Yuri Alekseyevich Gagarin
Today, the student of the industrial technical college, komsomol member Yuri Gagarin makes his first individual flight. The young man is nervous. But his moves are accurate and confident. Before the flight he is thoroughly inspecting the cockpit, checking the gauges and only then he drives his Yak-18 to the line up. Gagarin raises his right hand, asking for the permission to take off.
- Take off is granted, – N. F. Puchik, the flights’ chief speaks over the radio.
Machines are taking off into the air one by one. Instructor Boshkin, watching the take offs of his boys, cannot help praising them:
- Good job, fellows!
But the machine is back on the ground again.
The analysis of the performed flights begins.
Instructor А. А. Yarantsev explains in details to sportsmen V. Merkulov, V. Buzov, G. Guryanov, I. A. Osipov what caused the mistakes, which they have made during the flights.
Several hours spent at the aerodrome went by unnoticed.
The sun is approaching the horizon. The work day on the aerodrome is over.”
“The Young People’s Dawn,” 1955, August the 3rd.
Gagarin learned of the article about him in a newspaper from his friends, and, of course, immediately wanted to read the newspaper himself, to hold it in his hands.
“It turned out that there was no newspaper at the aerodrome, – he wrote in his book “The Road to Space,” – I found it only a week later in the city.”
But it was just the first flight. Later, it was not so smooth anymore.
During the flights in September of 1955, Y. Gagarin in just a short time – within one week – made three gross mistakes in a row. The last one was especially bad: strikingly rough landing, a side blow.
The question of his dismissal was raised. The unit leader of the Saratov aeroclub, Hero of the Soviet Union, Sergey Ivanovich Safronov, reported the case to the flight commander Anatoly Vasiliyevich Velikanov.
Under Safronov’s responsibility Gagarin was allowed one more control flight. The reason that won the case was the statement from Safronov, “He is a very determined person, a real sportsman. I think he will justify our trust.”
Gagarin not only masterfully carried out all the elements in this test flight, but also made a perfect landing. After that there was a break in the classes. Gradually, he began to win the reputation of a trustworthy student.
But it was in the fall. In the summer, Gagarin made his first parachute jump. I. G. Yefremov was the commander of the parachute unit, and the instructor of parachutists’ training – A. A. Andronov. They both taught classes in theoretical preparation and brought the students out to make the jumps.
On September 27 of 1955, order № 58 was issued concerning the completion of the students training at the Saratov aeroclub.
Eventually, as he finished the classes at the aeroclub, he received the following grades: Gagarin Yuri Alekseyevich, born in 1934; nationality – Russian; education – vocational training; party membership – member of the VLKSM. Then, there are the grades in the following subjects: airplane Yak-18 – “excellent,” engine M-11Fr – “excellent,” piloting – “excellent,” aerodynamics – “excellent,” radio communication – “excellent,” instructions in carrying out the flights -“excellent,” overall grade from the commission – “excellent.”
This allowed him, as he turned to the drafting commission with his request to be enlisted in the military, to receive assignment to the first Chkalov military pilot school – ChVAUL named after K. Y. Voroshilov.
On October 17, Oktyabrskiy district drafts committee of the city of Saratov enlisted Y. A. Gagarin into the Soviet Army and sent him to the Chkalov military aviation school for pilots.
Y. A. Gagarin – student of aviation school
On October 27 of 1955, Y. A. Gagarin was enrolled as a student of the first Chkalov VAUL named after K. Y. Voroshilov.
In a letter to his parents Y. Gagarin wrote that he was released from entrance examinations, because he had the honourary diploma from college, as well as good and solid recommendations from the aeroclub.
On January 8 of 1956, Y. A. Gagarin took the military oath.
And here the fortune was also favourable to Gagarin. As it turned out, many students had been dismissed from their second year of training due to some health problems. Therefore, since he had already had some flight training, he was transferred from the first year group to the group, which had two years of training.
This particular matter was brought to my attention by Saratov local historian Vladimir Mikhailovich Tsybin. But, probably, something else was taken into consideration, since out of his group that arrived from the college in Saratov, only Y. A. Gagarin was granted such a right.
