China unveils list of 236 Soviet Union aviation martyrs during WWII

Flowers are placed at a monument bearing the names of martyrs at the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province, Nov. 22, 2024. China on Friday released a list of 236 Soviet Union aviation martyrs who gave their lives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, according to the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall in east China's Jiangsu Province. (Xinhua/Qiu Bingqing)

NANJING, Nov. 22 (Xinhua) -- China on Friday released a list of 236 Soviet Union aviation martyrs who gave their lives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, according to the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall in east China's Jiangsu Province.

Published on the official website of the Dr. Sun Yat-sen Mausoleum Administration Bureau, the list discloses the names, military positions and dates of birth and death of these Second World War martyrs.

After Japan's full-scale invasion of China in 1937, the Soviet Union was at the forefront of aiding China in air battlefields. Together with the Chinese, they fought against the invading Japanese forces, forging a deep bond through mutual support and friendship. Over 200 Soviet fighters sacrificed their lives on Chinese soil.

Currently, the names of 236 of these heroes are engraved on the monument in the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall. The list was compiled and confirmed in 1995. However, information on most of them remains scarce due to limited historical records.

"With ongoing research, we have found some inaccuracies. By releasing the list, we hope to gather global support to refine data on Soviet Union martyrs, correct mistakes, find their family members and identify any overlooked individuals," said Dou Ruoqi, a staff member at the memorial hall.

In April, the memorial hall published information on 1,468 Chinese aviation martyrs. After verification and comparison, information concerning 18 of them has been corrected.

In September, the memorial hall published a list of 2,590 American aviation martyrs during the war and added the name and information of an American pilot who died in China to the monument in the memorial hall.

"This year, the memorial hall has released the names of international and Chinese aviation heroes during the war on three separate occasions, highlighting the universal values of peace and justice and drawing global attention," said Dou, adding that the move has led to the collection of new information on dozens of aviation martyrs.

The Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall is the first memorial hall in China dedicated to international aviation martyrs during the war. It houses a rich collection of historical materials documenting the joint efforts of air forces of China, the Soviet Union, the United States, and other countries during World War II to resist the Japanese invasion of China. The names of nearly 4,300 heroes have been engraved on the monument in the memorial hall. 

This photo taken on Nov. 22, 2024 shows the portraits and file information of a Soviet Union aviation martyr newly secured by the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall in Nanjing, east China's Jiangsu Province. China on Friday released a list of 236 Soviet Union aviation martyrs who gave their lives during the Chinese People's War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, according to the Nanjing Anti-Japanese Aviation Martyrs Memorial Hall in east China's Jiangsu Province.(Xinhua/Qiu Bingqing)