Handwritten autographed letter from the first hero of the USSR Anatoly Lyapidevsky

Anatoly Lyapidevsky is a pilot, Major General of aviation, the first Hero of the Soviet Union. Chelyuskintsev received the title of Hero for his rescue in 1934. After the establishment of the special insignia in 1939, he was awarded the Gold Star Medal No. 1.

The letter comes from Leonid Sladkov's personal collection.
Leonid Sladkov worked for the USSR Philately magazine for many years and always, meeting with the heroes of his essays and interviews, asked them to sign on a postal envelope or postcard. This is how his collection appeared, which today has become an authentic document of the era.

The text of the appeal:

"To the readers of the magazine

"Philately of the USSR" I wish you every success in collecting postal materials and promoting your knowledge in our country.

I consider collecting in general and philately in particular to be a very useful hobby, because through postage stamps and letters a person receives a lot of different knowledge.

11/10/1974"

In 1934, Anatoly Lyapidevsky took part in the rescue of Chelyuskin residents. He made 29 search flights in a blizzard and in bad weather, before on March 5, 1934, having discovered their camp, landed on an ice floe and took out 12 people — 10 women and two children. On April 20, 1934, he was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin for his courage and heroism in rescuing Chelyuskin residents.