Show amazing cases with people. The girl who faints when she laughs

In fact, at the time of the disappearance, Harold Holt (N8 from the list) was 59 years old and, according to friends, he complained of heart problems. And the area where he went swimming is famous for its strong and dangerous currents. It is not known exactly about the day of his disappearance, but on other days white sharks are found in local waters ... The fact that his body was not found does not mean that the person has disappeared, just in such cases they write "missing" in the criminal case.
- July 2, 1937 Amelia Earhart (N14 from the list) and her assault Fred Noonan took off from Lae - a small town on the coast of New Guinea, and headed for the small island of Howland, located in the central Pacific Ocean. This stage of the flight was the longest and most dangerous - after almost 18 hours of flight in the Pacific Ocean, finding an island that only slightly rises above the water was the most difficult task for navigation technology of the 30s. By order of President Roosevelt, an airstrip was built on Howland specifically for Earhart's flight. Officials and members of the press were waiting for the plane here, and the Itasca patrol ship of the Coast Guard was located off the coast, periodically maintaining radio contact with the aircraft, serving as a radio beacon and letting out a smoke signal as a visual reference. According to the report of the ship's commander, the connection was unstable, the plane was heard well from the ship, but Earhart did not respond to their questions (a receiver failure on the plane?). She said that the plane was in their area, they did not see the island, there was little gasoline, and she could not find the ship's radio signal. DF from the ship also did not bring success, since Earhart appeared on the air for a very short time. The last radio message received from her was: "We are on the line 157-337 ... I repeat ... I repeat ... we are moving along the line." Judging by the level of the signal, the plane should have appeared over Howland any minute, but it never appeared; there were no new radio transmissions ... In other words, the plane failed to establish contact with the ground, it may have been on an erroneous course, and flew past / did not see Howland, the fuel was running low and when it ran out, a forced landing was made on the water to which the aircraft was not adapted, with all the ensuing consequences.
By the way, in May 2013 it was announced (including Interfax) that the alleged wreckage of the aircraft was discovered by sonar on the ocean floor near the atoll in the Phoenix archipelago (my picture). And in this case, it turns out that the plane did not find a landing site and, following the course, flew into the ocean until the fuel ran out ...

The story of the most amazing cases in history, when people managed to survive despite the fact that it is absolutely impossible to escape in such a situation.

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People fell out of the plane without a parachute, fell from a height of several kilometers, and at the same time remained alive. You say that this is impossible? See for yourself. The most amazing cases of people surviving during accidents and malfunctions in the sky.

Captain behind the windshield

25 years ago, on June 10, 1990, Tim Lancaster, captain of a BAC 1-11 Series 528FL airliner, survived an extended stay outside his aircraft at an altitude of about 5,000 meters.

Wearing a seat belt is important not only for motorists: the commander of the British Airways BAC 1-11 aircraft, Tim Lancaster, certainly remembered this elementary safety rule forever after June 10, 1990.

While flying the plane at an altitude of 5273 meters, Tim Lancaster relaxed his seat belt. Shortly thereafter, the windshield of the airliner burst. The captain immediately flew out through the opening, and he was pressed with his back to the fuselage of the aircraft from the outside.

Lancaster's legs got stuck between the helm and control panel, and the cockpit door torn off by the air current landed on the radio and navigation panel, shattering it.

Flight attendant Nigel Ogden, who was in the cockpit, did not lose his head and firmly grabbed the captain's legs. The co-pilot was able to land the plane only after 22 minutes, all this time the captain of the aircraft was outside.

The flight attendant holding Lancaster believed that he was dead, but did not let go, as he was afraid that the body would get into the engine and it would burn out, reducing the chances of the liner for a safe landing.

After landing, it turned out that Tim was alive, doctors diagnosed him with bruises, as well as fractures of his right hand, a finger on his left hand and his right wrist. Five months later, Lancaster again sat at the helm.

Steward Nigel Ogden escaped with a dislocated shoulder, frostbite on his face and left eye.

Wing mechanic

When on May 27, 1995, during tactical maneuvers, the MiG-17 got stuck in the mud after leaving the runway, ground service mechanic Pyotr Gorbanev and his comrades rushed to the rescue.

Together, the plane was pushed onto the GDP. Freed from the mud, the MiG began to quickly pick up speed and a minute later soared into the air, “grabbing” the mechanic, who was bent around the front of the wing by the air flow.

Gaining altitude, the fighter pilot felt that the car was behaving strangely. Looking around, he saw a foreign object on the wing. The flight took place at night, and therefore it was not possible to consider it. It was advised to shake off the “foreign object” from the ground by maneuvering.

And at that moment, the silhouette on the wing seemed to the pilot very similar to a person, so he asked for permission to land. The fighter landed at 23:27, having spent about half an hour in the air.

All this time, Gorbanev spent in consciousness on the wing of the interceptor - he was firmly held by the oncoming air flow. After landing, it turned out that the mechanic got off with a strong fright and a fracture of two ribs.

Jump from 7 thousand meters without a parachute

In January 1942, navigator Ivan Chisov flew out to bombard German troops in the area of ​​Vyazma station. Their link was attacked by the Messerschmites, who soon knocked out Ivan's bomber. It was necessary to leave the burning plane, but the Germans finished off our pilots in the air, so Ivan decided to go down with a long jump.

However, when the time came to open the parachute, the navigator lost consciousness. As a result, he collapsed from a height of 7000 meters (according to other sources - from 7600) onto the slope of a huge snowdrift, and then slid along the snowy slope of the ravine for a long time.

When Chisov was found, he was conscious, but received several serious fractures. After recovery, Ivan became a teacher at the navigation school.

Do not get a single scratch by jumping from a height of 5 thousand meters

The unique case that happened to 21-year-old Sergeant Nicholas Stephen Alcaid on March 24, 1944 is officially documented.

During a raid on Germany, his bomber was set on fire by German fighters. It so happened that the flames destroyed Nicholas's parachute as well. Not wanting to die in the fire, the sergeant jumped out of the plane, believing that he would die faster this way.

From a height of 5500 meters, the guy collapsed onto pine branches, and then into soft snow and lost consciousness. When Alcade woke up, he noted with surprise that not a single bone was broken.

Looking at the stars above his head, the sergeant took out a cigarette and lit it. Soon the Gestapo discovered him. The Germans were so amazed by what had happened that they even gave him a certificate confirming this miraculous rescue.

Meeting with Paul McCartney after a successful fall from a height of 10 thousand meters

Incredible Facts

As you know, the true nature of a person is known only when he is driven into a corner.

There are many people in history whose stories and deeds we admire, and also wonder how they managed to cope with incredibly difficult situations.

In many cases, they were helped by courage and courage, the ability to think soberly and choose the right plan of action.

Some of them were able to survive the ordeal only thanks to willpower and steadfastness.

Real stories of real people

Leonid Rogozov

1. In 1961, Soviet doctor Leonid Rogozov removed his inflamed appendix. He was the only doctor at a remote research station in Antarctica and thanks to the operation he was able to survive.

When 27-year-old doctor Leonid Rogozov was placed in the new Antarctic colony, he came down with severe pain and classic symptoms of appendicitis. He knew that the only way out for him would be an operation, but since there was no transport due to a snowstorm, and he was the only doctor on the base, he had to operate himself.

Several people assisted him as he calmly and concentratedly performed the operation. Every five Rogozov took a break to recover from weakness and dizziness.

It took him 1 hour and 45 minutes to perform the operation, which he did while looking at his reflection in the mirror. The doctor recovered after a few weeks and went back to work.

