Jekabs Alksnis was a Latvian who, in the Czarist period, entered Russian military service. After the Russian
Revolution, he continued his aviation career in the Soviet military.
January 26, 1897 - Born, near Valmiera.
1913 - enrolls in the Valmiera teacher's college
Sept. 1916 - becomes a member of the Latvian Social Democrats.
April 1917 - graduates from the teacher's college.
1917 - attends the Odessa military college, graduating in August. While in Odessa, he sees an airplane for the first time.
Sept.1917 - Serves as an officer in the Siberia Reserve Regiment.
Nov. 1917 - Feb. 1918 - returns to Latvia.
March 1918 - May 1919 - employed in Brjanska, responsible for the regions' finances.
May 1919 - joins the Red Army. Is assigned to the Orla region.
Sept. 1919 - Comissar of the 55th Rifle division, participates in battles vs. Denikin.
Jan. 1920 - War Comissioner for the Dona region.
March 1920 - reassigned to the Orla region.
April 1921 - Red Army Inspector.
August 1921 - enrolls in the M.Frunze advanced officer training academy.
April 1924 - assigned to the Red Army HQ staff
August 26, 1926 - named acting commander of the Red Army Air Force.
Feb. 23, 1928 - decorated with the Order of the Red Flag.
1929 - assigned to Paris for a few months to study recent advances in aviation.
July 21, 1929 - with pilot V.Pisarenko completes a record flight from Moscow to Sevastopol.
Nov. 1929 - earns "Combat Aviator" status
June 21, 1931 - named to the Soviet Revolutionary Council as Commander of the Red Army Air Force.
August 18, 1933 - decorated with the Order of Lenin
Feb. 1934 - delegate to the XVII Communist Party Congress.
May 1, 1934 - leads the aviation segment of the May Day parade.
May 5, 1935 - decorated with the Order of the Mongolian People's Republic.
May 1936 - decorated with the Order of the Red Star.
July 1936 - leads an aviation delegation to Czechoslovakia.
January 28, 1937 - In addition to his duties as Commander of the Red Army Air Force he is also named
Deputy Defense Minister.
November 1937 - executed, in the Stalinist purge.
January, 1977 - a monument is unveiled at Alksnis' birthplace near Valmiera.
Sources
Andersons, E. Latvijas Brunotie Speki
Ibritis, Karlis Of Struggle and Flight
Medne, K and Cecelnickis, G. Jekabs Alksnis Avots, Riga 1980
