By the summer of 1944, a large number of Russian women were inducted into the Red Army due to a severe shortage of men. A number of women ended up in armor units, after being recruited from tank plants where they worked. They were already well trained as drivers, but some later rose in rank to command tank units. To the right is Guards Lieutenant Verla.P. Orlova who commanded the ISU-122 in the background with her husband Lieutenant Nikolai.N. Orlova who served as the vehicle driver. Their Guards self-propelled artillery regiment served with the 3rd Baltic Front in October 1944. Women made up 10% of Red Army strength by the end of the war, though the majority were used in non-combat roles.
