Zakhar Khitalishvili

Khitalishvili entered the war in June 1941. Shortly after during an air battle, his IL-2 was engaged by two German Me 109s and hit. Badly wounded, he managed to land the damaged aircraft on its belly, inside occupied territory. Khitalishvili evaded capture because he was saved and hidden by locals who nursed him back to health. He then linked up with his regiment to participate in the Battle of Moscow.^[3] A year later Khitalishvili would become part of the All-Union Communist Party (Bolsheviks). In late 1943 he became squadron commander of the 232nd Assault Aviation Regiment, then part of the 8th Air Army. By that time he had completed 106 combat sorties, during which he personally downed 29 enemy aircraft, destroyed 69 tanks, 31 armored vehicles and a number of other ground equipment.^[4][5] On 13 April 1944, for exemplary performance in combat, courage and heroism, Captain Zakhar Khitalishvili was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union by the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR.^[2]

When the war ended, Khitalishvili continued to serve in the Soviet airforce. He graduated from the Higher Advanced Training Courses for Air Force Officers in 1947 and from 1957 onwards, served in reserve capacity. He spent the rest of his life and career in Tbilisi. Zakhar Khitalishvili died on 21 October, 1986.^[2]