Vladimir Komarov - The Soviet Union's Bravest Cosmonaut

[Cybermat47]

 

Born on the 16th of March 1927, in Moscow, Vladimir Komarov showed an aptitude for mathematics and a passion for aircraft early in life, but in 1941, with the German invasion steaming towards Moscow, he was forced to leave his home and work on a collective farm.

 

Komarov signed up as a VVS pilot in 1942 at the young age of 15, and soon after received tragic news - his Father, who had worked tirelessly to support the family, had been killed in an "unknown war action". If Komarov wanted to avenge his father, he would be disappointed, as he only finished training well after WWII - in 1949, to be specific, a year after his Mother joined his Father.

 

He was posted to the 383rd Fighter Regiment, flying MiG-9s, at the completion of his training, and within a year was married to Valentina Yakovlevka Kiselyova. The next year, he was promoted and made chief pilot of the 486th Fighter Regiment, flying MiG-15s.

 

He continued in this capacity until 1954, when he signed up for engineer training, and in 1959 was made Senior Engineer Lieutenant and a test pilot. Later that year, he was again promoted, to Engineer Captain, and chosen for cosmonaut training, and he was declared space flight ready in April 1964. By this time, he had two children, and was well liked by his comrades for his experience and humility, and was often sought out to solve many problems, both official and personal.

 

On the 12th of October 1964, he became the 14th man to go to space, and in 1967 was chosen to command the Soyuz 1, with Yuri Gagarin as his backup. Komarov believed that the Soyuz 1 was a deathtrap, but his superiors refused to listen to him, and so, he made sure he was the one to pilot it - he would rather die than put Gagarin or someone else in fatal danger. Before the flight, he arranged for his funeral to be open-casket. If he was to die, his superiors wouldn't escape the fact of what they had done.

 

 

The Soyuz-1 burnt up in the atmosphere as it re-entered during it's 19th orbit. Colonel Vladimir Komarov died alone and in agony to spare his friends from his fate.

 

On the 1st of August, 1971, US astronauts of the Apollo 15 moon mission left behind a memorial to those who had died in the quest to fly to the stars.

 

[216th_Lucas_From_Hell]

Komarov is a true hero. To those interested on paying respects, he has been buried by the Kremlin walls, behind the mausoleum.

[Cybermat47]

Komarov is a true hero. To those interested on paying respects, he has been buried by the Kremlin walls, behind the mausoleum.

Thank you, I will be sure to pay my respects when I visit Moscow.