In the school Y. A. Gagarin became the flight commander deputy. Upon becoming a commander, he presented his fellow students with universal requirements to abide by the schedule and keep the discipline.
Some of the students from his platoon did not like all of that. It led to a conflict. Gagarin, who would not back out while insisting on his point of view did not lower down the standard for those who broke the rules. Eventually, three most active of them decided to “knock down to earth” their zealous commander. The chances were not equal. Gagarin was seriously injured in the fight.
This is what the military tribunal discovered.
“Accused Igor B., being unhappy with high demands in the service from the platoon deputy commander sergeant Gagarin, incited accused Boris Sh. and Yevgeny O. to beat up Gagarin, for which they gave their consent.
In the carrying out of this intention, with the active participation of B., on the night of January the 30th of 1957, when after the lights off the entire personnel including Gagarin went to bed, Yevgeni O. and other students attacked Gagarin and beat him up. While doing this, Boris S. and Yevgeni O. tied their heads in towels lest they would be recognized, and Igor B. at this time was standing at the entrance to the barracks to inform the ones who participated in the beating if any one of the commanders appear.
In the result of unlawful activities of Igor B., Boris S. and Yevgeni O. sergeant Gagarin was beaten up.”
On the criminal case, which was opened, there was a court hearing; eventually, these three convicts received different terms of imprisonment.
After the verdict was made, the Order № 16, dated March 4 of 1957, signed by the commander of regional military forces lieutenant-general Ivan Laskin, was issued and made known to private and sergeant ranks of military units and military academies of the South-Ural military region.
Only one month later after this incident Gagarin returned to the fulfillment of his responsibilities, being as strict with his subjects as before, because he thought that in the army – even more so in aviation – the basis for successful service is solely resting upon discipline and order, which must be observed by all servicemen without any exceptions.
On the eve of March holidays – the eighth of March of 1957, Anna Timofeyevna Gagarina received a letter signed by Y. Gagarin’s commander Ryabikov, “Dear Anna Timofeyevna! On the International Women’s day, the 8th of March, the commandment of the unit, in which Your son Yuri Gagarin is serving, congratulates You on this national holiday. You, Anna Timofeyevna, may be proud of Your son. He is wonderfully learning the military science, showing patterns of military discipline, actively participating in the social life of the unit. The commandment commends You for the way You brought up Your son, who became an excellent soldier, and wishes You happiness in life and achievements in labour.”
On August 18 of 1957 – on the day of a great holiday, devoted to the 36th anniversary of the academy and the Day of the USSR Air Fleet – Y. A. Gagarin was handed an honor certificate of the Central Committee of VLKSM. Representing the prestige of his flight squadron in the contest on the same day, Gagarin received four more certificates for the first places he won: in gymnastics, basketball, volleyball and one hundred meter race.
Here are the lines from Gagarin’s attestation at his finishing the academy, “During the period of his training in the academy he showed himself as a disciplined, politically educated student. Marching and overall physical preparation is good. Theoretical preparation is excellent. State examinations in theoretical disciplines passed with an average grade of “five.” Acquired skills were solidified by him well. He enjoys flying; he does it boldly and with all confidence. He finished the academy in the first category. He is faithful to the Communist Party’s and to the cause of his socialist Motherland. Decision: he is worthy to graduate the academy as a pilot of extinguishing aviation in the military rank of lieutenant. October 26th of 1957.”
It is very interesting to read a note in the honourary diploma В № 206199. This is what it looks like. “This diploma is issued to citizen Gagarin Yuri Alekseyevich to testify that in 1955 he entered the 1st Chkalovskoye military aviation pilots academy named after K. Y. Voroshilov after completing one year term of initial training in aeroclub and that in 1957 he finished the full course of the above mentioned academy in the specialization of exploiting and military usage of airplanes and their equipment.
By the decision of the state qualification committee dated October 26, 1957, citizen Gagarin Y. A. is granted the qualification of a pilot-technician.” Then there are signatures with the date when the diploma was registered – October 31 of 1957.
After finishing the training as an excellent student he was given the choice of the place of service. Gagarin chose the Trans-Polar Region.