Vasili Yanchenko, Date of Birth, Place of Birth, Date of Death
TweetVasili Yanchenko
Russian flying ace
Date of Birth: 01-Jan-1894
Place of Birth: Ussuriysk, Primorsky Krai, Russia
Date of Death: 01-Jan-0001
Profession: flying ace
Zodiac Sign: Capricorn 
About Vasili Yanchenko
- Captain Vasili Ivanovich Yanchenko (1 January 1894 – August 1959) was a World War I flying ace credited with 16 aerial victories.
- He graduated his secondary education as a mechanical engineer in 1913, with an interest in aviation.
- He learned to fly shortly after graduation. As his native Russia became embroiled in World War I, Yanchenko volunteered for military aviation duty on 22 November 1914.
- After being trained as a pilot the Imperial Russian Air Service way, he was posted to fly reconnaissance in combat on 4 September 1915.
- Undaunted by an onboard fire on his first combat mission, he continued to fly his missions despite burns. Reassigned to fighters after additional training, he was sent to a unit commanded by an officer with whom he had a personality clash.
- His career as a fighter pilot did not take off until his reassignment to the prestigious 7th Fighter Aviation Detachment.
- He would score 13 aerial victories with the 7th, rise from the enlisted ranks to become an officer, and garner numerous decorations.
- He would also befriend fellow Russian aces Donat Makijonek, Juri Gilsher, and Ivan Orlov.
- After they became casualties, he transferred units.
- He would score three more victories in his new unit as the Russian Revolution sapped the will to fight from the IRAS.
- As a result, Yanchenko defected to the White Russian forces and fought the Bolsheviks from August 1918 to August 1920. After the Volunteer Army's defeat, Yanchenko emigrated to the United States to forge a life's work as an engineer.
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