693
Sniper from God
About Heroes of the Soviet Union.
Fedor Matveevich Okhlopkov. Highest sniper in the history of the Second World War. Destroyed a sniper rifle 429 Nazi soldiers and officers.
I will inform you when I finish!
There was a day. The sun was shining. But Okhlopkov not wait to upgrade your weapons. Ever since the previous evening, he noticed a fascist vantage point on a pipe of a brick factory. Crawling reached the trenches outposts. Smoke break with the soldiers, he rested and merge with the color of the ground, crawled even further. Body went numb, but it 3:00 and lay motionless by a window of opportunity, one shot took observer. Score Okhlopkova revenge for his brother ever increasing.
That's for starters.) * * *
Passing by the club in the village of Cross - Haldzhay, frail, short stature old farm worker "Tomponsky" I heard a piece of radio newscasts. Prior to his ears could hear: & quot; ... for the exemplary performance of command assignments at the front counter and for displaying courage and heroism awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin and medal "Gold Star" Sergeant stock Okhlopkov Fyodor Matveyevich ... & quot; < br />
Work slowed down, stopped. His name Okhlopkov name - Fedor, patronymic - Matveyevich, military ticket in the "Title" says Sgt stock.
It was May 7, 1965 - 20 years after the war, and although the workers knew that his long - long time were a high rank, without stopping, walked past the club dear to his heart through the village, which rustled almost all of his life half a century.
He fought and got his: two Orders of Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War and the Red Banner, a few medals. So far 12 of his aching wounds, and people who understand the sense in such cases, each wound equate to the Order.
- Okhlopkov Fyodor Matveyevich ... And there is a coincidence and surname, name and patronymic, and the title - everything came together - smiled worker leaving rapids to Aldan.
He sat down on the beach, covered with a young spring grass, and looking at the hills, covered with green moss taiga, slowly went to the distant past ... He saw himself as if from the outside, through the eyes of another person. Here he is, 7-year-old Fyodor crying over the grave of his mother, 12 years to bury his father, and after graduating from grade 3, permanently leaves school ... Here it is, Fedor Okhlopkov diligently raskorchёvyvaet forest for cultivation, sawing and chopping wood for the steamer inserts enjoying his ability , mowing hay, carpentry, ice-holes in the lake perch catches in the taiga puts crossbows hares and fox traps.
There comes a disturbing, windy day the war started, when with all the usual expensive and should bow out, and perhaps forever.
Okhlopkova drafted into the army at the beginning of winter. In the village of Cross - Haldzhay soldiers accompanied with speeches and music. It was cold. 50 degrees below zero. Salty tears wife froze on his cheeks and rolled as a fraction ...
From Cross - Khalji to the capital of the autonomous republic is not so far. After a week traveling through the taiga in dogs were drafted into the army in Yakutsk.
Okhlopkov not stay in the city, and together with his brother Basil and other villagers went to the truck through Aldan to the railway station Bolshoy Never. Together with his fellow - hunters, fishermen and cultivators - Fedor hit the Siberian Division.
It was hard to Yakuts, Evenki, Chukchi Modules and leave their republic, which area is 10 times Germany. It was a pity to part with their wealth: a collective herd of deer, with 140 million hectares of Daurian larch forest lakes sparkles splattered with billions of tons of coking coals. Everything was expensive: the blue artery of the Lena River and the gold veins, and the mountains to the loach and rock streams. But what to do? We must hurry. German hordes were advancing on Moscow, Hitler raised his knife over the heart of the Soviet people.
With Basil, who was also in the same division, we agreed to stick together and asked the commander that he gave his gun. The commander said, and two weeks before getting to Moscow, the brothers explained patiently device Sights and details. Commander with closed eyes in sight charmed soldiers cleverly assembled and disassembled machine. Both of Yakutia in the way learned how to handle a machine gun. Of course, they knew that much remains to be master, before they become a real gunner: it is necessary to work out shooting over his advancing soldiers shooting at targets - suddenly appears, quickly hide and move, learn to hit the planes and tanks. The commander assured that all of this will come with time, in the experience of combat. The fight for the most important school of the soldier.
The commander was a Russian, but, before he graduated from the school in Yakutia lived and worked in the gold and diamond mines and knew that a sharp eye Yakut sees far, does not lose any animal tracks in the grass, nor moss, nor on the rocks and Hit by hit enough shooters in the world, equal to the Yakuts.