Miyamoto Musashi

2. Miyamoto Musashi - Japanese swordsman of the 17th century was twice late for fights and defeated both opponents. For his next duel, he decided not to be late and arrived early, ambushing those who ambushed him.

After the war between the Toyotomi and Tokugawa clans in 1600, a young 20-year-old youth Musashi began a series of duels against the Yoshioka school. He was able to defeat Yoshioka Seijiro, the master of the Yoshioka school, with one blow. Seijiro handed over leadership of the school to his brother Yoshioka Denshichiro, who also challenged Musashi to a duel, but was defeated, leaving 12-year-old Yoshioka Matashichiro as the master.

This angered the Yoshioka family so much that they ambushed him with archers, musketeers, and swordsmen. However, this time Musashi decided to arrive much earlier than the appointed time and hid. He unexpectedly attacked the enemy and killed him, ending the Yoshioka family.

Roy Benavidez

3. Master Sergeant Roy Benavidez fought for 6 hours, receiving 37 stab wounds and a broken jaw, and his eyes were swollen with blood. He was declared dead, but when the doctor tried to seal him in a black bag, the man spat in his face.

In 1965, Benavidez was hit by a mine in southern Vietnam and was evacuated to the United States, where doctors said he would no longer be able to walk. However, after several months of persistent practice, he began to walk again. Despite constant pain, the sergeant returned to Vietnam on May 2, 1968, after hearing a call for help from a captured SWAT team.

Armed with one knife and an orderly's bag, he went by helicopter to rescue people. He repelled attacks and helped save the lives of at least 8 people, but he himself was already considered dead. They put a bag in him, and when the doctor tried to zip it up, Benavidez spat in his face.

Harald III the Severe

4. Harald III the Severe - a Viking who was forced to leave his native Norway and flee to Russia, became an elite guard in the Eastern Roman Empire and fought in Iraq. He then returned to Russia, married a princess, and returned to Norway as king, taking over England with his army.

When Harald was 15 years old, he fought with his brother Olaf in the battle for the Norwegian throne, which he lost to the Danish king Canute the Great. However, they lost the battle and were forced to leave the country after spending 15 years in Kievan Rus and in the Varangian guards in the Byzantine Empire.

In 1042 he returned from Byzantium and began a campaign to regain the Norwegian throne. He became an ally of Sven II, the nephew of the king of Denmark, with whom he became co-ruler of Norway and sole ruler after Sven's death. Harald unsuccessfully claimed the throne of Denmark until 1064 and the throne of England in 1066. His death at the Battle of Stamford Bridge for the throne of England is considered the end of the Viking Age, and he is considered the last great Viking.

Thomas Baker

5. Being wounded, soldier Thomas Baker ordered his detachment to leave himself near a tree with a pistol and 8 rounds of ammunition. Later, when Baker was found in the same place with an empty pistol, 8 dead Japanese soldiers lay around him.

During World War II, between June 19 and July 7, Thomas Baker displayed exceptional courage. He voluntarily ran with a bazooka 90 meters from the enemy, and under gunfire.

On July 7, Baker was badly wounded when the perimeter he was within was surrounded by Japanese soldiers.

Refusing to evacuate, he asked his friends to lean him against a tree with a pistol, in the clip of which there were 8 rounds. When he was later found dead, the gun was empty and 8 dead Japanese soldiers lay nearby.

Interesting stories from people's lives

Jesse Arbogast

6. In 2001, 8-year-old Jesse Arbogast was attacked by a 2-meter six-gill shark, which tore off his arm. His uncle, hearing the noise, dragged the shark out of the ocean onto the shore while the shark was still holding the child's severed arm. Luckily, surgeons were later able to reattach the arm.

Jesse Arbogast was on the Pensacola coast in Florida with his uncle Vance Flossenzier when the accident happened.

The first thing his uncle did was pull the shark out of the ocean and return his nephew's hand. Luckily, the surgeons were able to successfully reattach the boy's hand.

Jeanne de Clisson

7. Frenchwoman Jeanne de Clisson became a pirate in the 14th century in retaliation for her husband's beheading. She sold her lands and bought 3 ships, painting them black. She attacked French ships and dealt with sailors, beheading them with her own hand with an ax.

It all started when the French authorities, with whom Cleesoon had once defended Brittany from England, began to doubt his allegiance. He was captured and tried for treason on the orders of King Philip VI. Clisson was beheaded and his head was sent to Nantes for public display.

Enraged by the execution of her husband, Jeanne became a pirate and for 13 years killed all the French she met on the way, even after the death of King Philip VI. Due to her ruthlessness, she was called the "Breton Lioness".

Later, Jeanne fell in love with an English nobleman, married and began to lead a quiet life.

Peter Freuchen

8. Arctic explorer Peter Freuchen made a chisel out of his own frozen excrement to free himself from an avalanche. In addition, he amputated his frozen fingers with an ax without anesthesia.

Once, having decided to hide from a snowstorm in a snowdrift, Peter Freuchen found himself trapped in a block of snow and ice. For many hours he tried to get out of the snowdrift, digging out the snow with his bare hands and a frozen bearskin. He almost gave up, but then remembered that dog poop can freeze and become hard as stone.

He decided to experiment with his own feces and made a chisel out of them, patiently breaking through a snowdrift. Returning to the camp, he found that his feet were frostbite and gangrene had set in. He amputated his toes with forceps without taking a drop of alcohol to relieve the pain.

The strongest man in history

Charles Rigoulo

9. French weightlifter Charles Rigoulo was imprisoned for hitting a Nazi officer, but he managed to escape from prison by bending the bars.

Charles Rigoulo was a French weightlifter, professional wrestler, racing driver and actor. He won a gold medal in weightlifting during the 1924 Summer Olympics and set 10 world records between 1923 and 1926.

In 1923, he began working as a strongman in the circus, and he was called "the strongest man in the world." During World War II, he was imprisoned for hitting a Nazi officer, but he escaped from prison by bending the bars, allowing himself and other prisoners to escape.

Jesus Garcia

10. In 1907, Mexican railroad conductor Jesús Garcia saved the entire city of Nacosari, Sonora, by sending a burning dynamite train 6 kilometers from the city before it exploded.

Jesus Garcia was a railroad conductor between Nakozari, Sonora, and Douglas in Arizona. On November 7, 1907, sparks from the house chimney began to be attributed to the composition of the train, where there was dynamite.

Garcia made an immediate decision and took the train in the opposite direction 6 km from the city before it exploded. He died in the explosion and the city was named Nacosari de Garcia after him.

Joseph Bolitho Jones

11. A man named Joseph Bolitho Jones, or Mundine Joe as he was called, escaped from an Australian prison so often that the police had to build a special cell for him. However, he also escaped from it.

Joseph Bolitho Jones was arrested several times in the middle of the 19th century. In 1848, he was arrested for stealing 3 loaves of bread, a piece of bacon, several pieces of cheese, and other foodstuffs from the house. By his behavior, he so angered the judge that he sent him to prison for 10 years.

John was imprisoned several more times before he turned 55, but he always managed to escape. Even when he was put in a separate cell, he escaped from it. To this day, every first Sunday in May, the city of Tudyei celebrates the Mundine festival in honor of the fugitive.

Amazing people in history

Barry Marshall

12. Dr. Barry Marshall was convinced that the bacterium H. pylori caused stomach ulcers, but no one believed him. Since it was forbidden by law to test his theory on people, he infected himself with a bacterium, and then cured himself with antibiotics and received the Nobel Prize.

