Roza Shanina

Roza Georgiyevna Shanina was a Soviet sniper during World War II who was credited with 59 confirmed kills, including twelve soldiers during the Battle of Vilnius. Shanina volunteered for the military after the death of her brother in 1941 and chose to be a sniper on the front line. Praised for her shooting accuracy, Shanina was capable of precisely hitting enemy personnel and making doublets (two target hits by two rounds fired in quick succession). Shanina asked to be sent to the front line. Although her request was refused, she went anyway. In 1944, a Canadian newspaper described Shanina as "the unseen terror of East Prussia". She wrote in her diary when "about half a hundred frenzied fascists with wild cries" attacked twelve female snipers in a trench , "Some fell from our well-aimed bullets, some we finished with our bayonets, grenades, shovels, and some we took prisoners, having restrained their arms."

She also wrote in her diary of a German sniper hidden in a tree . It was known as the cuckoo nest . He had her unit pinned down , so late at night Roza crawled on her belly to a better vantage point Where she could see the moon shinning through the leaves . She could see the shadowy outline of the sniper and taking aim , she shot him dead .

She became the first servicewoman of the 3rd Belorussian Front to receive the Order of Glory. Shanina's bravery had received praise already during her lifetime, but conflicted with the Soviet policy of not sending female fighters to the front lines . Her combat diary was first published in 1965, along with letters to her two girl friends . Both were killed in action on different occasions .They were the sweetest , most sensitive letters containing the most beautiful poems . Roza fought in the battle for Stalingrad and ended her career as a senior sergeant . Roza died in action on January 27th, 1945, at the age of 20. She died saving an officer . A grenade landed close by as she tried to push the officer out of the way .The grenade exploded and tore open her back , she fell on top of the officer and saved his life .Roza died the next day . She was buried at the base of a pear tree on the bank of the Lava River. I doubt Roza ever knew she became a legend and inspired many who followed her foot steps . R I P