Yevdokia Bershanskaya

Yevdokia Bershanskaya (Russian: Евдоки́я Давы́довна Бочаро́ва) (Voluntary Stavropol, February 6, 1913 – September 16, 1982 in Moscow) was a Soviet pilot in World War II and second in command of the 46th Taman Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment.

In 1941, Marina Raskova formed three women's regiments. As an experienced pilot, Bershanskaya became the leader of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, an all women's regiment that flew Polikarpov Po-2 biplanes. In 1943, the regiment was renamed the 46th Taman Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment. Later she was awarded the Order of the Red Banner. The women pilots were so fierce and accurate that the German soldiers began calling them Night Witches. They were called this because often during missions they would cut the engine of their planes and glide over their targets before dropping their bombs and turning the engine back on. Until its dissolution in October 1945, the regiment remained totally female. Collectively they flew 24,000 sorties, and dropped 23,000 tons of bombs.

23 pilots of the regiment were awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, 2 awarded Hero of Russia, 1 awarded Hero of Kazakhstan.

In 1982 she died of a heart attack and was buried at Novodevichy Cemetery. Headstone (in Russian)