Barry Marshall worked at the Royal Perth Hospital with Robert Warren, who was studying the spiral bacterium and its association with gastritis. They assumed that Helicobacter pylori causes ulcers and stomach cancer. But the theory was not supported by the medical community, as it was believed that the bacterium could not survive in such an acidic environment.

Convinced that he was right, Marshall drank the culture of the bacterium, expecting symptoms to appear within a few years. However, after only three days, he developed nausea and halitosis, and vomiting after 5-8 days. After testing, the marshal began taking antibiotics, which improved his condition. He later received the Nobel Prize for his discovery.

Zheng Yi Xiao

13. The most successful pirate in history was Zheng Yi Xiao, a Chinese prostitute. She commanded 80,000 sailors and the largest fleet, and therefore the government was forced to offer her a truce. Having retired from piracy with the loot, she opened a gambling den, which she kept until her death.

The Chinese pirate Zheng married a prostitute in 1801. In turn, she agreed to marry on the condition that she would share power and wealth with him. After Zheng died, Zheng Yi Xiao took over the reins of power, but knowing that the pirates were unlikely to listen to the instructions of a woman, she appointed Zhang Bao as the ship's deputy captain.

Zheng Yi Xiao was in charge of affairs and military strategy, set the pirate code, and oversaw the growing number of pirates. She repelled all attacks by the Chinese fleet until they changed tactics and offered amnesty to the pirates in exchange for peace.

Khutulun

14. The Mongolian princess Khutulun declared that any man who wants to marry her must defeat her in a fight and give up his horses if he loses. She won 10,000 horses by defeating potential suitors.

Khutulun, born in 1260, was the daughter of the most powerful ruler in Central Asia, Khaidu. She helped her father in many battles, and he himself considered her his favorite and always consulted with her and sought her support.

Kaidu tried to appoint her as his successor before his death, but his brothers and relatives would not allow it. Marco Polo described Khutulun as a magnificent warrior who could break into the ranks of the enemy and grab a prisoner like a chicken hawk.

Hugh Glass

15. In 1823, an American fur hunter, Hugh Glass, was attacked by a grizzly bear, whom he killed with a knife, while being 320 km from the nearest settlement.

He treated his wounds by allowing the worms to eat the infected flesh to prevent gangrene. With a broken leg, he crawled to the river to make a raft and get to Fort Kiowa. The whole journey took him 6 weeks.

Based on the story of Hugh Glass, the film "The Revenant" with Leonardo DiCaprio was made. Hugh Glass came across a grizzly bear and two of her cubs, and she immediately attacked him. Glass was badly mauled and seriously injured, but was able to kill the she-bear with the help of his comrades.

When he passed out, two of his partners decided to stay behind to wait for him to die and bury him.

But when they were attacked by an Indian tribe, they fled, leaving Glass without weapons and equipment.

When he regained consciousness, he found that everyone had abandoned him, he had festering wounds, and deep wounds on his back exposed his ribs. Despite everything that happened, Glass was able to survive and get to the nearest settlement.

Michael Malloy

16. In 1933, five acquaintances of homeless alcoholic Michael Malloy plotted to take three insurance policies on the poor man and drink him to death.

When that didn't kill him, they decided to replace the alcohol with antifreeze, then turpentine, horse salve, and even mixed rat poison into the alcohol. Then they tried poisoned oysters and sardines on him, and none of them killed him. After several more attempts, they finally managed to kill him by placing a hose in his mouth and releasing the gas.

But that wasn't all he experienced. When the crooks realized that it was impossible to poison him, they decided to freeze him to death. After drinking him unconscious, they took him outside at a temperature of -26°C and poured 19 liters of water on his chest. The next day he showed up as if nothing had happened.

The next time they decided to hit him with a car at a speed of 72 km per hour. Although it broke his bones, Michael was soon released from the hospital. When he reappeared at the bar, the criminals made one last attempt, and this time successfully.

The police later exhumed the corpse and found out the cause of death of the poor fellow, and five criminals were executed in the electric chair.

Gordon Cooper

17. During the last manned flight on an automatically controlled spacecraft Faith 7 technical problems arose, forcing astronaut Gordon Cooper to take manual control.

Using his knowledge of the stars and a wrist watch, he orientated the spacecraft and landed just 6 km from the rescue ship in the Pacific Ocean.

All spacecraft flights under the NASA Mercury program were controlled automatically, including the Faith 7, piloted by Gordon Cooper. The automatic mode was considered a controversial engineering decision, which reduced the role of an astronaut to a simple passenger.

By the end of the mission, the spacecraft had technical problems, but the mission was saved thanks to Cooper's guidance.

stories of great people

Ernest Hemingway

18. Ernest Hemingway survived anthrax, pneumonia, dysentery, diabetes, hypertension, two plane crashes that resulted in a ruptured kidney and liver, a crushed skull, second-degree burns, and numerous other accidents.

The famous writer, journalist and Nobel laureate Ernest Hemingway went on a safari to Africa after the publication of the book "The Old Man and the Sea" and was in a serious plane crash, where he was seriously injured.

As Hemingway recovered from the consequences, he received the Nobel Prize in Literature.

He was later placed in a psychiatric clinic in an attempt to treat him with electric shocks. Ultimately, in 1961, the writer committed suicide by shooting himself with his own gun.

Simo Häyhä

19. A sniper known as Simo Häyhä killed 505 soldiers during the Finnish-Soviet War without a telescopic sight in temperatures ranging from -40 0 C to -20 0 C. His face was disfigured after being hit by an explosive bullet, but he survived and lived to be 96 years old.

Simo Häyhä joined the Finnish army when he was 20 years old and soon became an expert in marksmanship. He served as a sniper against the Red Army during the Soviet-Finnish War.

Häyhä killed more than 505 soldiers, although the exact number is a matter of dispute. However, in 1940, a Soviet soldier still hit a sniper. An explosive bullet hit him in the left cheek, disfiguring him. Despite everything, Simo lived a long life, living to the age of 96.

Thomas Fitzpatrick

20. In 1956, Thomas Fitzpatrick, in a state of intoxication, made a bet, stole a plane and flew from New Jersey to New York, landing in front of a bar. In 1958, he again stole a plane and landed in front of the university building, as the bartender did not believe that he had done it.

Thomas Fitzpatrick was a sailor during the Korean War and also an American pilot. In a drunken deal, he stole a plane from the Teterboro School of Aeronautics in New Jersey and flew it to New York in 15 minutes.

The next time, in 1958, he did the same, hijacking a plane and landing in front of a private university.

Cliff Young

21. In 1983, a 61-year-old farmer ran a marathon from Sydney to Melbourne. He became the first and was able to run 875 km 10 hours faster than his closest pursuers. While the others were sleeping, he set a record, beating the previous record by 2 days.

Australian farmer Cliff Young won the 875km Sydney to Melbourne super marathon. Young ran at a slow pace, well behind the leaders of the race on the first day.

However, he continued to run and did so even when the others were sleeping, eventually overtaking the best runners, he became a national hero. Young received a $10,000 prize, but gave it away to other athletes, saying he did not know the prize existed and that he did not participate for the money.

Molly Schuyler

22. In January 2014, Molly Schuyler, who weighs 56 kg, won a prize in an eating contest by eating 363 chicken wings. The next day, she won another pancake and bacon eating contest by eating over 2kg of bacon in 3 minutes. In 2015, she was able to eat three 2kg steaks in 20 minutes, breaking her own record and that of the restaurant.

