Makhalin, Aleksei

Born Mar. 10 (23), 1908, in the village of Novokrezhi, now Makhalino, Kuznetsk Raion, Penza Oblast; died July 29, 1938. Hero of the Soviet Union (Oct. 25, 1938); lieutenant. Member of the CPSU from 1932. Son of a peasant.

Makhalin joined the frontier troops in 1930 and was deputy commander of an outpost of the Khasan Border Detachment. On July 29, 1938, the men of the border outpost battled a Japanese company at Bezymiannaia Hill near Lake Khasan and for several hours heroically held back the enemy until the arrival of reinforcements. Makhalin died in hand-to-hand combat. His name was permanently entered on the personnel roster of the Khasan Border Detachment, which has been awarded the Order of the Red Banner and the Order of Kutuzov Second Class. The outpost was named in honor of Makhalin.