LADY OF DEATH TEE

In June 1941, Hitler launched Operation Barbarossa, and the Wehrmacht began its invasion of the Soviet Union. At the time, Pavlichenko was 24 years old and in her fourth year of study. Once she learned of the invasion, Pavlichenko quickly made her way to the Odessa recruiting office to enlist. Registrars pushed Pavlichenko to become a nurse, but her mind was set on joining the Soviet infantry. After proving her skills by taking out two Romanian collaborators from a Soviet-defended hill, Pavlichenko was enrolled into the Red Army’s 25th Rifle Division as a sniper. She became one of the 2,000 female Soviet snipers to serve, of which only 500 survived the war.

For about two and a half months, Pavlichenko fought on the frontlines during the Siege of Odessa. While at Odessa, she recorded 187 kills and received a promotion to Senior Sergeant. By May 1942, Pavlichenko recorded 257 kills, which garnered her another promotion to lieutenant.

The higher the number of Pavlichenko’s confirmed kills rose, the more dangerous her mission assignments became. This included counter sniping, or engaging in duels with enemy snipers.

Pavlichenko won every duel she fought, including one duel that lasted three days. In June 1942, while fighting in Sevastopol, she was wounded after shrapnel from a mortar round struck her in the face. The military saw Pavlichenko as too valuable of an asset. Before she could fully heal from her injury, the Soviet high command withdrew her from battle. In the time she spent fighting, Pavlichenko had obtained a record of 309 confirmed kills. By the time Pavlichenko was withdrawn from front line combat, her reputation as a sniper earned her the nickname “Lady Death.”