Slepnyov was awarded the title of the Fifth Hero of the Soviet Union on April 20, 1934, for the rescue of the
SS Chelyuskin crew from an improvised airfield on the frozen surface of the
Chukchi Sea near
Kolyuchin Island. He personally evacuated 5 men and airlifted ill
Otto Schmidt for care to the USA. In 1935-1938, Mavriky Slepnyov was a member of the
Central Executive Committee of the Soviet Union. In 1937, he was appointed Chief Inspection Head at the Civil Air Fleet and
dirigible squadron commander, at the same time (since 1935). In 1939, Mavrikiy Slepnyov became head of the Civil Air Fleet Academy. During the
German-Soviet War, Slepnyov was a deputy commander of the
Soviet Air Force Black Sea Fleet aviation brigade (1941–1942) and then was employed by the Main Department of the Naval Air Force and General Headquarters of the
Soviet Navy. Mavrikiy Slepnyov retired in 1946. Slepnyov died on December 19, 1965. He is buried in Moscow, at
Novodevichy Cemetery. Mavrikiy Slepnyov was awarded two
Orders of Lenin,
Order of the Red Banner,
Order of the Red Half Moon of the Tajik SSR and numerous medals.
Il-76 TD of
Russian Emergency Ministry was named in his honour as well as the street in Moscow and
Gatchina. ==References==