Golovanov, Alexander Evgenevich
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Biography
Golovanov was born on August 8, 1904 (July 25, 1904 according to the Julian Calendar) in the city of Nizhni Novgorod[1].
He joined the Red Army in 1919 and participated in the Russian Civil War in the reconnaissance section of the 59th Rifle Regiment. He was demobilized in September, 1920[1].
In 1924 he began working for the OGPU (a forerunner of the KGB). He served in the Special Department of the OGPU in the Moscow Military District starting in October, 1925, and in the city of Alma Ata from August, 1930[1].
In December, 1931, Golovanov began working in the People’s Committee for Heavy Industry while simultaneously studying flying at an aeroclub[1].
Upon completion of his flight training, Golovanov began work as a pilot in the Civil Air Fleet (GVF). In September, 1934 he became commander of the Special Section for Heavy Aircraft, and in 1938 became Chief Pilot of Aeroflot[1].
He participated in the Battle of Khalkhin-Gol and the Soviet-Finnish War. In February, 1941, he became commander of the Air Force’s (VVS) 212th Long Range Bomber Regiment[1].
After the start of the war, in August 1941 Golovanov became commander of the 81st Long Range Bomber Division, subordinated directly to the Stavka of the Supreme High Command. Under his command, the Division bombed Berlin, Konigsberg, Danzig, Ploesti, and other targets[1].
In February, 1942 Golovanov was named commander of Long Range Aviation[1].
On August 3, 1943 he received the rank Marshal of Aviation[2], becoming the youngest person in the history of the Soviet Union to hold that rank. On August 19, 1944, he received the rank Chief Marshal of Aviation, making him equal in rank to Alexander Novikov, the Commander of the Soviet Air Forces at the time[3].
Golovanov was removed from his post as commander of Long Range Aviation in 1948. He went on to attend the General Staff Academy and served briefly as commander of an Airborne Corps before going into the reserves in 1953[2].
- Long Range Bombers: Memoir of a Chief Marshal of Aviation, 2004, is Golovanov’s memoir
- Golovanov, Alexander Evgenevich at Chronos biography for Golovanov (in Russian)
- Golovanov, Alexander Evgenevich at People (Lyudi) (in Russian)
- ↑ 1.01.11.21.31.41.51.61.7http://www.hronos.km.ru/biograf/golovanov.html
- ↑ 2.02.1http://www.peoples.ru/military/general/golovanov/index1.html
- ↑http://marshals.narod.ru/mar4.html
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CF Geust wrote:I would recommend the Finnish readers to read my article about the attitude of the Allied (Soviet) Control Commission in Sotahist. aikakauskirja Vol. 16 (1997), which led to the degradation and dishonor of ADD-Commander Marshal Golovanov. See also the memoirs of Col.Gen. Reshetnikov and his biography of Golovanov!
Reshetnikov makes it very clear that because of the “moderate” (to put it politely) results of the Helsinki bombings, ADD was degraded from being the “iron fist” of the Supreme Command (or Stalin´s Stavka) to 18th Air Army, and Golovanov was no longer subordinated directly to Stalin but to his rival Marshal Novikov (C.O. of the “ordinary” VVS). This organizational change was effected on 6 December 1944 (Finland´s Independence Day – this date may have been chosen by Stalin himself…). Golovanov never recovered from this mental shock, and never again got a command on a Marshal´s level (his final command was a Paratrooper´s school – on the level of Colonel…).
Golovanov is also the only Soviet Marshal who was never made a Hero of the Soviet Union (= did not get the Golden Star), and the publication of his memoirs in Soviet times was interrupted…
His memoirs were published only posthumously some years ago in a very small number of copies.
