Vasily Stalin
Vasily Iosifovich Stalin (21 March 1921 – 19 March 1962) was a Soviet Air Force lieutenant general and the youngest son of Joseph Stalin and his second wife, Nadezhda Alliluyeva.[1] Trained as a pilot at the Kacha Aviation School from 1938 to 1940, he rose rapidly through the ranks during World War II, commanding fighter regiments such as the 42nd Fighter Regiment and the 32nd Guards Fighter Regiment, as well as larger formations including the 3rd Guards Fighter Division and the 1st Guards Fighter Corps.[1] He flew 27 combat missions, personally claiming two enemy aircraft downed in operations over areas like Velikiye Luki, Demyansk, and Berlin.[1] For his leadership in aerial combat units, he received five Orders and seven medals, reflecting recognition for contributions amid the nepotism afforded by his lineage.[1] Post-war, he commanded the Moscow Military District Air Forces in 1949 but descended into alcoholism, abuse of authority, and public criticism of Soviet leadership following his father's death in 1953, leading to his arrest, an eight-year sentence, intermittent releases, and eventual death from alcohol-related health failure in Kazan.[1]