Night Witches
Sign in to saveAlso known as 588th Night Bomber Regiment, 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment
all-female regiment of the Soviet Air Forces
Key facts
- Active
- 1942–1945
- Country
- Soviet Union
- Branch
- Soviet Air Forces
- Role
- Harassment and tactical bombing
- Nickname
- Night Witches
- Engagements
- World War II Eastern Front
- Decorations
- Guards designation , Order of the Red Banner , Order of Suvorov
- Regimental commander
- Yevdokiya Bershanskaya
- Deputy regiment commander
- Serafima Amosova
- Commissar
- Yevdokiya Rachkevich
- Bomber
- Polikarpov Po-2
via Wikipedia infobox
Wikidata facts
Show 3 more facts
- Commons category
- Night Witches
- dissolved, abolished or demolished date
- 1945-00-00
- inception
- 1941-00-00
via Wikidata · CC0
~14 min read
Article
"Night Witches" was a World War II nickname for the all-female military aviators of the 588th Night Bomber Regiment, known later as the 46th "Taman" Guards Night Bomber Aviation Red Banner and Order of Suvorov Regiment, of the Soviet Air Forces.
Major Marina Raskova used her position and personal contacts with the Soviet leader Joseph Stalin to obtain permission to form female combat units. Combat facilitated and ushered in a reluctant acceptance of women in military, based more upon practicality and necessity than for equality. On October 8, 1941, an order was issued to deploy three women's air-force units, including the 588th Regiment. The regiment, formed by Raskova and led by Major Yevdokiya Bershanskaya, was composed primarily of female volunteers in their late teens and early twenties.