This is a list of female Heroes of the Soviet Union; of the 12,777 people awarded the title, 95 were women, 49 of whom were posthumous recipients of the title.
Recipients
Soviet military personnel Name Unit Rank Date of award Notes References Валентина Гризодубова Flight "Rodina" Colonel Pilot-in-Command Cottam, Women in War, 3–10. Полина Осипенко Flight "Rodina" Major Co-pilot Cottam, Women in War, 11–15. Марина Раскова Flight "Rodina" Major Navigator Cottam, Women in War, 16–27. Екатерина Зеленко 135th Light Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant * Killed in action in unclear circumstances on 12 September 1941. Cottam, Women in War, 28–32. Раиса Аронова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 33–36. Вера Белик 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Lieutenant * Killed in action on 25 August 1944 after shot down by German fighter. Cottam, Women in War, 37–41. Татьяна Макарова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Lieutenant * Killed in action on 25 August 1944 after shot down by German fighter. Марина Чечнева 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 42–46. Руфина Гашева 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 47–50. Ольга Санфирова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Captain * Killed in action on 13 December 1944 after stepping on landmine when evacuating downed aircraft. Полина Гельман 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 51–54. Антонина Худякова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 55–56. Лариса Литвинова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Captain Cottam, Women in War, 57–59. Наталья Меклин 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 60–62. Евдокия Никулина 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 63–65. Евдокия Носаль 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Junior Lieutenant * Killed in action on 23 April 1943 when hit in the head by a piece of shrapnel from anti-aircraft fire. Cottam, Women in War, 66–69. Зоя Парфёнова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 70–73. Евдокия Пасько 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 74–76. Надежда Попова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Captain Cottam, Women in War, 77–80. Нина Распопова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 81–83. Евгения Руднева 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant * Killed in action on 9 April 1944 after plane was shot down from anti-aircraft warfare. Cottam, Women in War, 84–89. Екатерина Рябова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 90–95. Ирина Себрова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 96–100. Мария Смирнова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 101–104. Магуба Сыртланова 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 105–107. Нина Ульяненко 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 108–110. Евгения Жигуленко 46th Guards Night Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 111–114. Мария Долина 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 115–118. Галина Джунковская 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 119–121. Надежда Федутенко 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment Major Cottam, Women in War, 122–124. Клавдия Фомичёва 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment Lieutenant Colonel Cottam, Women in War, 125–127. Антонина Зубкова 125th Guards Dive Bomber Regiment Captain Cottam, Women in War, 128–131. Лидия Литвяк 73rd Guards Fighter Regiment Senior Lieutenant * Presumably killed in action on 1 August 1943 after crash; some think she may have survived and been a POW. Cottam, Women in War, 132–138. Тамара Константинова 566th Attack Aviation Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 139–141. Анна Егорова 805th Ground Attack Air Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 142–150. Татьяна Барамзина 252nd Rifle Regiment Corporal * Captured, tortured, and executed with an anti-tank rifle on 5 July 1944 after running out of ammunition while trying to protect trenches of wounded soldiers. Cottam, Women in War, 151–153. Елена Стемпковская 216th Rifle Regiment Junior Sergeant * Killed in action on 26 June 1942. Some accounts state that she was captured and tortured while others say she was killed in battle. Cottam, Women in War, 154–157. Маншук Маметова 21st Guards Rifle Division Senior Sergeant * Killed in action defending strategic bridgehead on 15 October 1943. Cottam, Women in War, 158–161. Нина Онилова 54th Rifle Regiment Senior Sergeant * Died of wounds on 8 March 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 162–167. Мария Батракова 463rd Rifle Regiment Junior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 168–170. Анна Никандрова 426th Rifle Regiment Senior Lieutenant * Killed in action while trying to take out machine-gun bunker on 23 June 1944. Cottam, Women in War, 171–172. Татьяна Костырина 691st Rifle Regiment Junior Sergeant * Killed in action on 22 November 1942. Cottam, Women in War, 173–174. Наталья Ковшова 528th Rifle Regiment Private * Killed in action after detonating grenades when fully surrounded by German troops on 14 August 1942. Cottam, Women in War, 175–179. Мария Поливанова 528th Rifle Regiment Private * Killed in action after detonating grenades when fully surrounded by German troops on 14 August 1942. Алия Молдагулова 54th Independent Rifle Brigade Corporal * Died of wounds on 14 January 1944 after shot in hand-to-hand combat Cottam, Women