Dmitriy Yermakov was born on 2 November 1920 in Kuvshinovo in the Kalinin area.

He entered military service in 1940 and graduated from Batai Army Air School in 1942.

He served in 123 IAP between April and May 1942, but didn’t fly any missions during his time with this unit.

Between May 1942 and April 1943, he served with 286 IAP, which equipment included Polikarpov I-153s.

On 22 October 1942, he claimed a Bf 109 over Lake Ladoga while flying an I-153.
It is possible that this was claimed in combat with Finnish Fiat G.50bis from 1/LeLv 26, which reported combat with ”Chaikas” over Lake Ladoga around midday and claimed one I-153 even if this most probably came from 11 AP-KBF, which lost two I-15bis over Lake Ladoga.
Finnish fighter didn’t suffer any losses.

Yermakov claimed a Bf 109 in the Lake Ladoga area on 14 January 1943.

In April 1943, he transferred to the 159 IAP, which was an elite regiment on the Leningrad front. With this unit he flew P-40s but later switched to the La-5, which he continued to do until the end of the war.

He was promoted to starshiy leitenant and flight leader.

On 9 June, the Russians launched a major assault on the Finnish on the Karelian Isthmus. during the fighting of the day, the 159 IAP claimed four victories over the area when starshiy leitenant Yermakov claimed one Fiat and one Fokker while starshiy serzhant Vasily Mikhailovich Semenov claimed one Fiat and one Bf 109.
These claims can't be verified with Finnish losses.

On 11 June 1944, starshiy leitenant Yermakov flew as starshiy leitenant Valentin Vedeneyev’s wingman when they encountered six Finnish Fiats over the Karelian Isthmus. Vedeneyev shot down one of them south of Lama while Yermakov claimed two more of them north of Sammeriko and south of Rakkajärvi.
These claims can't be verified with Finnish losses.

Starshiy leitenant Yermakov claimed a Bf 109 over the Karelian Isthmus on 12 June.
This claim can't be verified with Finnish losses.

Taking off at 06:20 on 17 June, the commander of 1/HLeLv 24, luutnantti Lauri Nissinen (MT-229), led ten Bf 109s to intercept ten bombers, assault planes and fighters attacking from 2000 meters the Finnish positions at the Kaukjärvi-Perkjärvi area. A La-5 of 159 IAP shot the wing off of top division's leader luutnantti Urho Sarjamo’s aircraft (MT-227) over Perkjärvi and the wreck fell on Nissinen’s Messerschmitt killing both pilots instantly. In spite of this, the Finnish pilots shot down three fighters and four Il-2s. These were claimed by luutantti Olavi Puro (MT-246) who claimed one La-5 and a shared Il-2 over Hämeenkyla between 06:20-07:10. The Il-2 was shared with lentomestari Viktor Pyötsiä (MT-244) who also claimed another Il-2 from 448 ShAP over Kaukjärvi between 06:25-07:25. Luutnantti Lasse Kilpinen (MT-206) claimed an Il-2 from 448 ShAP over Suulajärvi between 06:20-07:15. Luutantti Eero Riihikallio (MT-213) claimed a La-5 over Vammeljärvi between 06:20-07:20. Luutantti Kai Metsola (MT-231) claimed an Il-2 from 448 ShAP over Hämeenkylä between 06:25-07:25. Vänrikki Heimo Lampi (MT-235) claimed a La-5 over Vammeljärvi between 06:30-07:40.
It seems that luutnantti Sarjamo was shot down by starshiy leitenant Yermakov of 159 IAP, who claimed a Bf 109 over Summa.
Luutnantti Joel Savonen took command of 1/HLeLv 24 after the loss of luutnantti Nissinen.

On 22 June, starshiy leitenant Yermakov claimed a Bf 109 over the Karelian Isthmus.

On 28 June, starshiy leitenant Yermakov attacked a group of Ju 87s over Viborg and shot down 2 of them.

