|
 |
Vasily Grigoryevich Zaitsev was born March 23, 1915, in town of Yelino, in the Ural Mountains of the Soviet Union. Vasily was a famous Soviet Sniper during WWII. His actions in the Battle of Stalingrad are depicted in the movie Enemy At the Gates.
He served in the 107th Rifle Regiment of the 284th Rifle Division of the 62nd Red Army. Between November 10 and December 17, 1942, during the Battle of Stalingrad, Vasily had killed 225 soldiers and officers of the Wehrmacht and other Axis armies, including 11 snipers. Prior to the Battle of Stalingrad, he had already killed 32 Axis soldiers with the ordinary Mosen rifle (used for deer hunting). Vasily also trained Soviet snipers. It is estimated that the 28 snipers he trained had killed more than 3000 enemy soldiers.
Zaitsen served in the Red Army as a sniper until Jan. 1943, when he suffered an injury to his eyes. He was subsequently treated and his vision restored. He then returned to the front and finished the war on the Dniestr River with the military rank of Captain. After the war he managed a factory in Kiev. He died in Kiev at the age of 76.
On October 31, 2006, Vasily Zaitsev was reburied in Mamayev Kurgan with full military honors. His dying wish was to be buried at the monument to the defenders of Stalingrad. His coffin was carried next to a monument where his famous quote is etched: "There is no ground for us behind Volga".
- Hero of the Soviet Union Medal
- Order of the Patriotic War, 1st Class
- 2 Orders of the Red Banner Medals
- Order of Lenin Medal
|
