Rumanian Taran July 12,41, info needed

All ,

Various Russian sources with well known historical
VVC experience in WWII citing Slt.Av. Vasilie Claru
as a hero and of rare bravery which was only
attributed to Soviet pilots. They all share the
opinion that Claru while lacking amo commited
a taran and rammed the I-16 of Lt.Ylia Shamanov
from 67 IAP from Bulgarica airfield over Tiganca.

Rumanian sources saying he was a product of
WWII inflated propaganda of Antonescu regime
, contrary to the Russians who rarely admitted
opponent braveries.

It obvious that Claru was a real brave man and
deserves great honor. Does anyone know whereabouts
is he buried ? Any chance to obtain a grave photo ?

Any help will be appreciated.

This post has been edited by yugit on September 13, 2011 05:02 pm

What is a "taran" ?

This post has been edited by Florin on September 13, 2011 05:06 pm

Taran is just the Russian word for ramming.

Gen. Dénes

Thanks.

Most likely he was buried in Bessarabia. There were several big cemeteries in the Tiganca area where he fell, because of the high casualties suffered by the Romanian Guard and 21st Infantry Divisions during the fighting there. The cemeteries were destroyed after the reoccupation of Bessarabia. The Romanian Heroes Cult Officer has restored some of the cemeteries in the Tiganca area in 2005, but only 800 of the soldiers buried there were identified. Claru isn't among them.

IMO, the chances of finding his grave are very small.

Many thanks Victor , I hope we can trace him in a way or
an other, maybe such as family photos as there is only
one photo of his available

This post has been edited by yugit on September 13, 2011 06:17 pm

Not necessarily. In the early stages of the 1941 campaign, the most prominent (or otherwise important, or with influential parents) fallen soldiers were brought back to the mainland and burried there. It was only after a while when order was issued that all fallen Rumanian soldiers to be burried where they died.

Gen. Dénes

This post has been edited by Dénes on September 13, 2011 07:35 pm

Thanks Denes


Best Regards
Al

This post has been edited by yugit on September 13, 2011 09:53 pm