Rank: Lieutenant Colonel _x000D_ Nilolay Tarakanov had been a member of the Communist Party since 1945. He was drafted into the Soviet Army in 1939 in the city of Sursk, Gorodishchensky District, Penza Region. Нe was demobilized in the city of Klyazma, Buryat ASSR in 1960. He began service in the rifle forces, but since 1950 had been in the USSR Air Force. He was also awarded a medal "For impeccable service in the Armed Forces of the USSR" and six jubilee medals. After demobilization, he worked at the VEM plant in the city of Penza as a department Head. He had labor awards, medals "For Valiant Labor in commemoration of the 100th anniversary of the birth of V. I. Lenin", "Veteran of Labor", badges "Winner of Socialist Competition in 1973 and 1975". _x000D_ From the words of the veteran: "After graduating from the military school, throughout the Great Patriotic War, I served in the military Kemerovo Infantry School as a combat officer, where officers were trained for the front. According to the order of the Supreme Commander, Comrade Stalin, the staff officers of military schools were not sent еще the war front. We trained platoon commanders: rifle, machine-gun and mortar. I was engaged in the education and training of platoon commanders of 82 mm mortars. We taught cadets to be able to use mortars and all types of small arms in service with the troops, as well as enemy weapons, skillfully control a mortar platoon in all types of combat at any time of the day or year, in conditions close to combat. During the preparation period, marches were made with overcoming various terrain obstacles and overcoming water obstacles. Marches were made on foot, and in winter on skis in full gear as part of units up to 25 km with the completion of live fire and the attack of a conditional enemy. The training, as a rule, ended with field exercises, in which the cadets spent 10 days in field conditions far from settlements, improving the actions of the platoon Commander in various types of combat close to the active combat missions. It was especially hard if such exercises were carried out in Siberian winter frosts at a temperature of minus 35 degrees Celsius. The training was carried out for 6 months, after the exams the military rank the officers received the rank of Junior Lieutenant and were sent to the war front. _x000D_ Personally, I had to accompany officers to the front just once in 1943. _x000D_ In 1950 I was to the Group of Soviet Forces in Germany at the newly formed military educational institution of the Air Force to organize and conduct training for Junior Aviation Professionals. "