Maria Borovichenko was born off Kyiv in the village with a self-explanatory name Myshelovka (mousetrap) in 1925. Being an orphan, she was grown up at her aunt’s, Evdokiya Andreyevna. In 1941, she graduated from an eight-year school No. 122 in Kyiv and enrolled in a paramedic officers’ program right off. Soon the Germans mounted an assault on Kyiv.
The young girl gate crashed the headquarters of the 5th airborne brigade under command of Gen. Alexander Rodimtsev and requested to enlist her as a combat medic. Just two days later, she carried 8 soldiers upon her shoulders away from the premises of the Agricultural Institute in Kyiv attacked by Nazis. While rescuing battalion commander Simkin, Maria shot two Germans dead.
Paratroopers grew fond of the fearless girl and nicknamed her Mashenka from Mousetrap. In the fight off Konotop she not only saved 20 wounded men, but helped the defenders drag the machine-gun onto a high bank of the Seym. The attackers were rebuked by sharp fire. A year later, Maria had an occasion to engage in attack off Gutrovo, where the enemy soldier struck the gun from her hand. But Maria managed to grab the assault rifle lying on the ground and right away shot four Germans dead.
Side by side with Rodimtsev’s paratroopers, she went all the heartbreaking route of escape to Stalingrad. She was recommended for a military award for her engagement in the defense of Stalingrad. In 1943, the company under command of Senior Lieutenant Pavlyuchenko took up the defense on Oboyan direction of the Kursk Salient off Orlovka. This section was situated on the attacking end of Wehrmacht selected troops.
The staff sergeant was fighting off the invaders being aware of her straight duty. She carried four wounded away from the front line and as she was back to pick up platoon leader Korniyenko, she came under fire of a penetrating German tank. Maria launched a grenade smashing the track, but a shell fragment hit her through her heart.
20 years after Maria Borovichenko’s death, veteran paratroopers filed a request with the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR to award her the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. They appealed to legendary Colonel General Alexander Rodimtsev, who had just written his memoirs ‘Mashenka from Moustrap’.
In 1965 году, she was awarded this high title It was at the same time that Dovzhenko film studio, inspired by Rodimtsev’s memoirs, made a movie “There Are No Unknown Soldiers”. Maria’s feat was depicted in diorama museum The Bulge of Fire in Belgorod. A street in Kyiv and her school No. 122 were named after her. Mashenka had dreamt of becoming a teacher, but she became a combat medic and heroic figure instead. In loving memory…
The young girl gate crashed the headquarters of the 5th airborne brigade under command of Gen. Alexander Rodimtsev and requested to enlist her as a combat medic. Just two days later, she carried 8 soldiers upon her shoulders away from the premises of the Agricultural Institute in Kyiv attacked by Nazis. While rescuing battalion commander Simkin, Maria shot two Germans dead.
Paratroopers grew fond of the fearless girl and nicknamed her Mashenka from Mousetrap. In the fight off Konotop she not only saved 20 wounded men, but helped the defenders drag the machine-gun onto a high bank of the Seym. The attackers were rebuked by sharp fire. A year later, Maria had an occasion to engage in attack off Gutrovo, where the enemy soldier struck the gun from her hand. But Maria managed to grab the assault rifle lying on the ground and right away shot four Germans dead.
Side by side with Rodimtsev’s paratroopers, she went all the heartbreaking route of escape to Stalingrad. She was recommended for a military award for her engagement in the defense of Stalingrad. In 1943, the company under command of Senior Lieutenant Pavlyuchenko took up the defense on Oboyan direction of the Kursk Salient off Orlovka. This section was situated on the attacking end of Wehrmacht selected troops.
The staff sergeant was fighting off the invaders being aware of her straight duty. She carried four wounded away from the front line and as she was back to pick up platoon leader Korniyenko, she came under fire of a penetrating German tank. Maria launched a grenade smashing the track, but a shell fragment hit her through her heart.
20 years after Maria Borovichenko’s death, veteran paratroopers filed a request with the Presidium of the Supreme Council of the USSR to award her the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. They appealed to legendary Colonel General Alexander Rodimtsev, who had just written his memoirs ‘Mashenka from Moustrap’.
In 1965 году, she was awarded this high title It was at the same time that Dovzhenko film studio, inspired by Rodimtsev’s memoirs, made a movie “There Are No Unknown Soldiers”. Maria’s feat was depicted in diorama museum The Bulge of Fire in Belgorod. A street in Kyiv and her school No. 122 were named after her. Mashenka had dreamt of becoming a teacher, but she became a combat medic and heroic figure instead. In loving memory…
