04-03-2011, 09:56 PM
Colonel-General Avgust Hristov Kabakchiev was born in Sofia, Bulgaria on 14th May 1914.
His was the son of Hristo Kabkakchiev (one of the founders of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party) and after the family fled to Vienna due to "political" problems. The family then relocated to Moscow in 1927 where Avgust was educated. In 1933 he joined the Nikolai Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy from which he graduated with an Engineering degree and a commission in Soviet Air Force. He served on the Kalinin Front from October 1942 in the 274 Fighter Aviation Division as a Military Engineer 3rd Rank. The 274th Fighter Aviation was re-designated the 4th Guards in January 1943 and participated in the Battle for Velikiye Luki among others. By the end of the Great Patriot War he had risen to the rank of Guards Major and had been decorated with two "For Combat Merits" medals a "Red Star" and "Red Banner". After victory Guards Major in the Soviet Armed Forces was promoted to Colonel in the new Bulgarian People's Armed Forces in May 1945. Avgust finally reached the rank of Colonel-General in 1965. In 1966 he participated in the Bulgarian investigation of TABSO Flight LZ101 in which 82 people died near Bratislava. The Hero Of Socialist Labour Colonel-General himself died 6th May 1999.
Colonel-General Kabakchiev held the following positions;
Chief Engineer of the Bulgarian Air Force
Deputy Commander of the Bulgaria Air Force
Deputy Chief of the Chief Staff of the Army from 1956 to 1960
Deputy Minister of National Defence 1960 to 1972
Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Planning 1973 to 1982
Vice President of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale 1983 to 1989
President of the Bulgarian-Vietnamese Friendship Society
Here is his Radio Free Europe Biography from 16th June 1976.
"15. KADAKCHIEV, August (age 62)
Colonel general, deputy chairman of State Planning Committee since 1972.
Son of prominent Communist Hristo Kabakchiev, who died after emigrating to USSR
Emigrated with his father 1927, served in Soviet Army, graduated from Military
Engineering Academy. After 1944 officer in Bulgarian army. 1960-1972 Deputy
Minister of National Defence. CC candidate member since 1966."
Here are Soviet Records of Kabakchiev's first award a Medal "For Combat Merits" awarded 4th February 1943 which shows him as a very competent Aircraft Engineer.
His was the son of Hristo Kabkakchiev (one of the founders of the Bulgarian Social Democratic Workers' Party) and after the family fled to Vienna due to "political" problems. The family then relocated to Moscow in 1927 where Avgust was educated. In 1933 he joined the Nikolai Zhukovsky Air Force Engineering Academy from which he graduated with an Engineering degree and a commission in Soviet Air Force. He served on the Kalinin Front from October 1942 in the 274 Fighter Aviation Division as a Military Engineer 3rd Rank. The 274th Fighter Aviation was re-designated the 4th Guards in January 1943 and participated in the Battle for Velikiye Luki among others. By the end of the Great Patriot War he had risen to the rank of Guards Major and had been decorated with two "For Combat Merits" medals a "Red Star" and "Red Banner". After victory Guards Major in the Soviet Armed Forces was promoted to Colonel in the new Bulgarian People's Armed Forces in May 1945. Avgust finally reached the rank of Colonel-General in 1965. In 1966 he participated in the Bulgarian investigation of TABSO Flight LZ101 in which 82 people died near Bratislava. The Hero Of Socialist Labour Colonel-General himself died 6th May 1999.
Colonel-General Kabakchiev held the following positions;
Chief Engineer of the Bulgarian Air Force
Deputy Commander of the Bulgaria Air Force
Deputy Chief of the Chief Staff of the Army from 1956 to 1960
Deputy Minister of National Defence 1960 to 1972
Deputy Chairman of the State Committee for Planning 1973 to 1982
Vice President of the Fédération Aéronautique Internationale 1983 to 1989
President of the Bulgarian-Vietnamese Friendship Society
Here is his Radio Free Europe Biography from 16th June 1976.
"15. KADAKCHIEV, August (age 62)
Colonel general, deputy chairman of State Planning Committee since 1972.
Son of prominent Communist Hristo Kabakchiev, who died after emigrating to USSR
Emigrated with his father 1927, served in Soviet Army, graduated from Military
Engineering Academy. After 1944 officer in Bulgarian army. 1960-1972 Deputy
Minister of National Defence. CC candidate member since 1966."
Here are Soviet Records of Kabakchiev's first award a Medal "For Combat Merits" awarded 4th February 1943 which shows him as a very competent Aircraft Engineer.
