SIMO HAYHA

Simo Hayha was called “The White Death” by the Russians. His marksmanship with a bolt action Mosin-Nagant rifle with iron sights was legendary. He could put 16 bullets on target at 300 feet in less than 60 seconds (that includes reloading three times). Born to farmer parents, he grew up in the frozen north of Finland and practiced his hunting often.

During the 1939 Russian invasion of Finland, he joined up and due to his woodcraft was sent to the front as a sniper. Always quiet and never boastful, he rarely was caught in pictures and spoke little. He averaged 5 kills a day in the 100 days he fought, some days the tally was much higher. He never touted his skill as a killer and often referred to his death tally as his sin list.

Simo was nearly killed when he was shot in the face by an exploding bullet. He lost most of his upper left and lower left jawbone due to it and had many surgeries to patch up his face.

It takes Valor to fight for your country and Honor not to boast of it. Meekness is controlled power and Simo Hayha was its defining person.