[Nokose]

19 August 1942

At 15:12 (MT) took off LaGG-3 (# 3234) flown by Kapitan Pavel Emel’yanov of 21 IAP on an escort mission for a section of Il-2 from 5 ShAP. In the area of Burkovo his fighter was attacked by a Bf 109 and shot down. From the German side, Oberfeldwebel Heinz Klöpper of 11./JG 51 claimed a LaGG-3 (61) at 14:25 at 18 km to the northwest of Rzhev.

At 17:07 (MT) took off LaGG-3 (# 3237) flown by Serzhant Mikhail Mintrakov of 21 IAP for another escort mission of the Shturmoviks of 5 ShAP in the Rzhev area. At an altitude of 1500 m he was reported attacked by 6 Bf 109 and shot down. Gefreiter Erich Hilbein of 8./JG 51 claimed a LaGG-3 (2) at 16:40 in that area.

Both 21 IAP pilots were listed as missing in action but amazingly none of their charges were reported harmed. (TsAMO f. 22020, o. 044524, d. 0006, l. 1 page 63 Journal of Combat Operations of 21 IAP)