Title: Junior Seargeant, Hero of the Soviet Union_x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces_x000D_ Subdivision: Panfilov 8th Guards Rifle Rezhitskaya Order of Lenin Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division _x000D_ Junior Sergeant Pyotr Dmitrievich Stemasov is the first Hero of the Soviet Union of the 316th Rifle Division. The Commander of the Radio Department of the 289th anti-tank Artillery Regiment of the 316th Rifle Division, Junior Sergeant Pyotr Stemasov in the battles near Moscow, provided radio communication of the battery with firing positions on October 25, 1941, replaced the out-of-order gunner and, together with the artillerymen, knocked out nine enemy tanks ... _x000D_ In the sector of the 1073rd Regiment of 316 Suvorov Division, the Nazi units broke through the defenses and made their way to join the tankers in Ostashevo. All the guns were already on alert. At two in the morning on October 25, the entire personnel of the 289th Regiment was raised to their feet. For half a day, the Spas-Ryukhov anti-tank area was grinding the fascist tanks. _x000D_ The fifth battery of Senior Lieutenant Belyakov, which discovered the enemy earlier than others, knocked out 11 tanks, Kapatsin's battery seventeen and the remaining batteries eighteen tanks. The battlefield was covered with smoke. Visibility has deteriorated. At the Kapatsyn battery, one gun was silent in the midst of hostilities. Kapatsyn sene Junior Seargeant Stemasov to clarify a combat situation. The gun carriage was covered with ground, and only the tractor driver Chobotov and the gunner Nerov survived. _x000D_ Stemasov, Chobotov and Neronov quickly dug up the gun carriage. The panorama was broken on the gun and the gunner ran to the spare. But the tanks were approaching, and they had to aim through the barrel. _x000D_ The first shot to test was fired at a haystack. The second time Stemasov aimed at the approaching tank, together with Chobotov, he again loaded the gun. A shot followed, “the tank shuddered, stopped and burst into flames.” _x000D_ Neronov returned with a spare panorama, the gun became fully operational. In a short time, the three of them knocked out seven tanks, but did not notice how a large group of enemy tanks from the side entered the rear. But even at these critical moments, Stemasov and his comrades were not at a loss. _x000D_ By the decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of November 9, 1941, for the exemplary fulfillment of combat missions of the command on the front of the struggle against the German enemy invaders, and the courage and heroism shown at the same time, Junior Sergeant Peter Dmitrievich Stemasov was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union with the award of the Order of Lenin and a medal " Golden Star". In 1945 he graduated from 2nd year of the Military Academy named after F.E.Dzerzhinsky, in 1948 from the Higher Officer Artillery School, and in 1954 from the courses for officers. _x000D_ Since 1960, Major P.D.Stemasov had been in reserve. He lived in the city of Vitebsk. Before leaving for a well-deserved retirement, he worked at a factory of electrical measuring instruments. Retired Colonel P.D. Stemasov passed away on November 18, 2000. Buried in Vitebsk. He was awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Patriotic War of 1st degree, the Red Star, "For Service to the Motherland in the Armed Forces of the USSR" of the 3rd degree, and medals. _x000D_ In the city of Vitebsk, a memorial plaque is installed on the house where the Hero lived.