Molly Schuyler has become the winner of many eating competitions. In August 2012, she competed in the Stellanator by eating a sandwich with 6 hamburger patties, 6 eggs, 6 slices of cheese, 6 slices of bacon with fried onions, jalapenos, lettuce, tomatoes, pickled cucumbers, two buns and mayonnaise. In the same year, she tried to master the Goliath burger, which included more than 2 kg of various products.

In 2015, she participated in many competitions and set a record by eating a 1.8 kg sandwich and 500 grams of potato balls in 2 minutes 55 seconds, and in another competition, 2.2 kg of bacon in 5 minutes.

James Harrison

23. James Harrison, who underwent a major operation at the age of 14, when he needed 13 liters of blood. He decided myselfbecome a donor when he is 18 years old.

It turned out that his blood contains very strong antibodies that help solve the problem of incompatibility of the Rh factor in mother and child. He has donated blood more than 1,000 times and has helped save the lives of more than 2.4 million children, including his own daughter.

Harrison became a blood donor in 1954 when doctors discovered that his blood contained strong antibodies against the D antigen (RhD). Thanks to his donation, thousands of children were saved from hemolytic disease of the newborn.

The unique properties of his blood are considered so important that his life was insured for a million dollars.

Also, based on samples of his blood, they created a commercial Anti-D immunoglobulin vaccine, known as RhoGAM.

We are constantly confronted with amazing stories about people who survived in situations where it would seem impossible to survive. These incredible cases teach us that self-confidence and a positive attitude can sometimes be enough to emerge unscathed (or recoverable, at least) from the most critical situations.

Model whose body is supported by 11 metal rods
Charming model Katrina Burgess survived a car accident that broke her neck, back and ribs, damaged her pelvis, punctured her lungs and caused a host of other injuries. Katrina's car drove off the highway at over 100 km/h into a roadside ditch.

Her body is held together by 11 metal rods and countless screws, which is sure to give her some trouble getting through metal detectors at airports.

The day after the accident, doctors inserted a rod into the girl's left thigh from her foot to her knee. It is held on by 4 titanium studs. A week later, 6 horizontal rods appeared in Katrina's body, which should support her spine. A week later, a titanium screw attached Katrina's neck to her spine.

Katrina Burgess was able to live without pain medication only 5 months after the accident. Today Katrina Burgess is a famous model.

Climber who cut off his hand
Aaron Lee Ralston, born 1975 a mechanical engineer by profession and a climber by vocation, he was forced to amputate his right arm, which was clamped by a boulder, in order to free himself.

The accident occurred in Utah (USA), in April 2003, while climbing in the Canyonlands National Park. A 300-kilogram boulder fell on the climber's right hand and pinched it. Going to the ascent, Ralston did not tell anyone about his plans and route, so he knew that no one would look for him.

For 4 days Aaron lay by the rock. Then he ran out of water and had to drink his own urine. Aaron carved his name into the canyon wall (with the date of his supposed death) and made a farewell note on the camera phone. Based on the autobiographical book, the Oscar-winning film "127 Hours" was shot.

Then the realization came that there was nothing to lose and the climber decided to fight. Aaron with a sharp movement tried to remove his hand from under the stone. But in doing so, he broke his arm. With a blunt knife, he cut the skin, muscles and tendons, thus separating the arm from his body. After that, Aaron was able to descend from the 20-meter wall and began his journey to salvation. Fortunately, he met tourists, they fed and watered Aaron, and also called rescuers who took the climber to the hospital and found a severed hand. The hand was later cremated.
In the photo: a stone that pressed the hand of climber Aron Lee Ralston

Some time later, Aaron Lee Ralston wrote the book "In a stalemate", in which he described what happened to him. He continues to climb, is married and has a child.

Mexican revolutionary who survived the execution
The Mexican Revolution is an armed conflict that lasted 7 years (from 1900 to 1907). March 18, 1915 Wenceslao Moguel, who fought on the side of the revolutionaries, was captured and sentenced to death without any trial. The revolutionary was placed against the wall, a volley of firing platoon was heard. Wenceslao received 9 bullet wounds, including one from a control shot fired at point blank range by an officer in the head.

The soldiers left, rightly deciding that the revolutionary was dead. But Wenceslao woke up, was able to get to his own, and after that lived a long restless life. But a photo of Wenceslao Moguel in 1937 shows the scar left by a control shot on an NBC show called Believe it or Not?

Woman giving birth during brain surgery
24-year-old resident of Yekaterinburg (Russia) Yulia Shumakova was taken to hospital in critical condition after she returned from work and suddenly lost consciousness. Julia was 32 weeks pregnant. The examination revealed a seal in her brain, which was the cause of the attack. The patient was given a disappointing diagnosis, with such a disease people die in 96% of cases without even reaching the hospital. The doctors decided to perform brain surgery and at the same time perform a caesarean section. There were practically no chances. But, to the surprise of the relatives of the patient and the doctors themselves, both the mother and the child were able to survive.

Music teacher who survived many accidents
Croatian music teacher Frank Selak is possibly the luckiest person in the world. The train Frank was on derailed and fell into the icy water. His bus overturned. The door of the plane on which the teacher was flying was blown off. Two cars burned down while Frank Selak was driving.

In addition to everything, during a trip along a mountain road, Frank lost control and his car fell into an abyss. The driver himself at the same time fell on a branched tree and watched the flight of his car another 100 meters down and its explosion. It would seem quite enough to simply survive all these misfortunes, but Frank Selak also won $ 1 million in the lottery.

Man nearly cut in half by train
This accident happened in June 2006 to Truman Duncan, a rail yard switchman in Cleburne, Texas. He was riding a handcar to the repair dock, but he slipped and fell on the front wheels. Truman struggled to keep himself from falling onto the rails under the wheels of the handcar, but was instead pinned between the wheels of the wagon bogie.

In this position, the trolley dragged him 25 meters, cutting the switchman's body almost in half. He was able to call 911 and waited for help for 45 minutes. Truman underwent 23 surgeries and lost his right and left legs, pelvis, and left kidney.

Woman who survived a plane crash due to lightning
What do you think is more life-threatening: getting struck by lightning, falling out of an airplane, or wading through the rainforest for 9 days with numerous injuries? High school student Juliana Koepke went through all these misfortunes and stayed alive. On December 24, 1971, LANSA flight 508 (Peru) was caught in a thunderstorm and struck by lightning. At that moment, the plane was above the tropical forest at an altitude of 3 kilometers. The plane broke into pieces.

A row of seats, to one of which Juliana was fastened, collapsed into the forest 3 kilometers from the main accident site. The remaining 92 people on that ill-fated flight died. The girl herself claimed that a row of seats in the fall rotated like a helicopter blade, which probably slowed down the speed of the fall, in addition, the seats fell into the dense crowns of trees.

After a fall from a height of 3 kilometers, Juliana's collarbone was broken, her arm was badly scratched, her right eye was swollen from the impact, her whole body was covered with bruises and scratches. But, fortunately, there were no injuries that prevented movement. Trust in God, but don't make a mistake yourself! Juliana's father was a biologist, she repeatedly visited the jungle with him and had an idea how to survive in the forest and get out of it. Juliana was able to get food for herself, then she found a stream and went down its course, hoping in this way to get to the river, where you can meet people. After 9 days, she came across fishermen who saved the girl.

The case of Juliana Koepke formed the basis of two films. Julian herself, after her adventure, did not turn away from wildlife and became a zoologist.

