In July 1944, the 1st Baltic Front held Shaulian operation.
The goal was to cut off the German "North" armies group in the Baltic States from Eastern Prussia. Initially, the Red Army accompanied success - she went out to the Riga Bay and dismissed the forces of the Wehrmacht. In early August, the enemy pulled out fresh strength and went to the counter-offensive. The head of the Germans managed to keep, but the Soviet offensive was also stopped.
Concentrated blows of tanks and infantry enemy continued to check the Soviet defense for strength. By the end of August, the Fritz pushed the troops of the army of Ivan Bagramyan from the coast of the Gulf of Riga. The land message with the "North" army by the Army, which had fallen earlier, managed to restore.
But the Wehrmacht's forces were not infinite. Therefore, by the beginning of September 1944, the offensive exhausted. The enemy moved to defense.
There was a temporary respite on the Baltic front. Opponents led the battles of local significance and prepared for a new battle.
Both sides actively led exploration. Soviet speakers regularly went to the German positions for "languages".
On the night of September 9, the scouts of the 3rd Guards Rifle Division went for the next "source of information".
The group was led by the commander of the station of the platoon of intelligence guard Guards Junior Sergeant Peter Marchuk.
Guard Junior Sergeant Peter Marchuk.The 23-year-old intelligence officer was at the front since 1941 - managed to play and show himself. A week before this halter, he was awarded the Order of the Glory of the 3rd degree. So command rated the early feats of the younger sergeant.
Marchuk compiled a battle plan. This time, the reconnaissance was to act alive, and not a quiet sap. The fighters were divided into three groups. While the first attacks the German trench in the forehead, the other two strikes the flanks.
Guardsmen, taking advantage of the surprise, grab "languages" and quietly dissolve in the night. Previously, such a tactic led to success. But this time everything went differently.
Marchuk headed the first group. However, she did not have time to start an attack - the Germans noticed fighters before. Since the surrounding effect was lost, it remained to take the arrogance.
Instead of retreating, the Guardsmen suddenly broke into an enemy trench. The best friends of the intelligence officers are grenades. Our our Fritz did not regret. Troopped the trench, and he was filled with killed and wounded. At the same time, flanking groups entered the battle.
But the shock at the enemy lasted not long. After recovering, the Germans rushed to the scouts. The hand-to-hand fight.
Marchuk fought like a lion. Despite the injury received at the beginning of the battle, he continued to fight the enemy - throwing the enemy position with grenades, shoot the Germans from the machine. But the forces of the younger sergeant were not limitless. From the loss of blood he weakened. The Germans grabbed him, but the diligence guardsmen rushed to them and beat their commander.
The battle did not stop. Marchuk continued to fight his shoulder to the shoulder with his fighters. When the enemy machine gun opened on them, the junior sergeant destroyed his calculation with grenades. But he received two more injured.
By this time, fresh enemy forces began to flow into the trench. The Germans tried to grab the accomplice of the weakened scout and drag it into the nearest bludge.
Understanding that combat friends will no longer have time to help him, Marchuk threw the last two grenades. The explosion thundered at all next to him.
The younger sergeant received two heavy injuries, all surrounding his Germans were killed or injured.
Understanding that the "language" will not be able to take, Soviet intelligence officers began to waste. Wounded, they pulled out their semi-walled commander from the trenches and walked towards the Soviet positions. True, without trophies, they did not leave - the two enemy vehicles grabbed with them.
Although I could not take a language between the interpretation, the fighters were detained over twenty five soldiers and opponent officers. Participants of the operation presented to awards.
For an unprecedented feat, Peter Marchuk presented to the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union. In the meantime, he was lying in the hospital, he was handed the Order of the Red Star. This reward reconcile received for successful actions in August.
Meaning, Guard Junior Sergeant returned to construction. He fought in Eastern Prussia, and in February 1945 he was awarded the Order of Glory of the 2nd degree. But the Hero of the Soviet Union Marchuk became only March 23, 1945.
The brave intelligence officer finished the war in the rank of Guard of the German. After demobilization, he returned to his homeland - to the Tyumen region.
In peaceful life, Peter Marchuk worked as the chief engineer at the Household Service Combine. According to the memories of his people who knew him, it was a high, big, strong and very kind person.