You might have read about many love stories where people are ready to do anything for their love. People who died for their love. But today I will tell you about a woman who did something unthinkable to take revenge of her husband’s death. This is the story of Mariya Oktyabrskaya and a tank named “The Fighting Girlfriend”.

Who is Mariya Oktabrskaya ?

Born on 16 August 1905, Mariya Oktyabrskaya was a Ukranian woman who used to do simple jobs like working in a Cannery and then as a telephone operator. She got married to a Soviet army officer named Ilya Oktyabrskiy. After marriage not only her intrests but her life changed. She began to acquire an interest in military matters. She became involved in the ‘Military Wives Council’ and was trained as a nurse in the army. She always used to say, “Marry a serviceman, and you serve in the army: an officer’s wife is not only a proud woman, but also a responsible title.”

But their married life was very short timed. During World War 2 German army invaded the Soviet Union, and Ilya was sent to fight on the front lines. Her husband died in 1941 fighting the Nazis. It took 2 years for the news to reach her. She was devasted by the demise of her husband and then she decided to take revenge.

The Fighting Girlfriend

She sold all her possessions to donate a tank (T-34)to the Soviet Army popularly known as the Red Army. She requested the government to have the tank named “The Fighting Girlfriend”. The government agreed to her request. She requested to be sent to the front lines. She was initially rejected because of her lack of military training. Undeterred, she enrolled in a tank driving school and received training as a tank mechanic.

In 1944, Oktyabrskaya was finally sent to the front as a tank driver, serving in the 26th Guards Tank Brigade. She was given the task of driving a T-34 tank, one of the most important and effective tanks used by the Soviet Union during World War II. She took her revenge by fighting the Nazi Germany on the Eastern Front.

Bravery and Awads

During her time as a tank driver, Oktyabrskaya proved to be a skilled and fearless fighter. She participated in numerous battles, including the siege of Koenigsberg and the battle for Berlin. In one particular battle, her tank was hit by enemy fire, but she managed to repair it on the spot and continue fighting.

For her bravery and dedication, Oktyabrskaya was awarded the Order of Lenin, the highest civilian honor in the Soviet Union. She was also the first woman to be awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union, the highest military honor in the Soviet Union.

After the war, Oktyabrskaya returned to the Soviet Union, where she was hailed as a hero. She died on March 15, 1944, in Kiev, Ukraine, after suffering injuries in a car accident. Today, she is remembered as a symbol of the courage and sacrifice of the Soviet people during World War II.