[1] Shabsa (Shapsa) Mashkautsan was born in Orhei, Bessarabia (then in Romania, now in Moldova) to Bessarabian Jewish parents, house painter Mendel and Rakhel.
In February 1942, he was drafted to the 530th Tank-Destroyer Artillery Regiment, 28th Army, 1st Ukrainian Front, where he served to the end of the war.
His award list says: "On April 29, 1945, near Mönningsee [de] (near Kummersdorf[1]) in a Berlin suburb, a young sergeant with the 530th Tank Destroyer Regiment carried on a battle with 200 Germans and two self-propelled guns... Twice he changed positions under enemy fire, set fire to one self-propelled gun, then the second, which had come right up to his position.
The second armored carrier rolled toward the gun, and when it was 2 meters from it, Mashkautsan hurled a grenade and then, in spite of a contusion, again opened fire on the enemy.
"[2] After the war he continued army service and discharged to reserve in 1953 in the rank of guards lieutenant.