Earthquake victim spent 27 days under rubble
Khaleed Hussain, a 20-year-old farm worker, was buried alive under the rubble of his home in the October 8, 2005 earthquake. Wooden and brick fragments clamped him in a very uncomfortable position, only his hands could move a little. Both hands continued to make involuntary digging movements even after his rescue, which makes it possible to understand what horror the person buried alive experienced. Khalid was accidentally discovered only on November 10, that is, almost a month after the earthquake. His right leg was broken in several places.

A child with a rare tumor who happened to be born twice
Keri McCartney was 4 months pregnant when doctors discovered a dangerous tumor the size of a grapefruit on the baby's body that interfered with the baby's blood circulation and weakened his heart. The doctors decided to try to save the child.

Doctors at the Texas Children’s Fetal Center (USA) opened up the mother’s womb and removed the fetus halfway to remove the tumor. The operation was performed very quickly, after which the fetus was placed back. The baby survived and the next 10 weeks of Keri's pregnancy were uneventful.

In due time, Keri McCartney gave birth to a daughter, who became a twice-born child.

Airplane passengers who lived in the winter mountains for 72 days after it crashed
Uruguayan Airlines Flight 571 (also known as the "Miracle in the Andes" and "The Catastrophe in the Andes") crashed in the Andes on October 13, 1972. There were 45 people on board, including rugby players, their families and friends. 10 people died immediately, the rest had to survive for 72 days in the mountains with little or no food and warm clothes.

The surviving people were forced to eat the meat of the dead, it was well preserved in the cold. Only 16 passengers managed to beat death, the rest died from hunger and an avalanche.

After the surviving passengers of Flight 571 heard on the radio that their search had been terminated, two of them, without mountain equipment, clothes and food, went for help and 12 days later came across people. The surviving passengers were rescued on December 23, 1972. A book was written and a movie made about the heroism and will to live of the passengers of Flight 571.

Captain behind the windshield
25 years ago, on June 10, 1990, Tim Lancaster, captain of a BAC 1-11 Series 528FL airliner, survived an extended stay outside his aircraft at an altitude of about 5,000 meters. Wearing a seat belt is important not only for motorists: the commander of the British Airways BAC 1-11 aircraft, Tim Lancaster, certainly remembered this elementary safety rule forever after June 10, 1990.

While flying the plane at an altitude of 5273 meters, Tim Lancaster relaxed his seat belt. Shortly thereafter, the windshield of the airliner burst. The captain immediately flew out through the opening, and he was pressed with his back to the fuselage of the aircraft from the outside. Lancaster's legs got stuck between the helm and control panel, and the cockpit door torn off by the air current landed on the radio and navigation panel, shattering it. Flight attendant Nigel Ogden, who was in the cockpit, did not lose his head and firmly grabbed the captain's legs. The co-pilot was able to land the plane only after 22 minutes, all this time the captain of the aircraft was outside. The flight attendant holding Lancaster believed that he was dead, but did not let go, as he was afraid that the body would get into the engine and it would burn out, reducing the chances of the liner for a safe landing.

After landing, it turned out that Tim was alive, doctors diagnosed him with bruises, as well as fractures of his right hand, a finger on his left hand and his right wrist. Five months later, Lancaster again sat at the helm. Steward Nigel Ogden escaped with a dislocated shoulder, frostbite on his face and left eye.

Wing mechanic
When on May 27, 1995, during tactical maneuvers, the MiG-17 got stuck in the mud after leaving the runway, ground service mechanic Pyotr Gorbanev and his comrades rushed to the rescue. Together, the plane was pushed onto the GDP. Freed from the mud, the MiG began to quickly pick up speed and a minute later soared into the air, “grabbing” the mechanic, who was bent around the front of the wing by the air flow.

Gaining altitude, the fighter pilot felt that the car was behaving strangely. Looking around, he saw a foreign object on the wing. The flight took place at night, and therefore it was not possible to consider it. It was advised to shake off the “foreign object” from the ground by maneuvering. And at that moment, the silhouette on the wing seemed to the pilot very similar to a person, so he asked for permission to land. The fighter landed at 23:27, having spent about half an hour in the air. All this time, Gorbanev spent in consciousness on the wing of the interceptor - he was firmly held by the oncoming air flow. After landing, it turned out that the mechanic got off with a strong fright and a fracture of two ribs.

Jump from 7 thousand meters without a parachute
In January 1942, navigator Ivan Chisov flew out to bombard German troops in the area of ​​Vyazma station. Their link was attacked by the Messerschmites, who soon knocked out Ivan's bomber. It was necessary to leave the burning plane, but the Germans finished off our pilots in the air, so Ivan decided to go down with a long jump.

However, when the time came to open the parachute, the navigator lost consciousness. As a result, he collapsed from a height of 7000 meters (according to other sources - from 7600) onto the slope of a huge snowdrift, and then slid along the snowy slope of the ravine for a long time. When Chisov was found, he was conscious, but received several serious fractures. After recovery, Ivan became a teacher at the navigation school.

Do not get a single scratch by jumping from a height of 5 thousand meters
The unique case that happened to 21-year-old Sergeant Nicholas Stephen Alcaid on March 24, 1944 is officially documented. During a raid on Germany, his bomber was set on fire by German fighters. It so happened that the flames destroyed Nicholas's parachute as well. Not wanting to die in the fire, the sergeant jumped out of the plane, believing that he would die faster this way.

From a height of 5500 meters, the guy collapsed onto pine branches, and then into soft snow and lost consciousness. When Alcade woke up, he noted with surprise that not a single bone was broken. Looking at the stars above his head, the sergeant took out a cigarette and lit it. Soon the Gestapo discovered him. The Germans were so amazed by what had happened that they even gave him a certificate confirming this miraculous rescue.

Meeting with Paul McCartney after a successful fall from a height of 10 thousand meters
This female flight attendant set the record for surviving a fall from a great height - more than 10,000 meters. The then 22-year-old girl got on the ill-fated flight JAT 367 by mistake - Vesna Nikolic was supposed to fly, but the airline messed up something, and Vesna Vulovich went on the flight. At an altitude of about 10,000 meters, an improvised explosive device allegedly went off in the plane, and the cockpit was torn off from the main body. The wreckage of the aircraft landed on snow-covered pine trees, which likely softened the fall.

The girl was lucky that she was discovered by a local peasant, Bruno Honke, who worked during World War II in a German hospital and knew how to provide medical care. The girl's injuries were serious, but she survived: Vesna spent 27 days in a coma and 16 months in the hospital.

In 1985, her case was recorded in the Guinness Book of Records as the highest jump without a parachute. And the corresponding certificate Vulovich was presented by her idol Paul McCartney.

75 rub. for a life
The name of Larisa Savitskaya was included in the Russian edition of the Guinness Book of Records as the only person who survived a fall from a height of 5200 m, and as the person who received the minimum amount of compensation for physical damage - 75 rubles. The plane crash happened in August 1981. A 20-year-old student was returning with her husband to Blagoveshchensk from a honeymoon and accidentally sat in the tail of the plane, although she had tickets to the middle of the cabin. At the time of the An-24 passenger collision with the Tu-16 military bomber, which occurred due to an error by the dispatchers, Larisa was sleeping.

Waking up from a strong blow, she felt a burn, as the temperature dropped sharply to -30 ° C. When the fuselage broke, Savitskaya ended up on the floor in the aisle, but managed to get up, run to the chair and squeeze into it, before “her” fragment glided onto a birch grove. After landing, she was unconscious for several hours. Waking up, she saw the body of her husband and, despite grief, broken ribs, arms, concussion and spinal injuries, began to fight for life.
In the photo: Larisa Savitskaya with her husband Vladimir

From the wreckage of the plane, she built herself a semblance of a hut to escape the rains, warmed herself with seat covers and covered herself with mosquito bags. Rescuers found her two days after the disaster.

