Ivan Alekseyevich Vorobyov (; 26 August 1921 — 17 March 1991) was an Il-2 pilot in the Soviet Air Force during World War II who was twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. Early life Vorobyov was born on 26 August 1921 to a Russian peasant family. After completing seven grades of school he worked at a collective farm before moving to the city of Yefremov, where he got an apprenticeship and worked at a factory. He then entered the military in November 1939, having recently completing training at the local OSOAVIAHIM aeroclub. Due to military restructuring he was not able to begin flight school in Tambov until January 1940, which he graduated from in July 1941. Although Germany had already begun invading the Soviet Union, he was not immediately deployed to the front; initially he served as a flight instructor in Chuvashia until February 1942 and then as a pilot in the 46th Reserve Aviation Regiment until June, after which he was deployed to the front. World War II Upon arriving at the Stalingrad front in August 1942 he first saw combat as a pilot in 709th Night Bomber Aviation Regiment, which used the Po-2. There he fought in the battles for Stalingrad and Rostov, during which he flew 78 sorties but was injured on 1943; he was confined to a hospital for some time due to the fragments in his temple and shoulder, but he was able to begin training on the Il-2 in March. After completing training in June he was reassigned to the 76th Guards Attack Aviation Regiment, which used the Il-2. In 1944 he became a member of the Communist Party. After flying 107 missions in the Il-2 he was first nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union, which was awarded on 19 August 1944. On 6 October 1944, less than two months after receiving the title, he led an attack on a heavily protected artillery position; during the attack he spotted two additional mortar batteries firing at Soviet troops, so he decided to take them out as well. After making eight passes at the units, he and the other aircraft under his command took out two mortar batteries and twelve ground vehicles. Two weeks later his face was injured from shrapnel of an anti-aircraft shell, but the wounds were not serious. By the time he was nominated for the title