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Simo HayhaMost prolific sniper of World War II
Date of Birth: 17.12.1905
Country:  Finland |
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Biography of Simo Häyhä
Simo Häyhä, also known as "The White Death," was a Finnish sniper and hunter who began his military service in 1925. Prior to the war, Häyhä was involved in hunting and ran his own farm. His home was filled with awards he had received for his victories in marksmanship competitions. When the war broke out, he joined the Finnish army as a sniper.
Early Life
Simo Häyhä was born on December 17, 1905, in the town of Rautjärvi, Finland, near the border with the Soviet Union. He grew up in a rural environment and developed a passion for hunting from a young age. Häyhä honed his shooting skills and became an accomplished marksman.
The White Death
During the Winter War between Finland and the Soviet Union from 1939 to 1940, Simo Häyhä achieved remarkable success as a sniper. Wearing a full white camouflage suit in temperatures ranging from -20 to -40 degrees Celsius, he used his Mosin-Nagant M28/30 rifle with an open sight to kill, according to confirmed data, 505 Red Army soldiers. Including unconfirmed kills, the number rises to 542. Unofficial reports from the Finnish command claim that Häyhä was responsible for over 800 deaths of Soviet officers and soldiers. Additionally, he killed over 200 enemies in close combat using a Finnish Suomi KP/-31 submachine gun. In total, Häyhä had at least 705 enemy kills, all achieved within a hundred days of the Winter War.
Attempts on His Life
The Soviet Union made several attempts to eliminate Simo Häyhä, employing lone snipers and artillery strikes. On March 6, 1940, Häyhä was wounded in the jaw during a battle, with the bullet entering his head and exiting downward. The last thing he heard before losing consciousness was a soldier remarking, "he doesn't have half a head." Häyhä regained consciousness on March 13, 1940, and the next day, an armistice was declared, ending the war. After the war, Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim awarded him the rank of lieutenant. Häyhä spent several years recovering from his injuries, which left his jaw shattered and his left cheek pierced. Despite the ordeal, he made a nearly full recovery and went on to become a successful moose hunter and renowned dog breeder.
Later Life and Legacy
Simo Häyhä spent his final years in the small village of Ruokolahti in southeastern Finland. He passed away on April 1, 2002. It is worth noting that the second-highest number of confirmed kills in history belongs to Soviet sniper Ivan Sidorenko, with 500 fascist officers and soldiers killed, followed by Nikolay Ilyin, with 496 kills. However, Simo Häyhä's unparalleled marksmanship and his indelible impact on Finnish military history cement his place as one of the most legendary snipers of all time.
