Background
Gastello, Nikolai was born on May 6, 1907 in Moscow. Son of a worker.
Gastello, Nikolai was born on May 6, 1907 in Moscow. Son of a worker.
Captain of the Soviet Air Force. Took part in the fight against the Japanese at Khalkin-Gol, and in the SovietFinnish war, 1939-1940. At the start of World War II, given a mission to attack a
German military column.
After his plane was damaged by gunfire and caught fire, unwilling or unable to bale out, directed his burning aircraft (and 3 crew members) in kamikaze fashion into a column of German military vehicles. This incident was used extensively in war-time propaganda, partly because the Soviet Air Force, built up with enormous effort before World War II, was almost completely destroyed on the ground during a surprise German attack, and was badly in need of heroic examples to boost morale.