The main reason of reorganization of ADD was not bombing raids in February 1944[nevertheless, intrigues against Golovanov as he played a big role in the raids against Finland took place] but strategic situation in the end of 1944 and European offensive of the Red Army – this is quite obvious [and well-known reason according to almost all sources which mention Soviet ADD in 1944]. Since summer 1944 almost all use of long-range heavy bombers was stopped as medium bombers could reach all targets already, in 1946 the 18th army was reorganized back to long-range aviation (DA) – the reason was obvious also, WWII was finished and Cold war began visible, so Stalin needed in aviation for strategic bombing raids under his command again.
Golovanov wrote in his memoires that airborne troops were included into ADD in autumn 1944 [that was done after analysis of offensive in Byelorussia in summer 1944], but he thought that it was better to organize the separate airborne army. In November 1944 Golovanov fell sick because of intensive planning the use of 100,000 men airborne units, and in December he was informed that airborne units were returned back to the army, ADD was reorganized into 18th army [with Golovanov as commander, also Golovanov was appointed as deputy commander of Soviet Air Force]. Golovanov wrote that reorganization didn’t change the use of ADD units at all, just the name was changed (ADD became 18th army).
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/gol … ae/37.html
What Golovanov wrote about the raids against Helsinki [memoires edition of 2004]:
http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/gol … index.html
Golovanov had a talk with Stalin in December 1943, Stalin tested his knowledge of the history of Finland. Stalin gave the good rating to Finnish soldier and Finnish population, mentioning labouring and patriotic people of Finland, but said also that there was a huge gap between wishes of Finnish people and aims of profascist Finnish Government, which forced population to pay with their troubles for the war. Golovanov mentioned that Stalin thought a lot about the possible bombing raids against Finland but didn’t come into conclusion as from one point of view massive raids could cause the large victims among small population of Finland, but from another point of view – Stalin needed to eliminate the threat on northern flank of Soviet-German front. Stalin said Golovanov that his bombers should bomb military targets of Helsinki [port, railway centre, military depots and factories in the suburbs], but bombers should avoid to bomb civil objects as much as possible. Golovanov also mentioned that Stalin asked that nobody should know about the operation, but Golovanov needed to plan the raid with several hundreds of bombers and he received the password from Stalin by telephone.
Golovanov mentioned the extremely bad weather in January-February over Baltic Sea and Leningrad region which complicated bombing raids of ADD to support attacking Soviet armies. Stalin ordered to perform the first raid against Helsinki 06.02.1944, next day Golovanov did this, after the first raid Finnish government asked about the articles of the peace agreement [negotiate - famous Swedish businessman]. The unofficial meeting between J. Paasikivi and Soviet ambassador in Sweden A. Kollontai took place 16.02.1944, and Stalin ordered to perform a new raid the same day. During the second meeting Paasikivi received the Soviet conditions of armistice ["break the relations with Germany and internment all German troops and ships; borders according to treaty from 1940; return all POW; the question about the partial or full demobilization of Finnish Army will be discussed later in Moscow; the question about reparations to USSR will be discussed later in Moscow"]. Paasikivi was informed that if he agree with those conditions, Soviet Government organize the official negotiations in Moscow. 27.02.1944 – third raid against Helsinki, Golovanov mentioned that if he received the order to bomb Helsinki directly, Helsinki disappeared from the map in such situation as a lot of bombers were in use. That was just the last warning. Soon Stalin ordered to stop the raids and that was the beginning of the negotiations about conditions of armistice. Golovanov also cited Swedish newspaper, which mentioned also that the raids were the preliminary warnings and Russians had superiority in sky, so they wanted to force Finland to change the present situation as Finland couldn’t win the game, otherwise Finnish front become not so quiet as before.
That is all what Golovanov wrote in his memoires about those raids http://militera.lib.ru/memo/russian/gol … ae/30.html [chapter "Ten Stalin's strikes"]
It was mentioned that this memoires was published in 2004 as the most correct and full version of Golovanov’s manuscript indeed, so this memoires should be included into the list of best WWII memoires…..