It is believed that he claimed a total of 8 victories over the Karelian Isthmus in June 1944.

On 9 July, 159 IAP was involved in combat with enemy fighters over the Karelian Isthmus and kapitan Bubovik claimed a FW 190 while starshiy leitenant Yermakov and kapitan Mihalin claimed a Bf 109 each.

On 10 July, he attacked a group of Ju 88s over the Karelian Isthmus in the Vyborg area. Bf 109s escorted this group and he claimed one Ju 88 and one Bf 109.

On 25 July, he claimed a FW 190 west of Narva.

In November 1944, he was promoted to leitenant.

He was decorated with the Gold Star of the Hero of the Soviet Union (no. 7625) and the Order of Lenin on 23 February 1945 after having claimed 25 victories in 322 sorties and 54 air combats as of November 1944.
During his career, he was also decorated with the Order of the Red Banner (10 July 1944, 16 December 1944 and a third time at an unknown date), The Order of the Patriotic War 1st Class (11 March 1985) and the Order of the Red Star (15 January 1943 and two more times). He was also decorated with the medal ”For the Defense of Leningrad” on 6 June 1943.

Yermakov ended the war with 2 biplane victories and a total of 25.

After the war he remained in the VVS and took part in the Korean War.

During his service in Korea, he served as CO of the 224 IAP of the 32 IAD between September 1952 to July 1953. During his time in Korea, he flew 65 combat missions and took part in 12 air combats.

At 16:10 on 7 April 1953, six MiG-15bis of the 224 IAP (led by starshiy leitenant Anisimov) battled with four F-86s in the area of Kizjo at an altitude of 13,000 meters. At 16:40 upon approach to Dapu airfield, major Yermakov together with his wingman starshiy leitenant Grigorii N. Berelidze’s attacked one F-86, which was pursuing starshiy leitenant Ugryumov at an altitude of 1,000-1,500 meters. Starshiy leitenant Berelidze shot down one F-86 from a distance of 400 meters at a 14-quartering angle. The pilot was Captain Harold E. Fischer (10 victories) (service number A02204126), Flight Commander in the 39th Air Squadron, 51st Wing, who was taken prisoner. Before he was shot down Fischer managed to shot down Ugryumov.
It seems that Yermakov also fired on Fischer’s aircraft but officially the victory was credited to Berelidze.

On 10 June, Yermakov claimed two F-86s. That day MiG-15bis of the 224 and 913 IAPs scrambled to face a group of attacking F-86s, which approached to attack Dapu airbase in Manchuria, and five kills were credited without Soviet losses; Semen A. Fedorets, Aleksandr K. Popov (both 913 IAP), Yermakov (two F-86s) and starshiy leitenant Vasilievsky (both 224 IAP).
It is possible the one of the F-86s was flown by Robert Coury from the 12th FBS, who was reportedly shot down by AA fire “barely” north of the 38th Parallel and taken POW. If he was shot down by fighters, he was most likely shot down by Fedorets. A second aircraft was reported lost the next day when Floyd W. Salze (25th FIS) was killed in action due to ‘engine failure’ on his F-86F (BuNo 51-2938). It is possible that this one of the F-86s claimed by Yerkamov the previous day.

When returning to the Soviet Union, he continued to serve in 224 IAP.

Yermakov retired in 1958 as a polkovnik due to health reasons with a total of 27 victories.

He then moved back with his family to Kuvshinovo.

Yermakov died on 29 December 1993.