In Moscow, came the frosty morning. Column with rifles behind went through Red Square, past Lenin's Mausoleum and went to the front.
375 Infantry Division, formed in the Urals and poured in 29 Army, moved to the front. As part of the 1243rd Regiment of this division were Fedor and Vasily Okhlopkova. The commander of the two cubes on the lapels of his greatcoat kept his word gave them hand-gun for two. Fedor became the first number, Basil - second.
Being in the woods near Moscow, Fedor Okhlopkov seen as the front edge of the division came fresh, concentrated tanks and artillery. It looked - after heavy defensive fights preparing a devastating blow. Revived forests and groves.
Wind carefully bandaged clean strips of snow bloody, wounded land, carefully covering his bare ulcer war. Raging blizzard, a white shroud covering trenches and ditches chilled fascist fighters. Day and night they sang a shrill wind mournful funeral song ...
In early December, the division commander, General Nikolai Sokolov was in battalions of the regiment, and the next day after a blizzard morning Division artillery barrage rushed to the attack.
The first strand of his battalion ran brothers Yakuts, often digging into prickly snow, giving a short slanting line of green enemy uniform. They were able to combat some of the Nazis, but then they were not yet account for revenge. They tried to force, checked accuracy hunting eyes. Two days without a break, with varying success lasted a hot battle with tanks and planes, and two days no one for a moment close his eyes. Division managed to break shells on ice to cross the Volga River, 20 versts persecute enemies.
In pursuit of the retreating enemy, our soldiers liberated the villages burned to the ground Semyonovskoe, Dmitrov, took the throes of fire the northern outskirts of the city of Kalinin. Lyutovali "Yakutsk" frost; firewood around a lot, but there was no time to light a fire and warmed his hands on the brothers warmed gun barrel. After a long retreat of the Red Army was advancing. The most pleasant sight for a soldier - a running enemy. Over the two days of fighting regiment, which served Okhlopkova brothers, destroyed more than 1,000 Nazis crushed the headquarters of two German infantry regiments, captured the rich spoils of war: cars, tanks, cannons, machine guns, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition. And Fedor and Vasily just in case pocketed overcoats trophy "pistol».
Victory came at a price. Many soldiers and officers lost Division. He died a heroic death regimental commander Captain Chernozerske; explosive bullet struck spot a German sniper Vasily Okhlopkova. He fell to his knees, pressed his face into scratchy, like a nettle, snow. He died at the hands of his brother, easily, without pain.
Fedor wept. Standing bareheaded over the body cools Basil, he vowed to avenge his brother, promised to open their dead by destroying the Nazis.
At night, sitting in a hastily dug dugout division commissar Colonel S. X. Ainutdinov wrote about this oath politdonesenii. This was the first mention of the Fyodor Okhlopkova documents war ...
Reporting on the death of his brother, Theodore wrote about his oath and cross - Haldzhay. His letter read in all three villages, members of the Village Council. The villagers welcomed the courageous determination of his countryman. Approved oath and his wife Anna Nikolaevna and son Fyodor.
All this is remembered Fyodor Matveyevich on the banks of the Aldan, watching as the spring breeze, like a flock of sheep, driving west white ice floes. On reflection it tore the car rumble, Secretary of the Communist Party arrived.
- Well, dear, congratulations. - Out of the car, he hugged, kissed.
The decree read out on the radio, I touch it. The name of his government equated to the names of 13 of the Yakuts - Heroes of the Soviet Union: S. Asyamova M. Zhadeykina V. Kolbunova M. Kosmacheva, Krasnoyarova K., A. Lebedev, Lorin M., V. Pavlov, F. Popov In . Streltsov, AN Chusovskoy, E. Shavkunova, MI Shamanov. He - 14th Yakut marked "Gold Star».
After a month in the Council Chamber of Ministers, which was a poster: "The people - heroes - Aikhal!" Okhlopkov presented the award of the Motherland.
Thanking the participants, he briefly talked about how war Yakuts ... On Fedor Matveevich memories came flooding back, and he seemed to see himself from the war, but not in the 29 th Army, and in the 30th, which is subordinated to his division. Okhlopkov heard speech army commander Gen. Lelyushenko. The commander asked the commanders to find sharpshooters, snipers prepare them. So Fedor became a sniper. The work was slow, but not boring: the danger of doing it exciting, demanded a rare courage, excellent orientation in the terrain, sharp eyes, composure, iron shutter.
