Lauri Heino

Lauri A. Heino (24 August 1918 in Somero – 3 February 2001) was a Finnish soldier, awarded the Mannerheim Cross (2nd class) on 11 November 1943. At the time, he held the rank of sergeant and was serving as a tank driver in the 3rd Company, I Armoured Battalion of the Finnish Armoured Brigade.^[1]

Lauri Heino
Sergeant Lauri Heino (left) with Sergeant Matti Virtanen in front of a captured T-34 on 22 July 1944.
Born	(1918-08-24)24 August 1918 Somero, Finland
Died	3 February 2001(2001-02-03) (aged 82) Somero, Finland
Allegiance	Finland
Branch	Finnish Army
Rank	Staff Sergeant
Unit	Finnish Armoured Division
Battles / wars	Continuation War
Awards	Knight of the Mannerheim Cross

Heino was the first foreign soldier to capture an intact Soviet T-34 tank and drive it.^[when?]