Anastas Ngjela
{{Short description|Albanian pilot}}
{{Infobox military person
| name = Anastas Ngjela
| image = Koloneli i Forcave Ajrore Shqiptare Anastas Ngjela.jpg
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1934|03|03|df=y}}
| death_date = {{dda|1999|07|24|1934|03|03|df=y}}
| birth_place = Sheper, Albania
| death_place = Albania
| branch = 20px Albanian People's Army
| rank = Colonel
| battles = {{Tree list}}
{{Tree list/end}}
| unit = {{flagicon image|Fin flash of Albania.svg}} Air Force of the Albanian People's Army
}}
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.{{Cite web |last=Nelaj |first=Niazi |date=2014-12-01 |title=Anastasi – Homazh për Anastas Ngjelën |url=https://aviacionishqiptar.com/anastasi-homazh-per-anastas-ngjelen/ |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=Aviacioni Shqiptar |language=en-US}}
The first flight missions
File:Gjirokastra US airplane.jpg Lockheed RT-33 reconnaissance plane forced down by Albanian MiG-15 in December 1957, on display in Gjirokastër, Albania]]
In 1957, Anastas Ngjella and his colleague Mahmut Hysa flew their first combat mission against a United States Air Force jet.{{Cite web |date=2019-11-24 |title=Koha kur avionët e Enverit luftonin me botën |url=https://konica.al/2019/11/koha-kur-avionet-e-enverit-luftonin-me-boten/ |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=Konica.al |language=en-US}} that had allegedly violated Albanian airspace.{{Cite web |date=2020-02-13 |title="Në vitin 1957, një pilot i NATO-s, me gradën e majorit, uli avionin e tij "T-33" në aeroportin e Rinasit"/ Dëshmia |url=https://memorie.al/ne-vitin-1957-nje-pilot-i-nato-s-me-graden-e-majorit-uli-avionin-e-tij-t-33-ne-aeroportin-e-rinasit-deshmia-e-ish-komandantit-te-aviacionitfotot-e-rra/ |access-date=2022-12-04 |website=Memorie.al |language=sq-AL}}{{Cite book |last=Vincent W. J. van Gerven Oei |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/945783129 |title=Workers Leaving the Studio. Looking Away from Socialist Realism. |date=2015 |publisher=punctum Books |isbn=978-0-692-48041-0 |oclc=945783129}} Anastas Ngjela and his friend Mahmut Hysa immediately got ready and took off.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=xKk8AQAAIAAJ&q=avioni+amerikan+ne+shqiperi+1957 |title=Spektër |year=2001 |pages=19 |language=Albanian}} The American Lockheed T-33 jet was surrounded and forced to land on the unfinished runway at Rinas Airport.{{Cite book |last=Gloyer |first=Gillian |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1030950211 |title=Albania : the Bradt travel guide |date=2018 |isbn=978-1-78477-078-5 |edition=Edition 6 |location=Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks |oclc=1030950211}}{{Cite book |last=Regnery |first=Alfred S. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1082977970 |title=Unlikely pilgrim : a journey into history and faith |date=2019 |isbn=978-0-8253-0800-0 |edition= |location=New York, NY |oclc=1082977970}}{{Cite book |last=Gibler |first=Douglas M. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/1030585387 |title=International conflicts, 1816-2010 : militarized interstate dispute narratives |date=2018 |isbn=978-1-4422-7558-4 |location=Lanham, Maryland |oclc=1030585387}} The plane was impounded and the American pilot Major Howard J. Curran was arrested.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=olN5AAzI_ZcC&q=USAF+Jet+forced+down+in+Albania+1957 |title=Keesing's Contemporary Archives |publisher=Keesing's Limited |year=1957 |location=University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign |pages=15984 |language=English}}