How the survivor Larisa Savitskaya was given 75 rubles. (According to the standards of the State Insurance in the USSR, 300 rubles were supposed to be compensated for damages for those who died and 75 rubles for those who survived in plane crashes). The Soviet press reported the incident only in 1985 as a catastrophe during an aircraft test. Larisa herself claimed that at the time of the crash, she remembered the Italian film “Miracles Still Happen” about a heroine who survived in the same situation.
In the photo: Larisa Savitskaya, our days

76 days on an inflatable raft
US yachtsman Stephen Callahan was going to take part in a single race across the Atlantic Ocean on the Napoleon Solo sailboat, but the unexpected happened - according to the athlete, the ship was rammed by a whale and the ship went to the bottom.

Callahan managed to save an inflatable raft and a bag with a survival kit from a sinking ship, for which he had to dive into a flooded cabin. In this bag was a book about survival in the ocean. A yachtsman has speared fish and eaten it raw, fought the waves, survived a shark attack. He saw nine ships pass by, but none noticed the small raft.

The raft made its way from the Cape Verde Peninsula (Senegal) to the island of Marie-Galante in the Caribbean Sea (Guadeloupe archipelago): when it was washed ashore, local fishermen found an emaciated traveler with salt water ulcers on his body. In total, Callahan spent 76 days at sea and covered 3,300 km. The events described took place in 1982, you can read about them in the memoirs of the yachtsman "In the drift: Seventy-six days in captivity by the sea." Stephen Callahan was a consultant on the filming of Ang Lee's Life of Pi.

Three weeks in the Amazon jungle
Israeli Yossi Ginsberg went with three friends to look for an aboriginal tribe in the jungles of Bolivia. On the way, the company split in two due to a quarrel, Yossi stayed with his partner Kevin, they began to go down the river on a raft and stumbled upon the threshold: Ginsberg's friend immediately swam ashore, and he himself became involved in the flow of the waterfall and miraculously did not die.

Yossi spent the next three weeks surviving alone in the Amazon jungle. He had to eat raw bird eggs and fruits, fight off a jaguar - he managed to be scared away with the help of an insect spray, which Yossi guessed to set on fire, and at the end of the journey he almost drowned in a swamp. “The most difficult moment was when I realized that I was all alone,” Ginsberg later recalled. “At some point, I decided that I was ready for any suffering, but I would not stop.”

When the traveler was finally found by a local search party, he was covered in insect bites and sunburn, and a whole colony of termites settled on his body. About this unforgettable journey, which happened in 1981, Ginsberg wrote the book "Alone in the Jungle", the documentary film "I Shouldn't Have Survived" was made by the Discovery Channel, and the feature film "The Jungle" starring Kevin Bacon will soon be made scheduled for 2016).

41 days in the ocean
The journey of a young couple on the route Tahiti - San Diego was disrupted by a sudden hurricane. 12-meter waves overturned the sailing ship in which 23-year-old American Tami Ashcraft and her Briton fiance Richard Sharp sailed. From the impact of the wave, the girl lost consciousness. When Tami woke up a day later, she saw that the boat was broken, and her friend's life belt was torn.

Tami built a temporary mast, bailed out the water from the cabin, and continued her journey, guided by the stars. Her voyage alone lasted 41 days, supplies of water, peanut butter and canned food were barely enough not to die of exhaustion. As a result, the girl swam 2,400 km alone and independently entered the Hawaiian harbor of Hilo. About her sad journey that happened in 1983, Tami Ashcraft told only in 1998 in the book "The sky is purple with sadness."

San Jose mine accident
On August 5, 2010, a rock fall occurred at the San José mine, near Copiapó, Chile. 33 miners were walled up at a depth of about 700 m and about 5 km from the entrance to the mine. As a result of the accident, people had to stay underground for a record 69 days.
In the photo: Chilean miners immured underground look into a camera lowered to them.

Work on clearing the rubble began immediately, and the rescuers tried to go down in the traditional way, through the ventilation shafts - however, it quickly became clear that the ventilation passages were also blocked. After that, heavy equipment was involved in the work, which was supposed to clear the blockage directly at the entrance to the face, where, according to calculations, the surviving miners could be. But the use of heavy equipment complicated the unstable situation in the mine, there was a new collapse, and this idea was abandoned.
Photo: Relatives of miners trapped in a gold and copper mine gather at a screen showing footage from a mine in Copiapo, north of Santiago, Chile.

In addition, it turned out that the mine management did not have an accurate and detailed map of all underground tunnels, so the rescuers soon had to act almost blindly. The essence of the operation was to drill vertical wells almost at random with the double hope that one of these wells would reach the tunnels and that there would still be living people in these tunnels. Wells were drilled for more than two weeks, so that hopes of saving someone were gradually fading. But on August 22, a new vertical well was drilled and a drill was raised, in which there was a note, the meaning of which was that all 33 miners who were in the mine were alive and in a safe haven.

It was decided to use American drilling equipment, developed with the participation of NASA for use in space programs. This equipment was designed to work with especially strong rock and was designed to speed up the pace of the rescue operation. Indeed, the use of expensive equipment (the total cost of the rescue operation exceeded $ 20 million) helped to make an emergency pit by October 9th. By October 12, the rescue operation, the final stage of which consisted in raising a cradle, which accommodated only one miner, through a pit with a diameter of about 90 centimeters, was successfully completed.

Zombie back from the dead

Each soldier had his own path to victory. Private Sergey Shustov tells the readers about what his military road was like.

I was supposed to be drafted in 1940, but I had a reprieve. Therefore, he got into the Red Army only in May 1941. From the regional center we were immediately brought to the "new" Polish border to the construction battalion. There was an awful lot of people there. And all of us, right before the eyes of the Germans, built fortifications and a large airfield for heavy bombers.

I must say that the then "construction battalion" was not like the current one. We were thoroughly trained in sapper and explosives. Not to mention the fact that the shooting took place constantly. I, as a city guy, knew the rifle "in and out." Back in school, we shot from a heavy combat rifle, we knew how to assemble and disassemble it “for a while”. The guys from the village, in this regard, of course, had a harder time.

From the first days in battle

When the war began - and on June 22 at four o'clock in the morning our battalion was already in battle - we were very lucky with the commanders. All of them, from the company commander to the divisional commander, fought in the Civil War, they did not fall under the repressions. Apparently, that's why we retreated competently, we did not get into the environment. Although they retreated with battles.

By the way, we were well armed: each fighter was literally hung with pouches with cartridges, grenades ... Another thing is that from the very border to Kyiv, we did not see a single Soviet aircraft in the sky. When we, retreating, passed by our frontier airfield, it was full of burnt planes. And there we got only one pilot. To the question: “What happened, why didn’t they take off ?!” - he replied: “Yes, we are still without fuel! Therefore, half of the people went on vacation for the weekend.”

First big loss

So we retreated to the old Polish border, where, finally, we “hooked”. Although the guns and machine guns had already been dismantled and the ammunition taken out, excellent fortifications remained there - huge concrete pillboxes, into which the train freely entered. For defense then used all improvised means.

For example, from high thick pillars, around which hops curled before the war, they made anti-tank gouges ... This place was called the Novograd-Volynsky fortified area. And there we detained the Germans for eleven days. At the time, that was considered a lot. True, most of our battalion perished in the same place.

But we were still lucky that we were not in the direction of the main attack: German tank wedges were moving along the roads. And when we had already retreated to Kyiv, we were told that while we were sitting in Novograd-Volynsk, the Germans bypassed us to the south and were already on the outskirts of the capital of Ukraine.

