12 Facts About Yakov Smushkevich

Yakov Smushkevich participated in the Spanish Civil War, where he was known as "General Douglas".

Yakov Smushkevich 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.

Yakov Smushkevich was the commander of the Soviet Air Force from 1939 to 1940, and Deputy Chief of the General Staff from 1940 to 1941.

Yakov Smushkevich was arrested in June 1941 and executed without trial on the personal orders of Lavrentiy Beria on 28 October 1941 in Kuybyshev.

Yakov Smushkevich completed only three grades of primary school before the Emperor of Russia ordered the deportation and exile of all Jews in frontline areas of the First World War, resulting in he and the rest of his family being exiled to the Arkhangelsk Oblast in the far north of Russia.

Yakov Smushkevich was imprisoned in Baranavichy and Vilnius before his escape in Spring 1920, after which he eventually became the political instructor of the 144th Rifle Regiment.

Yakov Smushkevich left his position in command of the brigade in 1936 due to the start of the Spanish civil war.

Yakov Smushkevich was reprimanded for spending too much time flying combat missions instead of leading the Spanish as commander of the Madrid Air Defense.

On 30 April 1938 Yakov Smushkevich was badly injured while conducting a practice flight on a R-10 in preparation for a parade before it crashed due to mechanical failure.

Yakov Smushkevich's legs were almost amputated due to the extent of the injuries, but they were not.

In November 1939 Yakov Smushkevich became the Commander-in-Chief of the Soviet Air Force.

Yakov Smushkevich was arrested in early June 1941 while in the hospital, several days after having had another surgery on his legs.