Maria Ivanovna Lagunova, Mechanical driver of the T-34 tank of the 56th Guards Tank Brigade. Surprising as a legend, the fate of a girl tank driver from the village of Okonechnikovo Maria Lagunova (Marusya Lagunova) volunteered for the front and obtained an order from Kalinin to enroll her in tank driver training. Four months later, Marusya received a tank and found herself in the Kursk Bulge as part of a 56th tank brigade. The first battle. Marusya was an excellent tank driver. After that, there were still heavy and light fights. On 28 September 1943 she was seriously wounded. She woke up in hospital: both her legs were amputated. Maria Lagunova returned to her unit on prostheses.