Unan Avetisyan Senior sergeant, Hero of the Soviet Union Date of Birth: 02.05.1913 Country: Armenia

1. Biography of Unan Avetisyan
2. Heroic Action
3. Recognition and Legacy

Biography of Unan Avetisyan

Unan Mkrtichovich Avetisyan was born on May 2, 1913, in the village of Tsav, currently in the Kafan district of Armenia, into a peasant family. He was an Armenian. Avetisyan received elementary education and joined the Soviet Army in 1942. He participated in the Great Patriotic War starting from 1942.

Heroic Action

In September 1943, our troops were engaged in offensive battles to liberate the Kuban and Taman Peninsula from the German fascist invaders. On September 16, 1943, the division in which Avetisyan served was involved in fierce combat to breakthrough the enemy's defense and liberate the Upper Bakan district of the Krasnodar region. The 1st rifle platoon had to storm and capture the "Dolgaya" height, which dominated the surrounding area. During the advance, the rifle squad came under heavy enemy machine gun fire. Several pillboxes blocked the path of the advancing troops. Avetisyan quietly approached one of the pillboxes and threw grenades at it. The platoon then launched an attack but was soon halted by machine gun fire from another pillbox. Avetisyan quickly made a daring decision. He ordered the platoon soldiers to block the pillbox while he crawled towards it to destroy it with grenades. The brave warrior was discovered by the fascists and wounded in the arm. Bleeding, he managed to reach the embrasure and threw a grenade, but the fascist machine gunner continued to shoot. In a final act of bravery, Avetisyan threw himself onto the embrasure, using his body to close it off. Inspired by their comrade's heroism, the soldiers launched an attack and accomplished their mission.

Recognition and Legacy

Unan Mkrtichovich Avetisyan was posthumously awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union on May 16, 1944, for repeating the feat of Alexander Matrosov. He was also awarded the Order of Lenin. Avetisyan is buried in the town of Novorossiysk, Krasnodar region, near the settlement of Verkhnebakansky. Monuments to the Hero were erected in the village of Tsav and the cities of Kafan and Yerevan. The street Verkhnebakanskaya, School No. 8 in Kafan, a steamship, and a border guard post are named after him. He is forever enrolled in the lists of the 1st rifle platoon of the 390th rifle regiment.