Anastas Ngjela

Anastas Ngjela (3 March 1934 – 24 July 1999), was an Albanian pilot and Colonel in the Air Force of the Albanian People's Army. He is best known for his pivotal role in intercepting the US American T-33 fighter jet, commanded by Howard J. Curran, in 1957.

Life
Anastas Ngjela grew up in an Albanian family in a small village in Gjirokastër in Sheper, he was the cousin of Kiço Ngjela, communist politician in Albania. Later on he moved to the capital Tirana. He was initially enrolled in the seven-year school "11 Janari"; then entered the "Skënderbej" military high school and, after that, the "Enver Hoxha" United Officers School, also in Tirana. In 1952, Anastasi, together with a group of friends, left for the Soviet aviation school. He began his theoretical studies at the Soviet school in the city of Borisoglebsk, Voronezh region, which is named after Valery Chkalov.

The first flight missions
In 1957, Anastas Ngjella and his colleague Mahmut Hysa flew their first combat mission against a United States Air Force jet. that had allegedly violated Albanian airspace. Anastas Ngjela and his friend Mahmut Hysa immediately got ready and took off. The American Lockheed T-33 jet was surrounded and forced to land on the unfinished runway at Rinas Airport. The plane was impounded and the American pilot Major Howard J. Curran was arrested.