[1] Mareseva was born on 20 June 1923 to a Russian family in Cherkaskoe village, located within present-day Volsky district of the Saratov Oblast; her father was a shepherd on a collective farm.

After graduating from secondary school she attended medical courses until being transferred to work at a cement plant due to the start of the war.

[2] When Mareseva's father was sent to the front lines after the start of Soviet involvement in the war she repeatedly applied to join the ranks of the military after her medical training was ceased but was initially rejected.

The crossing, between the cities of Solomino and Toplinka, involved dodging heavy artillery fire and avoiding two Nazi infantry divisions worth of enemy troops; the right bank of the river contained large numbers of landmines and was fully controlled by the Axis.

After a prolonged battle the Soviet Guardsmen were able to take control of a small portion of the bridgehead on the right bank, and despite heavy losses from shelling, bombings, and mortar attacks, the unit continued to proceed with the offensive.