March 2, April 3 and 7 May Okhlopkov was wounded, but always remained in the ranks. Taiga resident, he understood in rural Pharmacopoeia, knew the healing properties of herbs, berries, leaves, able to cure the disease, had secrets, passed on from generation to generation. His teeth in pain, he burned with fire wounds resinous pine torch and did not go to the field hospital.
* * *
In early August 1942 the troops of the Western and Kalinin fronts broke through the enemy defenses and began to tread on and Gzhatsko Rzhev - Vyazma directions. 375 Division, going to the point of attack, took the brunt of the enemy. In the battle of Rzhev advance of our troops detained Nazi armored train "Hermann Goering", ply the high railway embankment. The division commander decided to block the train was. It was created a group of daredevils. Okhlopkov asked to include it. Waiting for the night, wearing a camouflage gowns, the men crawled to the goal. All approaches to the railway opponent illuminated rockets. Red Army soldiers a long time had to lie on the ground. Bottom on a background of graying sky, like a mountain ridge, could see the black silhouette of the armored train. Above the locomotive smoke curled, bitter smell of the wind bore him to the ground. The soldiers crept closer and closer. That long-awaited mound.
Lieutenant Sitnikov, who commanded the group, gave a prearranged signal. Soldiers, jumping to his feet, threw grenades and steel boxes with bottles of fuel; sighing heavily, armored train moved toward Rzhev their heels, but before him there was an explosion. The train tried to leave for Vyazma, but there are brave sappers blew up the web.
With the basic armored car crew lowered a new track, trying to restore the ruined road, but a well-aimed gunfire, losing several men killed, was forced to return under the protection of the iron walls. Okhlopkov then struck a half-dozen fascists.
Several hours group daredevils kept under fire resist deprived maneuver armored train. In the afternoon we flew bombers shot down locomotive dropped derailed armored car. Group brave straddled railroad and stayed as long as the aid has not approached her battalion.
Battles of Rzhev took fierce character. The artillery has destroyed all the bridges, the roads plowed. The week was stormy. The rain fell in torrents, making it difficult for the promotion of tanks and guns. The entire burden of military harvest fell on the infantry.
Number of casualties measured temperature battlefield. In the archives of the Soviet Army remained taciturn document:
"From 10 to 17 August 375 Division lost 6,140 men killed and wounded. The offensive outburst scored 1243rd Regiment. Its commander Lieutenant Colonel Ratnikov died a heroic death in front of his troops. Down came all the battalion commanders and company commanders. Sergeants became platoon commander, sergeant - rotami ».
... Branch Okhlopkova occurred in an editorial chain. According to him, it was the most suitable place for a sniper. By flares quickly I found the enemy machine guns and forced them to shut up, unmistakably falling into the narrow loopholes and cracks.
Evening of August 18, during an attack on a small half-burned village Fedor Okhlopkova seriously wounded in the 4 th time. Dripping blood, sniper fell and lost consciousness. Around chalk iron storm, but two Russian soldiers, risking his own life, dragged the wounded from Yakut - under fire on the edge of the grove, under the cover of bushes and trees. Medics took him to a field hospital, and from there Okhlopkova taken to the city of Ivanovo, to the hospital.
Order of the troops of the Kalinin Front number 0308 of 27 August 1942 for the signature of the front commander, General - Colonel Konev squad submachine Fedor Matveevich Okhlopkov was awarded the Order of the Red Star. As a premium piece of this Order states: "Okhlopkov his bravery many times in the difficult moments of battle stopped alarmists, inspired fighters, led them into battle again».
* * * * * *
Recover from injuries Okhlopkov was sent to the 234th Regiment of the 178th Division.
The new division knew Okhlopkov - Sniper. The battalion commander was glad his appearance. The enemy appeared marksman. The day 7th shots he "took" seven of our soldiers. Okhlopkov ordered to destroy invulnerable enemy sniper. At dawn, the magic arrows on the loose. German snipers to choose the position at the height Okhlopkov preferred ground.
A winding line of German trenches turned yellow at the edge of tall forest. The sun rose. Lying in his own hand an open and disguised trenches at night, Fyodor Matveyevich naked eye looked unfamiliar terrain, wondered where it may be his opponent, and then through the optical device began to study some unremarkable terrain. The enemy sniper could take a fancy to the shelter on a tree trunk.
