Simo Häyhä
Simo Häyhä (December 17, 1905 – April 1, 2002) was a Finnish soldier. He has the highest recorded number of confirmed sniper kills in any major war.[2] The Russian soldiers began to call him as "White Death". He had over 500 confirmed kills during Winter war, which lasted only 105 days.
| Simo Häyhä | |
|---|---|
| File:Mestariampuja Simo Häyhä "Saharan kauhun" komppaniasta, SAKuva-9479.jpg Häyhä after being awarded the honorary rifle model 28. | |
| Nickname | White Death |
| Born | December 17, 1905 Rautjärvi, Finland, Russian Empire |
| Died | April 1, 2002 (aged 96) Hamina, Finland |
| Allegiance | 22x20px Finland |
| Years of service | 1925–1940 |
| Rank | Alikersantti (Corporal) during the Winter War, promoted to Vänrikki (Second Lieutenant) shortly afterward[1] |
| Unit | Infantry Regiment 34 |
| Battles/wars | Winter War |
| Awards | Cross of Liberty, 3rd class and 4th class; Medal of Liberty, 1st class and 2nd class; Cross of Kollaa Battle[1] |
Simo Häyhä spent his last years in Ruokolahti, a small village in southeastern Finland, near the Russian border. He died at the age of 96 in 2002.
Actor Steven Wiig portrayed Häyhä in the 2012 HBO docudrama Hemingway & Gellhorn. Sabaton also wrote a song about Häyhä.
Simo Häyhä Media
- Simo hayha joven.jpg
Häyhä in his Civil Guard uniform, c. 1922
- Simo Hayha.jpg
Häyhä in Kollaa on 17 February 1940, right after being awarded the honorary rifle.
- Kivääri 28-30 Suojeluskuntain Pystykorva.jpg
Finnish Mosin–Nagant M28-30 rifle. Unlike the Russian variant, it has improved iron sights.
- Simo hayha second lieutenant 1940.png
Häyhä after being promoted to second lieutenant in 1940. He was disfigured after being shot in the face by a Red Army soldier earlier that year.
The Kollaa and Simo Häyhä Museum in Miettilä, Rautjärvi, Finland
- Häyhä Simo 1961 (KUVKOSKN1787-4).jpg
After the war, Häyhä spent his free time hunting. Häyhä with his dog Kille in 1961.
- Simo Häyhä's grave.jpg
Häyhä's gravestone in the Ruokolahti Church graveyard, with the inscription: "Home – Religion – Fatherland"
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Lappalainen, Jukka-Pekka (6 December 2001) (in Finnish) (fee required). Kollaa kesti, niin myös Simo Häyhä. Helsinki. http://www.hs.fi/arkisto/artikkeli/Kollaa+kesti+niin+my%C3%B6s+Simo+H%C3%A4yh%C3%A4/HS20011206SI1HU01h8v?useToken=true. Retrieved 19 February 2011.[dead link]
- ↑ Rayment, Sean (30 April 2006). "The long view". The Daily Telegraph (London). https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1517044/The-long-view.html. Retrieved 30 March 2009.