Full Name: Lyudmila Mikhailovna Pavlichenko aka "Lady Death"
Profession: Soviet Sniper
Biography: Pavlichenko is the most successful female sniper in recorded history, with 309 confirmed kills. She served in the Red Army during World War Two, during which time she was nicknamed "Lady Death" for her aptitude with a rifle.
She served most notably in the Siege of Odessa (1941) and later, that of Sevastopol (1941–42). These were fought by the Red Army against the invading Axis forces, who under Hitler had betrayed the Soviet Union in launching Operation Barbarossa.
Eventually Pavlichenko was wounded by a mortar and airlifted to Moscow. Subsequently she trained snipers and served as a spokesperson for the Red Army, during which time she toured the United States, Canada, and Britain.
Born: July 12, 1916
Birthplace: Bila Tserkva, Ukraine, Russian Empire
Generation: Greatest Generation
Chinese Zodiac: Dragon
Star Sign: Cancer
Died: October 10, 1974 (aged 58)
Cause of Death: Stroke
Articles and Photos
Historical Events
- 1941-10-16 Romanian Legionnaires enter Odessa, Russia during the siege of Odessa, part of the Axis invasion of the Soviet Union
- 1942-07-04 Siege of Sevastopol ends with the surrender of Soviet forces and after massive German bombing raids that leave just 11 city buildings undamaged
- 1942-08-27 Soviet woman sniper Lyudmila Pavlichenko arrives in Washington D.C., the 1st Soviet citizen welcomed at the White House, by Eleanor Roosevelt
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