Lauri Heino
Encyclopedia
Lauri A. Heino was a Finnish
soldier, awarded the Mannerheim Cross
(2nd class) on November 11, 1943. At the time, he held the rank of sergeant and was serving as a tank
driver in the 3rd Company, I Armoured Battalion of the Finnish Armoured Brigade.
Heino was the first foreign soldier to capture an intact Soviet T-34
tank and drive it.
Finland
Finland , officially the Republic of Finland, is a Nordic country situated in the Fennoscandian region of Northern Europe. It is bordered by Sweden in the west, Norway in the north and Russia in the east, while Estonia lies to its south across the Gulf of Finland.Around 5.4 million people reside...
soldier, awarded the Mannerheim Cross
Mannerheim Cross
The Mannerheim Cross of Liberty is the highest Finnish military decoration. The medal was introduced after the Winter War and named after Field Marshal Carl Gustaf Emil Mannerheim...
(2nd class) on November 11, 1943. At the time, he held the rank of sergeant and was serving as a tank
Tank
A tank is a tracked, armoured fighting vehicle designed for front-line combat which combines operational mobility, tactical offensive, and defensive capabilities...
driver in the 3rd Company, I Armoured Battalion of the Finnish Armoured Brigade.
Heino was the first foreign soldier to capture an intact Soviet T-34
T-34
The T-34 was a Soviet medium tank produced from 1940 to 1958. Although its armour and armament were surpassed by later tanks of the era, it has been often credited as the most effective, efficient and influential design of World War II...
tank and drive it.