Maresyev akaberekerwa muKamyshin nevabereki veRussia. Baba vake vaive mushandi ane hunyanzvi akafa achangodzoka kubva kuHondo Yenyika I. Asati ajoina uto muna 1937 Maresyev akashanda semutende uye akabva atora chikamu mukuvakwa kweKomsomolsk-on-Amur. Muna 1940 akapedza kudzidza kuBataysk Military School of Aviation. Akatanga ndege dzake semutyairi wendege muna Nyamavhuvhu 1941. Akange arova ndege ina dzeGerman munaKurume 1942, asi musi wa4 Kubvumbi 1942 Polikarpov I-16 yake yakapfurwa padhuze neStaraya Russa, ingangoita neRight's Cross muridzi wenguva yemberi uye 48-kuuraya nyanzvi Fw Peter Siegler 3. ((J / G-54) uye akapotsa abatwa nemauto eNazi.
4 April 1942