Horia Agarici
| Horia Agarici | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Savior of Constanţa |
| Born |
11 May 1911 Lausanne, Switzerland
|
| Died | 13 July 1982 (aged 71).svg){kind=small} Constanţa, Socialist Republic of Romania
|
| Allegiance |
 Kingdom of Romania
|
| Service/branch | Romanian Air Force |
| Years of service | 1934–1945 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | 7th Fighter Group |
| Commands held | 52nd Fighter Squadron 58th Fighter Squadron |
| Battles/wars | |
| Awards | Aeronautical Virtue Medal Order of the Crown Iron Cross |
Horia Agarici (Romanian pronunciation: [ˈhori.a aɡaˈrit͡ʃʲ]; April 6, 1911 – July 13, 1982) was a Romanian aviator and World War II flying ace.
Born in Lausanne, Switzerland, Agarici lived much of his youth in Iaşi, then attended flying schools in Bucharest (1931-1933) and Tecuci (1933-1934), becoming a bomber pilot in the Romanian Air Force. In 1937, after undergoing training in Buzău, he was assigned to the 1st Fighter Flotilla.
After Romania's entry into World War II on the side of Nazi Germany (see Romania during World War II), and the start of Operation Barbarossa, Agarici, who had been assigned to Mamaia (in Northern Dobruja), was part of a squadron defending the coastline and railroad links between Constanţa and Bucharest from Soviet bombings. He became known on June 23, 1941, when he flew his damaged Hawker Hurricane into action against Soviet bombers, managing to gun down two (perhaps three) enemy aircraft. His feat was soon the theme of a popular song, used for propaganda purposes by the Ion Antonescu regime.
...
Wikipedia