in War, 180–183. Людмила Павличенко 25th Rifle Division Major Cottam, Women in War, 184–188. Ирина Левченко 41st Tank Brigade Lieutenant Colonel Cottam, Women in War, 189–192. Мария Октябрьская 26th Guards Tank Brigade Senior Sergeant * Died of wounds after remaining in coma for two months after head injury on 15 March 1944. Cottam, Women in War, 193–196. Мария Байда 514th Rifle Regiment Senior Sergeant Cottam, Women in War, 197–200. Мария Боровиченко 32nd Guards Artillery Regiment Sergeant * Killed in action on 4 July 1943 after using body as human shield to protect colleague. Cottam, Women in War, 201–203. Валерия Гнаровская 907th Rifle Regiment Senior Medical NCO * Killed in action on 23 September 1943 after throwing self under tank with bag of grenades to protect hospital tent. Cottam, Women in War, 204–206. Вера Кащеева 120th Rifle Regiment Senior Lieutenant Cottam, Women in War, 207–208. Ксения Константинова 730th Rifle Regiment Senior Medical NCO * Captured, tortured and executed on 1 October 1943 after running out of ammunition while trying to protect injured soldiers. Cottam, Women in War, 209–211. Людмила Кравец 63rd Guards Rifle Regiment Senior Sergeant Cottam, Women in War, 212–213. Зинаида Маресева 214th Guards Rifle Regiment Senior Sergeant * Died of wounds on 6 August 1943 after using body as human shield to defend wounded soldiers from mortar attack. Cottam, Women in War, 214–215. Федора Пушина 520th Rifle Regiment Lieutenant * Died of wounds on 6 November 1943 shortly after rescuing numerous soldiers from burning hospital. Cottam, Women in War, 216–217. Зинаида Самсонова 667th Rifle Regiment Senior Sergeant * Killed in action on 27 January 1944 after shot by German sniper while attempting to rescue wounded soldier. Cottam, Women in War, 218–222. Мария Щербаченко 835th Rifle Regiment Senior NCO Cottam, Women in War, 223–224. Мария Шкарлетова 170th Guards Rifle Regiment Senior NCO Cottam, Women in War, 225–227. Зинаида Туснолобова-Марченко 849th Rifle Regiment Senior Medical NCO Cottam, Women in War, 228–231. Екатерина Михайлова-Дёмина 369th Independent Naval Infantry Battalion Chief Petty Officer Cottam, Women in War, 233–236. Галина Петрова 386th Independent Naval Infantry Battalion Chief Petty Officer Killed in action less than a month later on 4 December 1943. Cottam, Women in War, 237–239. Мария Цуканова 355th Independent Guards Naval Infantry Battalion Corporal * Killed in action on 14 August 1945. Cottam, Women in War, 240–242. Нина Гнилицкая 383rd Rifle Division Private * Killed in action on 10 December 1941. Cottam, Women in War, 244–247.
Soviet partisans Name Date of award Notes References Елизавета Чайкина * Captured and executed on 22 November 1941 Cottam, Women in War, 248–252. Елена Колесова * Killed in action on 11 September 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 253–259. Зоя Космодемьянская * Captured and executed on 29 November 1941 Cottam, Women in War, 260–264. Татьяна Мариненко * Captured and executed on 2 February 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 265–268. Анна Масловская Cottam, Women in War, 269–271. Мария Мельникайте * Captured and executed on 13 July 1943 Cottam, Women in War, 272–275. Антонина Петрова * Killed herself to avoid capture on 4 November 1941 Cottam, Women in War, 276–279. Лариса Ратушная * Murdered by a traitor in her unit on 18 March 1944 Cottam, Women in War, 280–283. Валентина Сафронова * Tortured to death by the Gestapo on 1 May 1943 Cottam, Women in War, 284–288. Леэн Кульман * Captured and executed on 6 March 1943 Cottam, Women in War, 289–291. Анна Лисицына * Killed in action on 3 August 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 292–295. Мария Мелентьева * Captured and executed in 1943 Анна Морозова * Killed in action in December 1944 Cottam, Women in War, 296–299. Анастасия Бисениек * Captured and executed in October 1943 Cottam, Women in War, 300–302. Дарья Дьяченко * Captured and executed on 2 April 1944 Cottam, Women in War, 303–304. Ульяна Громова * Captured and executed on 16 January 1943 Cottam, Women in War, 305–311. Любовь Шевцова * Captured and executed on 9 February 1943 Вера Хоружая * Captured and executed on 4 December 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 312–316. Мария Кисляк * Captured and executed on 18 June 1943 Cottam, Women in War, 317–319. Елена Мазаник Cottam, Women in War, 320–325. Мария Осипова Надежда Троян Клавдия Назарова * Captured and executed on 12 December 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 326–329. Зинаида Портнова * Captured and executed in January 1944 Cottam, Women in War, 330–332. Нина Соснина * Killed in action on 31 August 1943 Cottam, Women in War, 333–338. Елена Убийвовк * Captured and executed on 26 May 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 339–342. Надежда Волкова * Killed in action on 26 November 1942 Cottam, Women in War, 343–345. Ефросинья Зенькова Cottam, Women in War, 346–349.
Soviet cosmonauts Name Mission Date of award Notes References Валентина Терешкова Vostok 6 First woman in space Cottam, Women in War, xx. Светлана Савицкая Soyuz T-7 and Soyuz T-12 First woman to make a spacewalk
Foreign military personnel Name Country Unit Rank Date of award Notes References Poland "Emilia Plater" Independent Women's Battalion Private * Killed in action on 12 October 1943
Notes
References Cottam, Kazimiera J. Women in War and Resistance: Selected Biographies of Soviet Women Soldiers. Newburyport, Mass.: Focus Publishing/R. Pullins Company, 1998. .