But there was such a general Vlasov (the same one - author), who stopped them. Near Kyiv, I was surprised: for the first time in our entire service, we were loaded onto cars and taken somewhere. As it turned out - to urgently plug holes in the defense. It was in July, and a little later I was awarded the medal "For the Defense of Kyiv".

In Kyiv, we built bunkers, bunkers in the lower and basement floors of houses. We mined everything that was possible - we had mines in abundance. But we did not fully participate in the defense of the city - we were transferred down the Dnieper. Because they guessed: the Germans could force the river there.

Certificate

From the very border to Kyiv, we did not see a single Soviet aircraft in the sky. The pilot was met at the airport. To the question: “Why didn’t they take off ?!” - he replied: “Yes, we are still without fuel!”

Timeline of the Great Patriotic War

As soon as I arrived at the unit, I was armed with a Polish carbine - apparently, during the hostilities of 1939, the trophy warehouses were captured. It was the same our "three-ruler" model of 1891, but shortened. And not with an ordinary bayonet, but with a bayonet-knife similar to a modern one.

The accuracy and combat range of this carbine was almost the same, but it was much lighter than the "progenitor". The bayonet-knife was generally suitable for all occasions: they could cut bread, people, cans. And in construction work, it is generally indispensable.

Already in Kyiv, I was given a brand new 10-shot SVT rifle. At first I was delighted: five or ten rounds in a clip - this means a lot in battle. But I fired it a couple of times - and my clip jammed. Moreover, the bullets flew anywhere, but not at the target. So I went to the foreman and said, "Give me back my carbine."

From near Kyiv, we were transferred to the city of Kremenchug, which was on fire. They set the task: to dig a command post in the coastal steep overnight, disguise it and give communication there. We did it, and suddenly the order was: straight along the impassability, along the corn field - to retreat.

Through Poltava near Kharkov

We went, and all - already replenished - the battalion went to some station. We were loaded onto a train and taken inland from the Dnieper. And suddenly we heard an incredible cannonade to the north of us. The sky is on fire, all enemy planes are flying there, we have zero attention.

So in September the Germans broke through the front, went on the attack. And we, it turns out, were again taken out in time, and we did not get into the encirclement. Through Poltava we were transferred to Kharkov.

Before reaching it 75 kilometers, we saw what was happening above the city: the fire of anti-aircraft guns "lined" the entire horizon. In this city, for the first time, we came under heavy bombing: women, children rushed about and died before our eyes.

In the same place we were introduced to the engineer-colonel Starinov, who was considered one of the main specialists in the Red Army for laying mines. Later, after the war, I corresponded with him. I managed to congratulate him on his centenary and get an answer. And he died a week later...

From the wooded area north of Kharkov, we were thrown into one of the first serious counteroffensives in that war. There were heavy rains, it was to our advantage: aviation could rarely rise into the air. And when it rose, the Germans dropped bombs anywhere: visibility was almost zero.

Offensive near Kharkov - 1942

Near Kharkov, I saw a terrible picture. Several hundred German cars and tanks were stuck in the soggy black soil. The Germans simply had nowhere to go. And when they ran out of ammunition, our horsemen cut them down. All to one.

October 5 has already hit frost. And we were all in summer uniforms. And the garrison caps had to be turned over their ears - this is how the prisoners were then portrayed.

Again, less than half of our battalion remained - we were sent to the rear for reorganization. And we walked from Ukraine to Saratov, where we ended up on New Year's Eve.

Then, in general, there was a “tradition” like this: from the front to the rear they moved exclusively on foot, and back to the front - in echelons and in cars. By the way, we almost never saw the legendary "one and a half" at the front: the main army vehicle was the ZIS-5.

Near Saratov, we were reorganized and in February 1942 were transferred to the Voronezh region - no longer as a construction, but as a sapper battalion.

First wound

And we again participated in the attack on Kharkov - the infamous one, when our troops fell into the cauldron. We, however, again passed.

I then ended up in the hospital with a wound. And a soldier ran up to me right there and said: “Get dressed urgently and run to the unit - the order of the commander! We're leaving". And I went. Because we were all terribly afraid of falling behind our unit: everything is familiar there, everyone is friends. And if you fall behind, God knows where you'll end up.

In addition, German aircraft often hit red crosses on purpose. And in the forest there were even more chances to survive.

It turned out that the Germans had broken through the front with tanks. We were given the order to mine all bridges. And if German tanks show up, blow them up immediately. Even if our troops did not have time to withdraw. That is, to throw their surrounded.

Crossing the Don

On July 10, we approached the village of Veshenskaya, took up defensive positions on the shore and received a strict order: “Do not let the Germans into the Don!”. And we haven't seen them yet. Then we realized that they were not following us. And they spun across the steppe at great speed in a completely different direction.

Nevertheless, a real nightmare reigned at the crossing of the Don: she physically could not let all the troops through. And then, as if by order, German troops appeared and smashed the crossing from the first approach.

We had hundreds of boats, but there were not enough of them. What to do? Crossing on improvised means. The wood there was all thin and was not suitable for rafts. Therefore, we began to break down gates in houses and make rafts out of them.

A cable was pulled across the river, and improvised ferries were built along it. Another thing that struck me. The entire river was littered with muted fish. And the local Cossacks caught this fish under bombardment, under fire. Although, it would seem, it is necessary to hide in the cellar and not show your nose from there.

In the homeland of Sholokhov

In the same place, in Veshenskaya, we saw the bombed-out house of Sholokhov. They asked the locals: “Is he dead?” We were told: “No, just before the bombing, he loaded the car with children and took them to the farm. But his mother stayed behind and died.”

Then many wrote that the whole courtyard was littered with manuscripts. But personally, I did not notice any papers.

As soon as we crossed, they took us to the forest and began to prepare ... back to the crossing to the other side. We say: “Why?!” The commanders replied: "We will attack elsewhere." And they also received an order: if the Germans are sent to reconnaissance, do not shoot at them - only cut them so as not to make a fuss.

In the same place, we met guys from a familiar unit and were surprised: hundreds of fighters have the same order. It turned out that it was a badge of the guards: they were among the first to receive such badges.

Then we crossed between Veshenskaya and the city of Serafimovich and occupied a bridgehead, which the Germans could not take until November 19, when our offensive near Stalingrad began from there. Many troops, including tanks, were transported to this bridgehead.

Moreover, the tanks were very different: from the brand new "thirty-fours" to the ancient ones, it is not known how the surviving "machine-gun" vehicles of the production of the thirties.

By the way, I saw the first "thirty-fours", it seems, already on the second day of the war and at the same time I first heard the name "Rokossovsky".

Several dozen cars were parked in the forest. The tankers were all like a match: young, cheerful, well-equipped. And we all immediately believed: now they are going to be fucked up - and that's it, we will defeat the Germans.

Certificate

At the crossing over the Don, a real nightmare reigned: she physically could not let all the troops through. And then, as if by order, German troops appeared and smashed the crossing from the first approach

Hunger is not an aunt

Then we were loaded onto barges and taken along the Don. We had to eat somehow, and we began to burn fires right on the barges, boil potatoes. The boatswain ran and screamed, but we didn't care - we wouldn't die of hunger. And the chance to burn out from a German bomb was much greater than from a fire.

Then the food ran out, the soldiers began to get on boats and sail away for provisions to the villages, past which we sailed. The commander again ran with a revolver, but could not do anything: hunger is not an aunt.

