Northern Fleet celebrated the National Heroes' Day

10.12.2010 Northern Fleet (NF) mariners celebrated the National Heroes' Day on Dec 9. Solemn meeting and laying wreaths to busts of twice Hero of the Soviet Union LCol (Guard) Boris Safonov and Hero of the Russian Federation Gen. Maj Timur Apakidze were held in the central square of NF main naval base Severomorsk.

The history of Northern Fleet is full of courage and heroism. During the World War II and in post-war period 106 servicemen deserved the title of Hero of the Soviet Union; 85 obtained this title during WW2 (B.F. Safonov, A.O. Shabalin, and V.N. Leonov – twice), 21 men – in post-war period.

The first who deserved this high title in Northern Fleet was Snr. Lt. Vasily Kislyakov (Aug 13, 1941); the first Soviet serviceman awarded with the second Hero's Star was legendary NF fighter pilot LCol Boris Safonov.

In contemporary history of Russian Navy, 28 men obtained the title of hero: six naval pilots, ten marines, and 12 submariners. In 2006 the President triumphantly invested the Hero's Star to NF submarine commander Capt 1 rank Sergei Rachuk, in 2008 – to NF shipborne fighter regiment commander Col. Igor Matkovsky.

Four Heroes of the Russian Federation currently serve in Northern Fleet: NF naval aviation commander Gen. Maj. Igor Kozhin, NF coastal defense commander Col. Andrei Guschin, Col. Igor Matkovsky, and warrant officer Gennady Azarychev.