Ivan Butyrin, the hero of the Soviet Union, died on July 5, 1943, near Rzhavets and Maslova Pristan villages, Shebekino district, when he was on military duty. He was buried in a mass grave.
Ivan Butyrin was born in 1919, in the village of Zarubyata, Perm region. He went to different schools, and as the family was short of money, he went to work after the fifth grade. At first, he learned how to fell timber at the timber company and then worked as a stoker, assistant skipper on river ships, loader, and foreman at the metallurgical works.
In 1939, Ivan Butyrin was drafted into the Red Army. Since November 1941, he served in the 121st Tank Brigade. During combat operations, his crew destroyed 4 tanks, 32 guns, a mortar, 5 bunkers, and many enemy soldiers and officers. His comrades-in-arms recollected that despite his wounds the lieutenant always stayed in the ranks and refused to go to hospital.
On the early morning of July 5, the residents of Voznesenovka, where Butyrin’s brigade was stationed, were awakened to a great rumble. In the distance the roar of guns could be heard, and the Soviet tanks were departing from the village to the West. The tankers dashed through the route Voznesenovka — Shebekino and concentrated in the woods to the west of the city. The brigade went into battle.
At the farm Rzhavets the German inflicted a heavy blow to the positions of the 213th Infantry Division. Soviet tanks advanced toward them, and during the battle, the enemy was forced to retreat. During the next counterattack the infantry, which was following the column of tanks, fell behind and had to lay down under the enemy’s heavy fire. Some soldiers died. And then, in time, the commander of the T-34 tank, Lieutenant Ivan Butyrin, got out of his car and raised his infantrymen to attack using his personal example. He was shot during the attack.
On October 26, 1943, Lieutenant Ivan Butyrin was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
The remains of Butyrin and his fellow soldiers, including the Heroes of the Soviet Union Vasily Martekhov and Ivan Konorev, were buried in the village of Voznesenovka, Shebekino district. A T-34 tank and a plate with the names of the soldiers were installed above the mass grave on a three-meter pedestal, and the Eternal flame was lit as well.
Ivan Butyrin was born in 1919, in the village of Zarubyata, Perm region. He went to different schools, and as the family was short of money, he went to work after the fifth grade. At first, he learned how to fell timber at the timber company and then worked as a stoker, assistant skipper on river ships, loader, and foreman at the metallurgical works.
In 1939, Ivan Butyrin was drafted into the Red Army. Since November 1941, he served in the 121st Tank Brigade. During combat operations, his crew destroyed 4 tanks, 32 guns, a mortar, 5 bunkers, and many enemy soldiers and officers. His comrades-in-arms recollected that despite his wounds the lieutenant always stayed in the ranks and refused to go to hospital.
On the early morning of July 5, the residents of Voznesenovka, where Butyrin’s brigade was stationed, were awakened to a great rumble. In the distance the roar of guns could be heard, and the Soviet tanks were departing from the village to the West. The tankers dashed through the route Voznesenovka — Shebekino and concentrated in the woods to the west of the city. The brigade went into battle.
At the farm Rzhavets the German inflicted a heavy blow to the positions of the 213th Infantry Division. Soviet tanks advanced toward them, and during the battle, the enemy was forced to retreat. During the next counterattack the infantry, which was following the column of tanks, fell behind and had to lay down under the enemy’s heavy fire. Some soldiers died. And then, in time, the commander of the T-34 tank, Lieutenant Ivan Butyrin, got out of his car and raised his infantrymen to attack using his personal example. He was shot during the attack.
On October 26, 1943, Lieutenant Ivan Butyrin was posthumously awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union.
The remains of Butyrin and his fellow soldiers, including the Heroes of the Soviet Union Vasily Martekhov and Ivan Konorev, were buried in the village of Voznesenovka, Shebekino district. A T-34 tank and a plate with the names of the soldiers were installed above the mass grave on a three-meter pedestal, and the Eternal flame was lit as well.
