By Shireen Farrahi. With International Women’s Day on March 8th and Victory Day coming up on May 9th, now is a good time to remember Mariya Vasilyevna Oktyabrskaya (one of many women who served in the Soviet military in WWII). She inspires us both for her courage as a soldier in the Great Patriotic war against Nazi fascism and for her leadership as a woman in a fiercely masculine environment. Oktyabrskaya, a military wife, was devastated when her husband Ilya was killed in 1941 while fighting the Germans in Ukraine. She sold all her possessions to donate a tank for the war effort and Stalin – by way of thanks – allowed her to be its driver-mechanic, making her the first woman in the world to serve in this role. With her tank, which she dubbed “Fighting Girlfriend,” she quickly gained the respect of her male comrades as she began racking up victories in battles. In 1944 she was seriously wounded in battle and died several months later. In return for her courage and dedication, she was presented the Order of the Patriotic War, First Class. Later, following her death, she was bestowed with the distinction of Hero of the Soviet Union, the country’s highest award for bravery in combat.
Stay tuned for announcements of PKSCA’s plans for Victory Day!