Nicknamed The White Death
705 confirmed kills (505 with rifle, 200 with submachine gun)
Was a Finnish soldier who, using an
iron sighted bolt action rifle, amassed the
highest recorded confirmed kills as a sniper in any war
ever!!
Häyhä was born in the municipality of Rautjärvi near the present-day border of Finland and Russia, and started his military service in 1925. His duties as a sniper began during the winter war (1939-1940) between Russia and Finland. During the conflict Häyhä endured freezing temperatures up to -40 degrees Celsius. In less than 100 days he was credited with
505 confirmed kills, 542 if including unconfirmed kills, however the
unofficial frontline figures from the battlefield places the number of sniper kills at
over 800. Besides his sniper kills he was also credited with 200 from a Suomi KP/31 Submachine gun, topping off his total confirmed kills at 705.
How Häyhä did all this was amazing. He was basically on his own all day, in the snow, shooting Russians, for 3 months straight. Of course when the Russians caught wind that a **** load of soldiers were being killed, they thought well this is war, theres bound to be casualties. But when the generals were told that it was one man with a rifle they decided to take a bit of action. first they sent in a counter-sniper. When his body was returned they decided to send in a team of counter-snipers. When they didnt come back at all they sent in a whole goddamn battalion. They took casualties and couldnt find him. Eventually they ordered an artillery strike, but to no avail. You see Häyhä was clever, and this was his neck of the woods. He dressed completely in white camouflage. He used a smaller rifle to suit his smaller frame (being 5ft3) increasing his accuracy. he used an iron sight to present the smallest possible target (a scoped sight would require the sniper to raise his head for sighting). He compacted the snow in front of the barrel, so as not to disturb it when he shot thus revealing his position. He also kept snow in his mouth so his breath did not condense and reveal where his was. Eventually however his was shot in the jaw by a stray bullet during combat on March 6 1940. He was picked up by his own soldiers who said half his head was missing. He didnt die however and regained consciousness on the 13th, the day peace was declared.
Once again total kills
. 505 sniper + 200 submachine = 705 total Confirmed Kills
all in less that 100 days.