Golovanov also wrote the big chapter [larger than chapter about ADD operations in 1944] about Stalin ["Stalin's style of work"] where he mentioned Stalin as extremely laborious, wise and knowledgeable man, who was very strict to lazybones and ‘falsers’ but always tried to help responsible people as much as possible. Stalin indeed had quite many positive characters as the leader but also a huge amount of bad character traits [especially, a large suspicious streak], but Golovanod didn’t say anything bad about Stalin in his memoires only mentioned him with great respect.
PS. Biography of Golovanov [1904-1975]
1904 – born in Nizhny Novgorod/Gorky
1919-20 – soldier-volunteer of the Red Army, scout of 59th infantry regiment
1920-23 – civil courier, wireman, etc.
1924-1933 – worked in GPU/NKVD in Gorky [started as officer-in-charge and finished as division superintendant]. In 1932 – graduated the pilot school.
1933-1941 – Aeroflot [civil air company]: pilot, commander of squad, chief of division. Chief-pilot of Aeroflot since 1936.
Performed 500.000 km flights without any accident. Participated as pilot of Li-2 in Soviet-Japanese border conflict in 1938. Participated in Winter war as aircraft commander.
02.1941 – commander of 212th long-range bomber regiment
08.1941 – commander of 81st long-range air division.
12.1941 – commander of 3rd long-range air division.
02.1942 – commander of long-range aviation (ADD)
12.1944 – commander of 18th air army
04.1946 – commander of long-range aviation (DA)
Awarded with Order of Lenin (two times), Order of Red Banner (two times), Order of red Star (one time), Polish and Mongol orders.
1950 – graduated Highest Military Academy
1952 – commander of Guard airborne Corps
1953 – retired because of illness.
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Do you know about separate, sophisticated long-distance special 212. BAP commanded by civil aviation pilot Aleksandr Golovanov (one of the best civil aviation pilot, who could fly in any weather conditions in night, fog, rain, ect.; later famous marshal and commander of ADD aviation in “Great Patriotic War”). He started to build up on the beginning of 1941 a special aviation unit for night and blind long distance flights on DB-3F (65 bombers) – to attack specific targets far behind the front line. He got from the Stalin “green lights” for the completing staff, materials and training. He could taken from civil aviation any professional pilots (all were taken 60 civil pilots) he would like to have (navigators and radiomen were from military aviation), with no lights to claims from civil aviation chiefs (he had chosen the top civil aviation pilots). Stalin personally explained him which targets he saw, planed for his top unit – military and industry targets, big depots on German territory. This meeting took place in January or February 1941. Golovanov could take to separate 212. BAP his civil crew and his DC-3 for the rest crews training in the military regiment, when he asked about this Stalin answered – taken it, no problem. The crews of separate 212. BAP made plenty flights to attain skills in a blind and night flights (they worked very hard). The unit attained operational status before 22 June 1941.
Five Long Range Aviation Air Divisions/ Commanded by Gen. A. E. Golovanov and his deputy Gen. N.S. Skripko and including the 24th, 53rd and 62nd Long Range Air Divisions.
Colonel Aleksandr E. Golovanov replaced Vodopyanov in command of the 81st DBAD soon afterward; he was assigned to assist in testing a Pe-8 with Shvetsov M-82 radial engines in place of the Charomsky diesels. Also, a homing beacon called Pchelka (little bee) was introduced at V-VS air bases. The realities of war had changed Stalin’s attitude since the terrifying days of his prewar purges.
Soviet DC-3 in Combat in 1939
The first combat use by Soviet of DC-3 took place in during Nomonhan or Halha river war, in May 1939. 3 DC-3 took of on 29 May 39 form Frunze Central Airfield in Moscow (one of them piloted by Golovanov) transported Soviet pilots, mechanics (48 on the boards) to Asia. At least one of them stationed in war area as a transport plane. Later one of DC-3 was provisional armed with defensive machine guns mounted in the window. Second these planes served as a “courier/transport planes” during this war on Moscow – Mongolia route. There are several nice photos of them with camouflage and marking MT-18 till MT-20, interesting no Soviets red stars on the fuselage and wings in May 1939.
