Rank: Junior Sergeant _x000D_ Branch of troops: ground forces, air force (except naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border troops_x000D_ My grandfather is Vasily Tarasovich Smirnov. He was born in the quiet and beautiful village of Semeikino, Buisky district, Kostroma Region in May 1926. Since his childhood he had been very hardworking, dexterous, raised in a simple village family. Like all rural children, he attended School, although it was not easy to get to it. There was no automobile transport, as it is now, we had to walk to School 10 km along with the village children straight through the forest in any weather. _x000D_ But the war time had come and this damned war broke many simple destinies of the village guys. One after another they went to the front, tears welling up in the eyes of mothers, sons, daughters, wives, but everyone understood that he was going to defend his family, perhaps at the cost of his life. My grandfather was drafted into the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army in 1943. He was only 17 years old. Vasily Tarasovich, a strong, dexterous, savvy guy, quickly mastered military training and began to serve in the 230th Stalin Division of the 990th Rifle Regiment. He participated in the liberation of the Polish city of Gniezno, for which he received gratitude from the higher command. He showed his courage, bravery, and fearlessness of the Soviet soldier in battle at a combat for the capital of Nazi Germany, Berlin. _x000D_ During the capture of the settlement of Karlsbise (province of Brandenburg), he destroyed two Panzerfaust soldiers from his light machine gun, and, thereby, contributed to the overall success in capturing the capital of Germany, Berlin. On the right bank of the Oder, he was also seriously wounded, destroyed the enemy, did not retreat a step back until nightfall, then was sent at the insistence of the Commander to the rank of unit. _x000D_ Awards: the Order of Glory of the 3rd degree, the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st and 2nd degrees. _x000D_ After the end of the war, he married my grandmother, a labor veteran, and had two sons and a daughter. All his life he was a responsible, hardworking, responsive, true patriot of his Motherland. He passed away in 1997.