Yakov Smushkevich

Yakov Vladimirovich Smushkevich
Native name	Lithuanian: Jakovas Smuškevičius Russian: Яков Владимирович Смушкевич Russian: Яков Вульфович Смушкевич
Nickname(s)	General Douglas[1]
Born	14 April [O.S. 1 April] 1902 Rokiškis, Kovno Governorate, Russian Empire
Died	28 October 1941(1941-10-28) (aged 39) Barbysh, Kuibyshev oblast, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Allegiance	Soviet Union
Service/branch	Soviet Air Force
Years of service	1918 – 1941
Rank	General-Lieutenant of Aviation
Commands held	Soviet Air Force
Battles/wars	Russian Civil War Polish–Soviet War Spanish Civil War Battle of Khalkhin Gol Winter War
Awards	Hero of the Soviet Union (twice)
Spouse(s)	Basia Solomonovna
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Yakov Vladimirovich Smushkevich (Lithuanian: Jakovas Smuškevičius, Russian: Яков Владимирович Смушкевич, also Яков Вульфович Смушкевич,^[2]; 14 April [O.S. 1 April] 1902 – 28 October 1941) was the Commander of the Soviet Air Forces from 1939 to 1940 and the first Jewish Hero of the Soviet Union. Arrested shortly before the start of Operation Barbarossa on falsified charges of being part of an anti-Soviet conspiracy, he became the only man to receive the Hero of the Soviet Union twice and then be executed. The charges were posthumously dropped and he was rehabilitated in 1954.

He participated in the Spanish Civil War, where he was known as "General Douglas". For his service in Spain he received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union.^[3] He was in charge of aviation for the 1st Army Corps at the Battle of Khalkhin Gol, again receiving the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. He was the commander of the Soviet Air Force from 1939 to 1940, and Deputy Chief of the General Staff from 1940 to 1941. He was arrested in June 1941^[4] and executed without trial on the personal orders of Lavrentiy Beria on 28 October 1941 in Kuybyshev.^[5]