| Vazgen Sarkisyan | |
| Fictional Character | |
| The Hot War POD: November, 1950 | |
| Appearance(s): | Bombs Away through Armistice |
| Type of Appearance: | Direct |
| Nationality: | Armenian SSR, Soviet Union |
| Date of Birth: | 20th century |
| Date of Death: | 1952 |
| Cause of Death: | Bombing raid |
| Occupation: | Soldier |
| Military Branch: | Red Army (World War III) |
Vazgen Sarkisyan was a tank gun-loader in the Soviet Red Army during World War III. In May, he and his crew were assigned a new commander, Sgt. Konstantin Morozov.[1]
The crew was assigned to the drive on Bocholt.[2] That drive stalled out quickly, as Bocholt's defenders were too numerous.[3] However, the following month, the Soviets broke through, crushing the largely British defenders of the city, with Morozov's crew doing its fair share, even destroying a British Centurion.[4]
In July, Sarkisyan and the crew were in the Soviet forward lines, but were far enough from the main front that they survived the nighttime U.S. atomic bombing of several Soviet strong points in West Germany. The crew had been sleeping under their tank, as per custom, when the bomb came. The blast sent the tank up on one side before it crashed down again. After climbing back in their tank and checking in with headquarters, the crew was ordered to fall back for medical check.[5]
In short order, they all developed symptoms of radiation poisoning. Morozov lost all of his body hair (including in his nose, ears, eyebrows, and lashes), and was still quite weak even in September.[6] Eigims and Sarkisyan were similarly affected. Kalyakin had non-stop rectal bleeding until he underwent surgery. While the bleeding was briefly halted, he was still a long way from being fit for duty.[7] Months later, he still needed blood transfusions because his anemia persisted.[8]The rest of the crew healed,[9] and were returned to the front.[10]
Sarkisyan was killed during an American air raid. Morozov and Eigns survived.[11]
References[]
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