But what exactly? Behind the German trenches chenille high ship timber - hundreds of trunks, and each could be a clever, experienced enemy that had to outwit. Forest landscape devoid of clear outlines, trees and shrubs are merged into a solid mass of green and hard to focus on anything - any attention. Okhlopkov binoculars surveyed all trees from the roots to the crown. German shooter probably took a fancy place on the pine tree with a forked trunk. Sniper suspect glared at the tree, looking at it each branch. The mysterious silence became ominous. He was looking for a sniper who was looking for him. Wins the one who first discovered his opponent and beating him, presses the trigger.
As it was agreed in 8 hours 12 minutes, in a trench 100 meters from Okhlopkova bayonet lifted on a soldier's helmet. From the forest came the shot. But flash detect failed. Okhlopkov continued to watch for suspicious pine. For a - a moment he saw the barrel next to a sunny gleam, as if someone - that brought upon the bark of a mirror beam spot, which immediately disappeared as if it had never been.
"What could it be?" - Thought the sniper, but no amount of staring, he could not find anything. And then on the spot where the bright spot flashed like a shadow sheet appeared black triangle. Sharp eyes taiga hunter with binoculars distinguished sock to nickel gloss polished boots ...
"Cuckoo" hid in a tree. It should in no way pretending to wait patiently, and as soon as a sniper revealed, combat it with one bullet ... After unsuccessful shot fascist or disappear, or to find it, enter into combat, open return fire. In practice, rich Okhlopkova he rarely managed to twice take aim at the same target. Every time you miss had to seek out the clock, track, wait ...
Half an hour after a German sniper shot on the spot where lifted the helmet seemed glove, one, then the second. From the side it was possible to think like a wounded man trying to sit up, clutching hand over the parapet of the trench. The enemy took the bait, took aim. Show Okhlopkov saw among the branches of his face and a black point of the barrel of a rifle. At the same time it did not come for two shots. Fascist sniper head flew down to the ground.
For a week stay in the new division Fedor Okhlopkov sent to the light 11 fascists. This was told to the observation posts witnesses unusual duels.
Fedor Matveevich Okhlopkov. Highest sniper in the history of the Second World War. Destroyed a sniper rifle 429 Nazi soldiers and officers.
I will inform you when I finish!
There was a day. The sun was shining. But Okhlopkov not wait to upgrade your weapons. Ever since the previous evening, he noticed a fascist vantage point on a pipe of a brick factory. Crawling reached the trenches outposts. Smoke break with the soldiers, he rested and merge with the color of the ground, crawled even further. Body went numb, but it 3:00 and lay motionless by a window of opportunity, one shot took observer. Score Okhlopkova revenge for his brother ever increasing.
That's for starters.) * * *
Passing by the club in the village of Cross - Haldzhay, frail, short stature old farm worker "Tomponsky" I heard a piece of radio newscasts. Prior to his ears could hear: & quot; ... for the exemplary performance of command assignments at the front counter and for displaying courage and heroism awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin and medal "Gold Star" Sergeant stock Okhlopkov Fyodor Matveyevich ... & quot; < br />
Work slowed down, stopped. His name Okhlopkov name - Fedor, patronymic - Matveyevich, military ticket in the "Title" says Sgt stock.
It was May 7, 1965 - 20 years after the war, and although the workers knew that his long - long time were a high rank, without stopping, walked past the club dear to his heart through the village, which rustled almost all of his life half a century.
He fought and got his: two Orders of Red Star, Order of the Patriotic War and the Red Banner, a few medals. So far 12 of his aching wounds, and people who understand the sense in such cases, each wound equate to the Order.
- Okhlopkov Fyodor Matveyevich ... And there is a coincidence and surname, name and patronymic, and the title - everything came together - smiled worker leaving rapids to Aldan.
He sat down on the beach, covered with a young spring grass, and looking at the hills, covered with green moss taiga, slowly went to the distant past ... He saw himself as if from the outside, through the eyes of another person. Here he is, 7-year-old Fyodor crying over the grave of his mother, 12 years to bury his father, and after graduating from grade 3, permanently leaves school ... Here it is, Fedor Okhlopkov diligently raskorchёvyvaet forest for cultivation, sawing and chopping wood for the steamer inserts enjoying his ability , mowing hay, carpentry, ice-holes in the lake perch catches in the taiga puts crossbows hares and fox traps.
