| Pavel Afanasevich Antseborenko | |
|---|---|
| Born | 1925 |
| Died | August 20, 1944 |
| Place of birth | Maidanivka, Hlobynskyi Raion, Poltava Oblast, Ukrainian SSR |
| Place of death | Hargle, Estonia |
| Buried at | Valga, Estonia |
| Allegiance |
 Soviet Union |
| Service/branch | Red Army |
| Years of service | 1941 - October 22, 1943 |
| Rank | Private |
| Unit | 2nd Shock Army |
| Battles/wars | Operation Bagration |
| Awards |
  |
Private Pavel Afanasevich Antseborenko (Russian: Павел Афанасьевич Анцеборенко; Ukrainian: Павел Афанасьевич Анцеборенко; 1925 - August 20, 1944) was a Soviet soldier who was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously in 1944 when he was killed during the defence of a village in modern-day Estonia during Operation Bagration.
Biography[]
Early life[]
Antseborenko was born into a peasant family near Poltava in the Ukrainian SSR in 1925. However, his parents were killed in 1933 during collectivization. He was therefore brought up in a kolkhoz. In 1939, he graduated from high school in Glushki and worked in a factory until the outbreak of war in 1941.[1]
Eastern Front (World War II)[]
He joined the Red Army upon the outbreak of war in September 1941 as a volunteer rather than a conscript. He fought his first combat engagement in October 1941 and was assigned to the 2nd Shock Army whose job it was to re-capture the Baltic States. During combat he distinguished himself and received the Order of Lenin.[1]
Death and award[]
On August 20, 1944, while patrolling in the village of Hargle, in Estonia, seven Soviet soldiers including Antseborenko encountered a much larger group of Wehrmacht forces and were surrounded. A firefight ensued in which Antseborenko killed eight enemy soldiers and allowed his comrades to escape. Rather than be taken prisoner, he walked towards the German soldiers with a hand grenade, which he detonated, killing himself and several enemy soldiers. On March 24, 1945 he was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union "for bravery and courage shown in battle with German invaders."[1]
Posthumous honours[]
In Lüllemäe, in modern-day Estonia, there is a school named after him.[1]
See also[]
References[]
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 "Гепой Советского Союза" (in Russian). http://www.warheroes.ru/hero/hero.asp?Hero_id=5259. Retrieved 2009-12-27. "Поняв, что плена не избежать, и не желая попасть в руки врага живым, он подорвал себя гранатой вместе с гитлеровцами, пытавшимся его схватить."
The original article can be found at Pavel Antseborenko and the edit history here.