivered medical supplies, ammunition, mail, and food. Sometimes, she flew three or four missions in one day!

Shot Down and Captured

On August 6 or 7, 1944, Vera was flying over Poland. Her plane and two others were shot down by enemy anti-aircraft guns. Vera landed in an area controlled by German soldiers. She checked on the two wounded soldiers she was carrying. German soldiers quickly approached her plane. They were surprised to find a woman pilot.

Vera realized her leg was badly injured. She had an open fracture. She grabbed important documents from her plane. Then, she crawled away and tried to hide. One of the wounded soldiers joined her. They tried to crawl to Soviet-controlled territory. But German soldiers found them using dogs.

Vera and the injured soldier were taken prisoner. A doctor treated their wounds. They were then sent to a prisoner of war (POW) camp. At the camp, the Germans tried to make fun of Vera. They said she was a "Mongol woman" and that the Russians had no one left to fight. Vera was held in the camp for five months and fifteen days. She worked in a sewing workshop.

Returning to Duty

After being freed from the camp, Vera was questioned. She was told she should leave the military because of her injuries. But Vera insisted on staying. She spent two and a half months finding her regiment again. By then, it was called the 12th Aviation Regiment. It was based in Poland, helping the Polish Air Force.

Vera continued to fly missions on the Po-2. By the end of the war, she had flown 180 missions. She even reached Berlin! She carved "Zakharova from Yakutsk" on the walls of the Reichstag building.

Life After the War

After the war, Vera married Anatoly Shmatkov. He was also a pilot from her regiment. They lived in Bryansk at first. Because of Anatoly's job, they moved often.

Anatoly passed away in 1965. Vera then returned to Yakutsk. She worked at a science institute. From 1976 to 1983, she was part of the Soviet peace committee. Vera Kirillovna Zakharova died in Yakutsk in 2010.

See also

In Spanish: Vera Zajárova para niños