There comes a disturbing, windy day the war started, when with all the usual expensive and should bow out, and perhaps forever.
Okhlopkova drafted into the army at the beginning of winter. In the village of Cross - Haldzhay soldiers accompanied with speeches and music. It was cold. 50 degrees below zero. Salty tears wife froze on his cheeks and rolled as a fraction ...
From Cross - Khalji to the capital of the autonomous republic is not so far. After a week traveling through the taiga in dogs were drafted into the army in Yakutsk.
Okhlopkov not stay in the city, and together with his brother Basil and other villagers went to the truck through Aldan to the railway station Bolshoy Never. Together with his fellow - hunters, fishermen and cultivators - Fedor hit the Siberian Division.
It was hard to Yakuts, Evenki, Chukchi Modules and leave their republic, which area is 10 times Germany. It was a pity to part with their wealth: a collective herd of deer, with 140 million hectares of Daurian larch forest lakes sparkles splattered with billions of tons of coking coals. Everything was expensive: the blue artery of the Lena River and the gold veins, and the mountains to the loach and rock streams. But what to do? We must hurry. German hordes were advancing on Moscow, Hitler raised his knife over the heart of the Soviet people.
With Basil, who was also in the same division, we agreed to stick together and asked the commander that he gave his gun. The commander said, and two weeks before getting to Moscow, the brothers explained patiently device Sights and details. Commander with closed eyes in sight charmed soldiers cleverly assembled and disassembled machine. Both of Yakutia in the way learned how to handle a machine gun. Of course, they knew that much remains to be master, before they become a real gunner: it is necessary to work out shooting over his advancing soldiers shooting at targets - suddenly appears, quickly hide and move, learn to hit the planes and tanks. The commander assured that all of this will come with time, in the experience of combat. The fight for the most important school of the soldier.
The commander was a Russian, but, before he graduated from the school in Yakutia lived and worked in the gold and diamond mines and knew that a sharp eye Yakut sees far, does not lose any animal tracks in the grass, nor moss, nor on the rocks and Hit by hit enough shooters in the world, equal to the Yakuts.
In Moscow, came the frosty morning. Column with rifles behind went through Red Square, past Lenin's Mausoleum and went to the front.
375 Infantry Division, formed in the Urals and poured in 29 Army, moved to the front. As part of the 1243rd Regiment of this division were Fedor and Vasily Okhlopkova. The commander of the two cubes on the lapels of his greatcoat kept his word gave them hand-gun for two. Fedor became the first number, Basil - second.
Being in the woods near Moscow, Fedor Okhlopkov seen as the front edge of the division came fresh, concentrated tanks and artillery. It looked - after heavy defensive fights preparing a devastating blow. Revived forests and groves.
Wind carefully bandaged clean strips of snow bloody, wounded land, carefully covering his bare ulcer war. Raging blizzard, a white shroud covering trenches and ditches chilled fascist fighters. Day and night they sang a shrill wind mournful funeral song ...
In early December, the division commander, General Nikolai Sokolov was in battalions of the regiment, and the next day after a blizzard morning Division artillery barrage rushed to the attack.
The first strand of his battalion ran brothers Yakuts, often digging into prickly snow, giving a short slanting line of green enemy uniform. They were able to combat some of the Nazis, but then they were not yet account for revenge. They tried to force, checked accuracy hunting eyes. Two days without a break, with varying success lasted a hot battle with tanks and planes, and two days no one for a moment close his eyes. Division managed to break shells on ice to cross the Volga River, 20 versts persecute enemies.
In pursuit of the retreating enemy, our soldiers liberated the villages burned to the ground Semyonovskoe, Dmitrov, took the throes of fire the northern outskirts of the city of Kalinin. Lyutovali "Yakutsk" frost; firewood around a lot, but there was no time to light a fire and warmed his hands on the brothers warmed gun barrel. After a long retreat of the Red Army was advancing. The most pleasant sight for a soldier - a running enemy. Over the two days of fighting regiment, which served Okhlopkova brothers, destroyed more than 1,000 Nazis crushed the headquarters of two German infantry regiments, captured the rich spoils of war: cars, tanks, cannons, machine guns, hundreds of thousands of rounds of ammunition. And Fedor and Vasily just in case pocketed overcoats trophy "pistol».
