Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich, Hero of the Soviet Union

Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich - Hero of the Soviet Union, an ordinary Ukrainian peasant, an ordinary machine gunner. He alone stood against the 50 fascists. On November 9, 1941, Dmitry Romanovich was awarded the Order of Lenin. At the same time, he was awarded the second distinction - the Gold Star medal of the Hero of the Soviet Union.

Childhood of Dmitry

When was Dmitry Romanovich Ovcharenko born? Date of birth - 1919, the exact date and month in the sources are not specified. Dmitry Romanovich was born in Ukraine, in the Kharkov province, in the village of Ovcharovo. In modern times this place is called Troitsky district of Lugansk region. Dmitry was born into a simple peasant family. His mother, Vasilisa Ignatyevna, had lived in the village since her childhood, like her father. He worked as a carpenter.

When Vasilisa Ignatyevna was about to give birth, at that time the village was already under the yoke of the German invaders (the First World War was on). And when the son was born, he announced his appearance with a loud cry. Vasilisa Ignatyevna was very frightened, afraid that she and her baby would be punished for breaking the silence. But her surprise was great, when from the street there were joyful cries of women, children and men.

They opened the window and heard the sound of the song. And someone exclaimed: "Clapper! You were born free! "Dmitry grew up as an ordinary boy, a strong and handsome guy. From childhood he learned to take care of domestic cattle, chop wood and harvested hay.

His father taught him to use an ax. For the peasants it was an obligatory skill. At the same time, the father also taught his son to his craft. Therefore, the time for education was barely enough. The war prevented it. And Dmitry managed to finish only five classes.

Ovcharenko Dmitry, a soldier: and the war broke out

He joined the army even before the outbreak of the war, at the call in 1939. Afterwards he was going to return to his native village, start a family, in a word, to implement the usual plans of a simple country boy. But prevented the war, which broke out in 1941 Dmitry was enlisted in the 176th Infantry Division of the 389th Regiment, into the third machine-gun company. In the first days at the front, he was slightly injured.

And so the commanders decided to transfer the Red Army man to the sled. His duties were to deliver ammunition and food to the soldiers. The task seemed harmless. But Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich drove the cargo alone, and armed with this was just a "three-line" and an ax, hidden in the hay carts.

Meeting with the fascists

In the middle of the summer of 1941, the company Ovcharenko conducted battles near the city of Balti. Once Dmitry, as usual, was carrying the next batch of products and ammunition to the soldiers. Suddenly, on the road, just in front of the Ovcharenko submarine, two cars were leaving, in which were the fascists. In the cars there were 50 soldiers and three officers.

In captivity

At that time, such enemy breakthroughs along the front line were common. Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich was ambushed near the village of Pesets. The Red Army soldier was captured. To lull the vigilance of the fascists, Ovcharenko pretended to be frightened and confused. Officers, chuckling at the cowardice of a soldier, took Dmitri's weapons. And one of them decided to start the interrogation right on the spot, near the cart.

The Germans felt very confident and relaxed. They all got out of the cars. Some just breathe the air, some make up the need. But especially nobody interrogated the captive was not interested. At the beginning of the war, the Nazis often came across Soviet soldiers. Their Germans considered "subhuman" and were confident that the Russians were all frightened to death.

The Happy Ax

The interrogation began directly at the cart. Since the captive had the only weapon that the Germans immediately took away, then from one person, 50 soldiers did not expect a trick at all. But Dmitry always drove an ax in the hay. Hitler, apparently, just did not notice this "cold steel". Or they thought that the prisoner would not be able to use the ax anyway. And for urban residents it was not a weapon. And the villagers used it with enviable virtuosity.

Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich, who mentally coolly reasoned, suddenly decided to use the village weapon. This saved the Red Army life. Analyze the options for the fight was not time. It was necessary to act suddenly. And Dmitry unexpectedly for the Germans was able to quickly snatch a hatchet out of the hay. After one stroke, the head of the Hitlerite officer flew to the ground.

Feat of Ovcharenko

The Germans generally did not expect any resistance from the only prisoner. They were shocked, and the Nazis fell into complete numbness for a few seconds. This time Dmitry was enough to jump into the cart for grenades. And all three Red Army men threw Germans into the crowd.

When the smoke cleared, many of the Nazis lay wounded or killed on the ground. And the Soviet soldier carried directly to the enemy with one ax in his hands. This horrified them so much that instead of confronting an angry peasant carpenter, the survivors (there were more than twenty people) tried to escape from the soldier by flight. They did not even remember their weapons.

But not everyone managed to escape. One officer Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich decapitated, overtaking in the gardens. Then he began to take care of the others. When there were only corpses on the ground, Dmitry quietly collected enemy weapons, tablets, documents and continued his trip to his company. When he told me about his colleagues when he arrived, they did not believe him.

And the political instructor, having carefully examined the officer's tablets and documents brought by Dmitry, was greatly amazed. Taking a few soldiers with him, he went to the battlefield. The earth was covered with corpses of Germans. And when they counted the dead, it turned out that two enemy officers and twenty-one soldiers were killed.

Awards

Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich, whose feat the command appreciated, was presented to the highest award. And on November 9, 1941, according to the Decree of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR, the Red Army soldier received the title of Hero of the Soviet Union. For the exemplary service, the active struggle against the fascists, the heroism displayed by the fighter and the courage of Ovcharenko, were awarded the Order of Lenin and the Gold Star medal.

Death of Ovcharenko

Ovcharenko Dmitry Romanovich, Hero of the Soviet Union (photo is in this article), was transferred to machine gunners. He continued to fight the Nazis almost to the very Victory. But with the liberation of Hungary was seriously wounded near the station Sheregeysh. Dmitry Romanovich was hospitalized. But the wound was deadly. And Dmitry Romanovich Ovcharenko, Hero of the Soviet Union, died in a medical unit on the twenty-eighth of January 1945. A monument was erected in the village of the Red Army man. Dmitry performed his feat at the age of twenty-two.