Zajtsev, Vasilij Grigor'evich, Sniper, Hero Of The Soviet Union

[Auke]

Originally Posted by CtahhR

He was in Military service from 1935 and was a high ranking (formerly rated) non-commissioned officer. He was in the Red Navy but transferred to Army as a "Starshina 1st Status" to serve at the front.

The interesting thing is that when he and a number of fellow sailors from the Pacific Fleet were transferred to the Siberian 284th Rifle Division at Stalingrad, he still held a Navy rank (he was a starshina pervoi stati / Petty Officer First Class). He was subsequently promoted to glavny starshina (Chief Petty Officer), and only by late 1942 or early 1943 he was commissioned and given an Army officer's rank (finishing the war as a Captain).