Victory came at a price. Many soldiers and officers lost Division. He died a heroic death regimental commander Captain Chernozerske; explosive bullet struck spot a German sniper Vasily Okhlopkova. He fell to his knees, pressed his face into scratchy, like a nettle, snow. He died at the hands of his brother, easily, without pain.
Fedor wept. Standing bareheaded over the body cools Basil, he vowed to avenge his brother, promised to open their dead by destroying the Nazis.
At night, sitting in a hastily dug dugout division commissar Colonel S. X. Ainutdinov wrote about this oath politdonesenii. This was the first mention of the Fyodor Okhlopkova documents war ...
Reporting on the death of his brother, Theodore wrote about his oath and cross - Haldzhay. His letter read in all three villages, members of the Village Council. The villagers welcomed the courageous determination of his countryman. Approved oath and his wife Anna Nikolaevna and son Fyodor.
All this is remembered Fyodor Matveyevich on the banks of the Aldan, watching as the spring breeze, like a flock of sheep, driving west white ice floes. On reflection it tore the car rumble, Secretary of the Communist Party arrived.
- Well, dear, congratulations. - Out of the car, he hugged, kissed.
The decree read out on the radio, I touch it. The name of his government equated to the names of 13 of the Yakuts - Heroes of the Soviet Union: S. Asyamova M. Zhadeykina V. Kolbunova M. Kosmacheva, Krasnoyarova K., A. Lebedev, Lorin M., V. Pavlov, F. Popov In . Streltsov, AN Chusovskoy, E. Shavkunova, MI Shamanov. He - 14th Yakut marked "Gold Star».
After a month in the Council Chamber of Ministers, which was a poster: "The people - heroes - Aikhal!" Okhlopkov presented the award of the Motherland.
Thanking the participants, he briefly talked about how war Yakuts ... On Fedor Matveevich memories came flooding back, and he seemed to see himself from the war, but not in the 29 th Army, and in the 30th, which is subordinated to his division. Okhlopkov heard speech army commander Gen. Lelyushenko. The commander asked the commanders to find sharpshooters, snipers prepare them. So Fedor became a sniper. The work was slow, but not boring: the danger of doing it exciting, demanded a rare courage, excellent orientation in the terrain, sharp eyes, composure, iron shutter.
March 2, April 3 and 7 May Okhlopkov was wounded, but always remained in the ranks. Taiga resident, he understood in rural Pharmacopoeia, knew the healing properties of herbs, berries, leaves, able to cure the disease, had secrets, passed on from generation to generation. His teeth in pain, he burned with fire wounds resinous pine torch and did not go to the field hospital.
* * *
In early August 1942 the troops of the Western and Kalinin fronts broke through the enemy defenses and began to tread on and Gzhatsko Rzhev - Vyazma directions. 375 Division, going to the point of attack, took the brunt of the enemy. In the battle of Rzhev advance of our troops detained Nazi armored train "Hermann Goering", ply the high railway embankment. The division commander decided to block the train was. It was created a group of daredevils. Okhlopkov asked to include it. Waiting for the night, wearing a camouflage gowns, the men crawled to the goal. All approaches to the railway opponent illuminated rockets. Red Army soldiers a long time had to lie on the ground. Bottom on a background of graying sky, like a mountain ridge, could see the black silhouette of the armored train. Above the locomotive smoke curled, bitter smell of the wind bore him to the ground. The soldiers crept closer and closer. That long-awaited mound.
Lieutenant Sitnikov, who commanded the group, gave a prearranged signal. Soldiers, jumping to his feet, threw grenades and steel boxes with bottles of fuel; sighing heavily, armored train moved toward Rzhev their heels, but before him there was an explosion. The train tried to leave for Vyazma, but there are brave sappers blew up the web.
With the basic armored car crew lowered a new track, trying to restore the ruined road, but a well-aimed gunfire, losing several men killed, was forced to return under the protection of the iron walls. Okhlopkov then struck a half-dozen fascists.
Several hours group daredevils kept under fire resist deprived maneuver armored train. In the afternoon we flew bombers shot down locomotive dropped derailed armored car. Group brave straddled railroad and stayed as long as the aid has not approached her battalion.
Battles of Rzhev took fierce character. The artillery has destroyed all the bridges, the roads plowed. The week was stormy. The rain fell in torrents, making it difficult for the promotion of tanks and guns. The entire burden of military harvest fell on the infantry.