Claims:

Kill no.	Date	Time	Number	Type	Result	Plane type	Serial no.	Locality	Unit
	1942
1	22/10/42		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	I-153		Lake Ladoga	286 IAP
	1943
2	14/01/43		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	I-153		Lake Ladoga area	286 IAP
	1944
3	02/04/44		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	La-5		Panich'ya Gorka	159 IAP
4	20/04/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		N Vivikona	159 IAP
5	21/04/44		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	La-5		S Piryatse	159 IAP
6	09/06/44		1	Fiat (a)	Destroyed	La-5		S Kotka	159 IAP
7	09/06/44		1	Fokker (a)	Destroyed	La-5		N Nurmijärvi	159 IAP
8	11/06/44		1	Fiat (b)	Destroyed	La-5		N Sammeriko	159 IAP
9	11/06/44		1	Fiat (b)	Destroyed	La-5		S Rakkajärvi	159 IAP
10	12/06/44		1	Bf 109 (c)	Destroyed	La-5		E Kuivala	159 IAP
11	17/06/44	06:25	1	Bf 109 (d)	Destroyed	La-5		Perkjärvi/E Summa	159 IAP
12	19/06/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	La-5		SW Tirkh'yan	159 IAP
13	22/06/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	La-5		S Tali station	159 IAP
14	28/06/44		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	La-5		N Sarela	159 IAP
15	28/06/44		1	Ju 87	Destroyed	La-5		S Yasirya	159 IAP
16	09/07/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	La-5		S Pulkkilya	159 IAP
17	10/07/44		1	Bf 109	Destroyed	La-5		W Ventelya manor	159 IAP
18	10/07/44		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	La-5		W Iakkola	159 IAP
19	25/07/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		W Narva	159 IAP
20	28/07/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		N Rikandi	159 IAP
21	30/07/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		Vaivara station	159 IAP
22	07/08/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		Vaivara	159 IAP
23	19/09/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		Pedja station	159 IAP
24	22/09/44		1	FW 190	Destroyed	La-5		NW Nyme	159 IAP
25	02/10/44		1	Ju 88	Destroyed	La-5		E Cape Vykhksu	159 IAP
	1953
26	10/06/53		1	F-86 (e)	Destroyed	MiG-15bis		Dapu area	224 IAP
27	10/06/53		1	F-86 (e)	Destroyed	MiG-15bis		Dapu area	224 IAP

Biplane victories: 2 destroyed.
TOTAL: 27 destroyed.
(a) These claims can’t be verified with Finnish losses.
(b) These claims can’t be verified with Finnish losses.
(c) This claim can’t be verified with Finnish losses.
(d) Possibly luutnantti Urho Sarjamo (MT-227) of HLeLv 24 KIA.
(e) Possibly F-86F BuNo 51-2938. Floyd W. Salze of 25th FIS KIA.

Sources:
# Быков, Михаил Юрьевич: Асы Великой Отечественной. Самые результативные летчики 1941-1945 гг., Яуза, Эксмо, 2007 г., ISBN: 978-5-699-20526-4 kindly provided by Jan Safarik.
# Быков, Михаил Юрьевич: Советские асы 1941-1945. Победы Сталинских соколов, Яуза, Эксмо, 2008 г., ISBN 978-5-699-30919-1 kindly provided by Jan Safarik.
# Сейдов, И.: Красные дьяволы в небе Кореи. Советская авиация в войне 1950-1953 гг. Хроника воздушных сражений, Яуза - Эксмо 2007, ISBN: 978-5-699-19160-4 kindly provided by Jan Safarik.
All aces of Stalin 1936–1953 – Mikhail Bykov, 2014
Sovetskiye asy - Nikolay Bodrikhin, 1998 kindly provided by Ondrej Repka.
Soviet Aces 1936-1953
Soviet Fighter Pilots 1936-1953 - Mikhail Bykov
Stalin's Eagles - Hans D. Seidl, 1998 Schiffer Publishing, ISBN 0-7643-0476-3
Stalin's Falcons - Tomas Polak and Christhoper Shores, 1999 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-902304-01-2
Stars & Bars - Frank Olynyk, 1995 Grub Street, London, ISBN 1-898697-17-5
Suomen Ilmavoimat part VI – 1944 – Kalevi Keskinen and Kari Stenman, 2008, ISBN 978-952-99743-5-1
Additional info kindly provided by Kari Lumppio, Jan Safarik and Diego Fernando Zampini.