Alexander Ignatyevich Molodchy (, ; 27 June 1920 – 9 June 2002) was a Ukrainian Soviet long-range pilot who flew over 300 missions on the B-25, Il-4, and Yer-2 during World War II. He was the first person twice awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union during the war while alive. Early life Molodchy was born on 27 June 1920 in Luhansk to a large Ukrainian peasant family. After completing secondary school and training at the Voroshilovgrad aeroclub in 1935, he stayed at the aeroclub, where he worked at a workshop and as an instructor until entering the military as a junior lieutenant in 1937. When he was fifteen he won an aircraft modeling competition, and before becoming a member of the Communist Party in 1942 he was a member of the Komsomol. After graduating from initial training at the Voroshilovgrad Military Aviation School of Pilots in November 1938, he trained to fly the Tupolev SB until November 1939; he then became a pilot in the 51st High-Speed Bomber Aviation Regiment, and in 1940 he was transferred to the 100th Long-range Bomber Regiment. World War II When Germany began the invasion of the Soviet Union in June 1941, Molodchy was a deputy squadron commander in the 420th Long-Range Bomber Regiment. Before entering combat in August he became one of the first Soviet pilots to become proficient in flying the Yer-2; or flying six daylight and seven night missions on it he was nominated for the title Hero of the Soviet Union on 20 October 1941, which was awarded two days later. From January 1942 to June 1944 he was a deputy squadron commander in the 748th Long-Range Aviation Regiment, which received the guards designation in the August of the same year and was renamed 2nd Guards Regiment. After successfully bombing Berlin in an Il-4 on 26 August 1942 he received a congratulatory radiogram from Joseph Stalin. For most of his missions in the early years of the war he flew with Sergey Kulikov as his navigator. Molodchy was nominated for a second gold star on 2 October 1942 for flying 145 missions, both bombing and reconnaissance flights. The awarding of the title on 31 December 1942 made him the first non-posthumous double awardee during the conflict. He was nominated for a third gold star in November 1943, but it was not awarded; in 1944 he was again nominated for