Branch of troops: Armored and Mechanized Troops _x000D_ Subdivision: 264th Rifle Ussuri Division. _x000D_ My grandfather, Sorokin Alexander Alekseevich was born on 12/08/1923 in the village of Chernotrog of the Agapovsky District of the Chelyabinsk Region. It was 1942, a hard war year. He was not yet the full 18 years old when he was drafted into the ranks of the Armed Forces and sent to the border with China occupied by Japan. He learned the basics of military science in the Ussuri taiga, Japanese recons looked for gaps in order to penetrate Soviet territory ... .._x000D_ In 1943 he was sent to one of the replenishment points of the active army, and from there to 25th Tank Regiment. At first he was a radio operator, then a machine gunner. He received his baptism of fire near a small Viennese town. Then there were many fights and the path to the Victory Day in Berlin was paved by young healthy lifes of the Soviet soldiers. _x000D_ The crossing of the Danube became one of the examples of courage of our grandfathers and great-grandfathers. In the combat for Budapest, the tank was knocked out, two guys were killed, grandfather Alexander Alekseevich received a shell shock, but survived ... _x000D_ Further on the path of the young tanker was Czechoslovakia. There, Soviet troops linked up with American troops. Great-grandfather learned the good news about the end of the war while in the Czechoslovak village of Golubitsa. Everyone was happy about the victory. _x000D_ A week later, the units were transferred to Prague. Passing through the city, everywhere they met cheering Czechs, they threw flowers, smiled, shouted: "The liberators are coming!" _x000D_ With the declaration of Germany's surrender, the military service for the great-grandfather, like for many thousands of Soviet soldiers, did not end. In September A.A. Sorokina with fellow soldiers were sent to Romania, where there were many hiding fascists and not very calm. Only in December 1945 he was discharged. He returned home at the beginning of 1946 ... .. Alexander Alekseevich left as a boy, and returned as an adult man, matured, handsome, stately, black-eyed, on his chest there were medal "For Courage" "For Capture of Budapest" "For Liberation of Vienna" and other awards ... ..