Shabsa Mashkautsan

Shabsa Mendelevich Mashkautsan (Romanian: Șabsa Mașcauțan; Russian: Машкауцан, Шабса Менделевич; January 6, 1924 – September 19, 2022) was a Soviet soldier and a Hero of the Soviet Union.^[1]

Biography

Shabsa (Shapsa) Mashkautsan was born in

"On April 29, 1945, near Meningsee (near Kummersdorf^[1]) in a Berlin suburb, a young sergeant with the 530th Tank Destroyer Regiment carried on a battle with 200 Germans and two self-propelled guns... Twice he changed positions under enemy fire, set fire to one self-propelled gun, then the second, which had come right up to his position. After putting the guns out of commission, Sergeant Mashkautsan began firing at the infantry. As a result he killed 50 soldiers and officers by gunfire and 4 by pistol fire.

The enemy hurled its tanks and armored carriers with infantry against this section. Again he opened fire; with two shells Mashkautsan hit a tank and right after that one of the armored carriers.

The second armored carrier rolled toward the gun, and when it was 2 meters from it, Mashkautsan hurled a grenade and then, in spite of a contusion, again opened fire on the enemy. More than 200 dead Germans were left in the field."^[2]

After the war he continued army service and discharged to reserve in 1953 in the rank of guards lieutenant. In 1961 he graduated from a technical school and worked as senior foreman at a tractor plant, later director of the plant technical school. He lived in

Mashkautsan died on September 19, 2022, at the age of 98.[4]

Decorations

• Golden Star medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union (27 June 1945)^[1]
• Order of Lenin (June 27, 1945)^[1]
• Order of the Patriotic War , 1st class (11 March 1985)^[1]
• Medal "For Courage" (twice, June 10, 1944 and September 14, 1944)^[1]
• Medal "For the Defence of the Caucasus"^[1]
• Medal "For the Capture of Berlin"^[1]
• Medal "For the Capture of Königsberg"^[1]

References

External links

• World War II vets share stories with Wallingford students