The T 34 Fighting Girlfriend, The Fighting Widow Who Wants Revenge For Her Husband

 

In the summer of 1943, Maria Oktyabrskaya was been evacuated to the Russian city of Tomsk as the Germans devastated her country. Her husband that was sent to the front was never been heard for two years. But two years later, Maria finally heard the news that her husband was killed in action. Filled with great anger, Maria swears revenge. But she was unable to help directly, so she decided to sell all her possessions and donate the proceeds to defend the motherland.

But that was not enough for Maria, so she wrote a letter to the general secretary of the Soviet Union, she pleads for permission to join the war in an active role. What she wrote was a letter for revenge and she said “My husband and for the Soviet people tortured by the barbarians”. She requested she wanted a tank and ones more she said that she kindly name the tank “Fighting Girlfriend” and to send her to the frontlines as the driver of the said tank. The general secretary wrote back and said “Your wish will be granted Maria Vasilyevna”.  She was very formidable in the training, she passed the 4 months of tank school training and she was introduced to her Fighting Girlfriend.

The tank was a T 34/75; she met her crew machine gunner Yasko, radio operator Misha, and Lieutenant commander Chebotko. In September 1943, she was transferred to the 26^th Guards Tank Brigade, her comrades were not entirely happy with Maria and they considered her a joke or propaganda just there for the publicity. At a meeting, her fellow soldiers made it clear that they didn’t take her seriously. To make Maria's motivations clear, she stood up and made a loud speech “My dear comrades, I’m proud to be by your side.

We will reach the borders of Germany and strike right to the heart of the beast. The crew of Fighting Girlfriend will never stay behind you; I will fight with all my heart when the battle comes.” It must have been a difficult environment for Maria to work in, but she was determined to prove the doubters wrong. Just as soon as she would go to a battle and saw action, which is exactly what happens when the second battle of Smolensk was upon them.

On October the 21sth in 1943 Marias Fighting Girlfriend finally entered the battle, it was her moment to prove to everyone that she is a good and capable tanker. The battle started well, and the Fighting Girlfriend rushed into the enemy forces and starts shooting. The tank destroyed a machine gun and over 50 enemy soldiers, Maria and her crew fought hard and manage to push through the German lines.

But she was suddenly hit and realized that the Fighting girlfriend is immobilized, she opened the hatch and climbed down to see that one of the tracks have been damaged. Without a second thought, Maria grabbed a spare track from the side of the tank and replaces the damaged one. Despite the furious barrage of fire, she bravely fixed the tank with her crew covering her. She successfully fixed the tracks and manages to get Fighting Girlfriend back in business. The commander thanked Maria, she had won the respect of her peers and she was promoted to the rank of sergeant. In the following battles, Maria and his crew of Fighting Girlfriend’s reputation grew. The Battalion commander addressing everyone on the radio said “You should strive to be as good as Fighting Girlfriend comrades; today her crew had eliminated a whole battalion of German goons.” She has greatly inspired everyone around her with her sheer will and determination. 

On the 17^th of January 1944, Maria and her Fighting Girlfriend participates in the battle in Belarus. Their situation was dire, every tank was low on ammunition and the German forces were quickly advancing forward. The Fighting Girlfriend manages to destroy 3 heavy machine gun points and many German positions, but suddenly the tank was hit in close range by an enemy anti-tank gun. The crew was unharmed and rushed out from the tank; Maria looked around and saw the tracks were hit and broken again. She again repairs the broken tracks without a single thought.

But while she was doing the repair she was hit by shrapnel, she was transferred to the hospital of Smolensk because she had lost a lot of blood. And by that time, Maria’s crew wrote a letter for her “We wish you a speedy recovery Maria Vasilyevna; we believe that our Fighting Girlfriend will reach berlin. For the wounds they inflicted on you, our motherland, we will bring our wrath upon them. We are to go to battle in an hour; our Fighting Girlfriend sends her best regards.” Maria shed a tear and she said “Please, thank my crew and send them my best wishes.” On the 15^th of March In 1944, Maria succumbed to her injuries. She was declared a hero of the Soviet Union.