And so we sailed all the way to Saratov. There we were placed in the middle of the river and surrounded by barriers. True, they brought dry rations for the past time and all our "fugitives" back. After all, they were not stupid - they understood that the case smells of desertion - a firing squad. And, “feeding up” a little, they appeared at the nearest military registration and enlistment office: they say, I fell behind the unit, I ask you to return it back.

The new life of "Capital" by Karl Marx

And then a real flea market formed on our barges. From tin cans they made bowlers, they changed, as they say, "an awl for soap." And the greatest value was considered "Capital" by Karl Marx - his good paper was used for cigarettes. I have never seen such a popularity of this book before or since…

The main difficulty in the summer was to dig in - this virgin soil could only be taken with a pickaxe. Well, if the trench could be dug at least half a height.

Once a tank passed through my trench, and I only thought: will it touch my helmet or not? Didn't hurt...

I also remember then that German tanks completely "did not take" our anti-tank rifles - only sparks sparkled on the armor. This is how I fought in my unit, and I did not think that I would leave it, but ...

Fate decreed otherwise

Then I was sent to study as a radio operator. The selection was tough: those who did not have an ear for music were rejected immediately.

The commander said: “Well, to hell with them, these walkie-talkies! The Germans spot them and hit us right.” So I had to pick up a coil of wire - and go! And the wire there was not twisted, but solid, steel. While you twist it once, you will peel off all your fingers! I immediately have a question: how to cut it, how to clean it? And they say to me: “You have a carbine. Open and lower the aiming frame - and cut off. She also cleans up."

We were outfitted in winter, but I didn’t get boots. And how ferocious she was - a lot has been written.

Among us were Uzbeks who literally froze to death. I froze my fingers without boots, and then they amputated them without any anesthesia. Although I kept kicking my feet all the time, it didn't help. On January 14, I was wounded again, and this was the end of my Battle of Stalingrad ...

Certificate

Karl Marx's "Capital" was considered the greatest value - his good paper was used for cigarettes. I have never seen this book so popular before or since.

Awards found a hero

The reluctance to go to the hospital "backfired" on many front-line soldiers after the war. No documents about their injuries have been preserved, and even getting a disability was a big problem.

I had to collect evidence from fellow soldiers, who were then checked through the military registration and enlistment offices: “Did Private Ivanov serve at that time together with Private Petrov?”

For his military work, Sergei Vasilievich Shustov was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War of the first degree, the medals "For the Defense of Kyiv", "For the Defense of Stalingrad" and many others.

But one of the most expensive awards, he considers the badge "Front-line soldier", which began to be issued recently. Although, as the former "Stalingrader" thinks, now these badges are issued to "everyone who is not lazy."

DKREMLEVRU

Incredible cases in the war

Despite all the horrors of the war, the most memorable episode in his epic was the case when there was no bombing or shooting. Sergei Vasilievich tells about him carefully, looking into his eyes and, apparently, suspecting that they will not believe him after all.

But I believed. Although this story is both strange and scary.

— I have already told about Novograd-Volynsky. It was there that we fought terrible battles, and that is where most of our battalion was killed. Somehow, in between battles, we ended up in a small village near Novograd-Volynsky. The Ukrainian village is just a few huts, on the banks of the Sluch River.

We spent the night in one of the houses. The owner lived there with her son. He was ten or eleven years old. Such a thin, eternally dirty boy. He kept asking the soldiers to give him a rifle, to shoot.

We lived there for only two days. On the second night we were awakened by some noise. Anxiety for the soldiers is a common thing, so everyone woke up at once. There were four of us.

A woman with a candle stood in the middle of the hut and wept. We got excited and asked what happened? It turned out that her son was missing. We reassured mother as best we could, said we would help, got dressed and went out to look.

It was already light. We walked through the village, shouting: "Petya ..." - that was the name of the boy, but he was nowhere to be found. We returned back.

The woman was sitting on a bench near the house. We approached, lit a cigarette, said that it was not worth worrying and worrying yet, it was not known where this tomboy could have run away.

When I lit a cigarette, I turned away from the wind, and noticed an open hole in the back of the yard. It was a well. But the log house disappeared somewhere, most likely, went for firewood, and the boards with which the pit was covered turned out to be shifted.

With a bad feeling, I went to the well. I looked. At a depth of five meters, the boy's body floated.

Why he went to the courtyard at night, what he needed near the well, is unknown. Maybe he got some ammo and went to bury it to keep his childhood secret.

While we were thinking how to get the body, while we were looking for a rope, tying it around the lightest of us, while we were lifting the body, at least two hours passed. The boy's body was twisted, stiff, and it was very difficult to straighten his arms and legs.

The water in the well was very cold. The boy had been dead for several hours. I saw many, many corpses and I had no doubts. We carried him into the room. The neighbors came and said that they would prepare everything for the funeral.

In the evening, the heartbroken mother sat next to the coffin, which had already been made by a carpenter neighbor. At night, when we went to bed, behind the screen I saw her silhouette near the coffin, trembling against the background of a flickering candle.

Certificate

Despite all the horrors of the war, the most memorable episode in my epic was the case when there was no bombing or shooting.

Scary unexplained facts

Later, I was awakened by a whisper. Two people spoke. One voice was female and belonged to the mother, the other childish, boyish. I do not know Ukrainian, but the meaning was still clear.
The boy said:
- I'll leave now, they shouldn't see me, and then, when everyone leaves, I'll be back.
- When? - Female voice.
- The night after tomorrow.
Are you really coming?
- I'll be sure to.
I thought that one of the boy's friends had visited the hostess. I got up. I was heard and the voices were silent. I walked over and pulled back the curtain. There were no strangers there. The mother was still sitting, the candle burned dimly, and the body of the child lay in the coffin.

Only for some reason it lay on its side, and not on its back, as it should be. I stood in a daze and could not think of anything. Some kind of sticky fear seemed to wrap around me like a cobweb.

Me, who went under every day, could die every minute, who tomorrow had to repel the attacks of the enemy, who outnumbered us several times. I looked at the woman, she turned to me.
“You were talking to someone,” I heard that my voice was hoarse, as if I had just smoked a whole pack of cigarettes.
- I ... - She somehow awkwardly ran her hand over her face ... - Yes ... with herself ... I imagined that Petya was still alive ...
I stood a little longer, turned around and went to bed. All night I listened to the sounds behind the curtain, but everything was quiet there. In the morning, fatigue still took its toll and I fell asleep.

In the morning there was an urgent formation, we were again sent to the front line. I went to say goodbye. The hostess was still sitting on a stool ... in front of an empty coffin. I again experienced horror, I even forgot that in a few hours the battle.
- Where is Petya?
- Relatives from a neighboring village took him at night, they are closer to the cemetery, we will bury him there.

I did not hear any relatives at night, although, perhaps, I simply did not wake up. But why didn't they take the coffin then? They called me from the street. I put my arm around her shoulders and left the house.

What happened next, I don't know. We never returned to this village. But the more time passes, the more often I remember this story. After all, I didn't get it. And then I recognized Petya's voice. Mother could not imitate him like that.

What was it then? Until now, I have never told anyone anything. Why, anyway, they won’t believe or they will decide that in their old age they have gone crazy.

He finished the story. I looked at him. What could I say, I just shrugged my shoulders ... We sat for a long time, drinking tea, he refused alcohol, although I offered to drive for vodka. Then we said goodbye and I went home. It was already night, the lanterns shone dimly, and the reflections of the headlights of passing cars flickered in the puddles.

Certificate

With a bad feeling, I went to the well. I looked. At a depth of five meters the boy's body floated