#2 Visiting A Sniper Heroine In Moscow.

[Henry Sakaida]

VISITING A SNIPER HEROINE IN MOSCOW
By Henry Sakaida

You can’t collect Soviet orders and medals and not be a historian! Those items are the physical link to the recipient’s past and their contributions to history. The ultimate trip is to make that trip to Russia and visit the final resting place of people who made Soviet history.

Back in 2010, my friend and I visited Moscow. It would be criminal of you NOT to visit Novodevichiye Cemetery there! This is where many famous historical people are buried. Unlike American cemeteries which are absolutely boring, Russian cemeteries are very interesting! Each grave marker is unique…with sculptures and monuments. It is like an outdoor museum of art!

On my bucket list was to put flowers on the grave of Ludmila Pavlichenko, the top Soviet female sniper, who knocked off 309 Germans during the Great Patriotic War. Major Pavlichenko became a Hero of the Soviet Union on 25th October 1943.

While walking around in the cemetery, I found the grave of Lieutenant-General Basan B. Gorodovikov, a Kalmyk Hero of the Soviet Union (I’ve always been interested in the Asian HSUs).

The cemetery is full of combat and labor heroes, notable scientists, artists, architects, musicians, scholars, politicians, cosmonauts and entertainers. You will spend hours there and enjoy every minute!

Photograph #1 Pavlichenko posing during the war.
Photograph #2 Pavlichenko's life was commemorated on a Soviet stamp
Photograph #3 Pavlichenko died on 10th October 1978 at age 58. Her remains are interned in the wall along with family members.
Photograph #4 Her grave is way up on the wall, but luckily, there was a ladder.
Photograph #5 Gorodovikov in his prime.
Photograph #6 Gorodovikov towards the end of his career. His father was also a General and Hero Of The Soviet Union.
Photograph #7 Gorodovikov’s grave. I placed a bouquet of white carnations on his grave.