Number of casualties measured temperature battlefield. In the archives of the Soviet Army remained taciturn document:
"From 10 to 17 August 375 Division lost 6,140 men killed and wounded. The offensive outburst scored 1243rd Regiment. Its commander Lieutenant Colonel Ratnikov died a heroic death in front of his troops. Down came all the battalion commanders and company commanders. Sergeants became platoon commander, sergeant - rotami ».
... Branch Okhlopkova occurred in an editorial chain. According to him, it was the most suitable place for a sniper. By flares quickly I found the enemy machine guns and forced them to shut up, unmistakably falling into the narrow loopholes and cracks.
Evening of August 18, during an attack on a small half-burned village Fedor Okhlopkova seriously wounded in the 4 th time. Dripping blood, sniper fell and lost consciousness. Around chalk iron storm, but two Russian soldiers, risking his own life, dragged the wounded from Yakut - under fire on the edge of the grove, under the cover of bushes and trees. Medics took him to a field hospital, and from there Okhlopkova taken to the city of Ivanovo, to the hospital.
Order of the troops of the Kalinin Front number 0308 of 27 August 1942 for the signature of the front commander, General - Colonel Konev squad submachine Fedor Matveevich Okhlopkov was awarded the Order of the Red Star. As a premium piece of this Order states: "Okhlopkov his bravery many times in the difficult moments of battle stopped alarmists, inspired fighters, led them into battle again».
* * * * * *
Recover from injuries Okhlopkov was sent to the 234th Regiment of the 178th Division.
The new division knew Okhlopkov - Sniper. The battalion commander was glad his appearance. The enemy appeared marksman. The day 7th shots he "took" seven of our soldiers. Okhlopkov ordered to destroy invulnerable enemy sniper. At dawn, the magic arrows on the loose. German snipers to choose the position at the height Okhlopkov preferred ground.
A winding line of German trenches turned yellow at the edge of tall forest. The sun rose. Lying in his own hand an open and disguised trenches at night, Fyodor Matveyevich naked eye looked unfamiliar terrain, wondered where it may be his opponent, and then through the optical device began to study some unremarkable terrain. The enemy sniper could take a fancy to the shelter on a tree trunk.
But what exactly? Behind the German trenches chenille high ship timber - hundreds of trunks, and each could be a clever, experienced enemy that had to outwit. Forest landscape devoid of clear outlines, trees and shrubs are merged into a solid mass of green and hard to focus on anything - any attention. Okhlopkov binoculars surveyed all trees from the roots to the crown. German shooter probably took a fancy place on the pine tree with a forked trunk. Sniper suspect glared at the tree, looking at it each branch. The mysterious silence became ominous. He was looking for a sniper who was looking for him. Wins the one who first discovered his opponent and beating him, presses the trigger.
As it was agreed in 8 hours 12 minutes, in a trench 100 meters from Okhlopkova bayonet lifted on a soldier's helmet. From the forest came the shot. But flash detect failed. Okhlopkov continued to watch for suspicious pine. For a - a moment he saw the barrel next to a sunny gleam, as if someone - that brought upon the bark of a mirror beam spot, which immediately disappeared as if it had never been.
"What could it be?" - Thought the sniper, but no amount of staring, he could not find anything. And then on the spot where the bright spot flashed like a shadow sheet appeared black triangle. Sharp eyes taiga hunter with binoculars distinguished sock to nickel gloss polished boots ...
"Cuckoo" hid in a tree. It should in no way pretending to wait patiently, and as soon as a sniper revealed, combat it with one bullet ... After unsuccessful shot fascist or disappear, or to find it, enter into combat, open return fire. In practice, rich Okhlopkova he rarely managed to twice take aim at the same target. Every time you miss had to seek out the clock, track, wait ...
Half an hour after a German sniper shot on the spot where lifted the helmet seemed glove, one, then the second. From the side it was possible to think like a wounded man trying to sit up, clutching hand over the parapet of the trench. The enemy took the bait, took aim. Show Okhlopkov saw among the branches of his face and a black point of the barrel of a rifle. At the same time it did not come for two shots. Fascist sniper head flew down to the ground.
For a week stay in the new division Fedor Okhlopkov sent to the light 11 fascists. This was told to the observation posts witnesses unusual duels.
