The Great Patriotic War

Rank: Corporal _x000D_ Branch of troops: Artillery _x000D_ _x000D_ Sonin Vasily Maksimovich, was born on June 16, 1923 in the village of Melguny, Mordovian district, Tambov region. He graduated only from the 4th grade of School, then he helped two brothers and parents in the farm. He was drafted to the front from the village of Shulgino, Mordovian district, Tambov region on October 28, 1941, as a very young eighteen-year-old boy. He began his military career in the 729th Infantry Regiment, from June 1942 until the end of the war he served as a recon. He participated in the defense of Leningrad. In 1942 he took part in the Kharkov operation. During this operation he was wounded in the leg and was taken by horse-drawn carriage to the hospital. _x000D_ As a true recon, he did not talk about his efforts during his lifetime. _x000D_ After the war, in 1985, he was awarded the Order of the Great Patriotic War of the 1st degree for his fortitude and courage shown in the war. What effort he was awarded the Order of the Red Star during the war, our family did not know. But I managed to find archival documents describing the efforts of the hero of our family, V.M. Sonin. _x000D_ So we learned that in the offensive battles in the spring of 1945, Vasily Maksimovich Sonin showed himself to be a bold and resourceful recon. He personally reconnoitered 4 heavy and light machine guns, 2 enemy direct-fire guns, which were later destroyed by our mortar fire. Together with the infantry, he was the first to break into the enemy's trenches and destroyed 4 Nazis with the fire of his machine gun, and when the Germans launched a counterattack, he was the first to rise with a machine gun and shout "Hurray" led his infantry fighters to repel the counterattack, where he personally killed 5 more Hitlerites. For this effort he was awarded the Order of the Red Star. _x000D_ He made another effort in the combat on September 18, 1944, and destroyed 4 enemy soldiers with automatic fire at the entrance to the village of Vir. Also he discovered 2 fascist machine guns, which were later destroyed by the fire of our mortars. By this he contributed to the offensive of their infantry. For which he was awarded the medal "For Courage". _x000D_ The family album contains several photographs brought after the war, where he was captured with his comrades in arms while serving in Czechoslovakia and Ukraine. In the victorious 1945 he took part in the liberation of Prague from German troops. He was awarded the medal "For Liberation of Prague", as well as the medal "For Victory over Germany". _x000D_ After the end of the Great Patriotic War, he continued to serve in Ukraine. In 1947 he was transferred to the reserve. Returning to his homeland he worked as a mechanic at a sugar factory. Already in peacetime he was awarded jubilee medals. November 7, 2016 Sonin V.M. in the village of Shulgino, Mordovsky District, Tambov Region, a memorial was opened dedicated to the soldiers who did not return from the war, as well as to the immortal efforts of 13 thousand residents of the Mordovsky District of the Tambov Region, fallen in the combats during the Great Patriotic War. _x000D_ Besides, his brothers and sister were also fighting in the Great Patriotic War,: Sonin Mikhail Maksimovich (1919-1984), Sonin Pyotr Maksimovich (1912-1988), Sonina Alexandra Maksimovna (born in 1927). Currently, their names are included in the book of memory "They returned with victory" about the soldiers-fellow countrymen who returned from the fronts of the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

Rank: Senior Leiutenant _x000D_ Branch of troops: Artillery _x000D_ Subdivision: 6th Guards Artillery Riga-Khingan Breakthrough Division _x000D_ _x000D_ Nikita Dmitrievich Tikhonov was born on April 1, 1917 in the village of Chepkas-Nikolskoye, Shemurshinsky District of the Chuvash Autonomous Soviet Socialist Republic. He began his service on October 25, 1938 as a conscript. Since the beginning of the Great Patriotic War, he was drafted into the active army. He served as commander of the traction squad, driver of the command battery of the 119th Howitzer Artillery Brigade of high power of the active army on the Western and Second Baltic fronts. He participated in the defense of Moscow, liberation of the Smolensk, Belorussian regions and the Baltic states. _x000D_ For courage, N.D. Tikhonov was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, medals “For Courage”, “For Military Merit”, “For the Defense of Moscow”, “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945. " During the hostilities of the brigade of 3rd Shock and 42 armies in the areas of 79, 100, 101 Rifle Corps in the area of Dramsti, Teteni, Graverti, Venena, Suntazhi, Ozolmuizha, N.D. Tikhonov quickly mastered the management of a foreign car. Working as a driver, he delivered the personnel of the reconnaissance group to the areas of the infantry battle formations. When performing a mission to clarify the front edge of the enemy's defense, N.D. Tikhonov with a reconnaissance group moved through heavily mined terrain, showed initiative, courage, personal resourcefulness, which contributed to clarifying the situation and identifying the enemy's engineering structures. As a result of this activity, on October 21, 1944, he was also awarded the Order of the Red Star. _x000D_ _x000D_ After the end of the war, N.D. Tikhonov continued to serve in the Armed Forces of the USSR. In 1945, he studied at the courses for Junior Lieutenants of Artillery of the Baltic Military District, then worked as a commander of a park platoon and a vehicle division of the 556th Klaipeda Mortar Regiment, 272th Artillery Brigade, 43rd Latvian Guards Rifle Division of Riga, as well as on Sakhalin Island. On July 25, 1953, he was transferred to the reserve with the rank of Senior Technician Leiutenant. _x000D_ Returning to Chuvashia, he worked as a freight forwarder at the Chuvashkabel plant and a confectionery factory in Cheboksary. December 31, 1969 Nikolay Tikhonov died from a heart attack.

Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except for naval Aviation), Coastal Service, NKVD troops, Border Troops. _x000D_ Military card NP No. 1796368. _x000D_ _x000D_ He graduated only from 4 classes. Main civilian specialty was a driver and a turner. He was married to Taskina Efrosinya Timofeevna. Не was drafted up by the commission at the Poimsky district of the Penza region as fit for service on January 10, 1943. Alexey began his military career on the Gomel land. _x000D_ From the story of Alexei Sergeevich:_x000D_ “ I was called to the front on January 10, 1943 and immediately sent to the city of Inza, Ulyanovsk region, where I spent six months in training. Then I was transferred to the Gomel front. I remember that the main offensives began to liberate this city, and we had to cross the Dnieper. We had to swim across the river under the fiercest enemy fire on any object held on the water. Shells exploded all around, shredding rafts and boats, along with people. The bullets whistled so hard that the ears were blocked. But hatred for the enemy was caused by what we saw on the other bank of the Dnieper. These were completely destroyed villages and farms. _x000D_ When we entered them, we saw burnt houses, residents were hanged from trees. The Germans did not spare either the elderly or the children. And we took revenge for this: for every child killed, for every inch of land that they desecrated. We did everything to make our land burn under the feet of the fascists. The fighting was fierce. We had to recapture every house, every street from the enemy. The Germans resisted, but still, our troops were able to break through the enemy's defenses at the cost of huge losses. Many of my comrades were killed then. Here our narrator fell silent. Pain reflected in his eyes, as if he had heard the volleys of guns and the groans of wounded men again. “What happened next?” – we quietly asked him. _x000D_ We went to the west, on June 29 we had already liberated Bobruisk. Then we took 22 thousand Germans prisoners. You should have seen the eyes of people when they were led through the streets of the city! They were ready to throw themselves at them. They had something to take revenge on. _x000D_ In January 1944, I was wounded and received a concussion. However, after treatment I returned to the front again. Then Warsaw and Deitzig followed. I took part in the liberation of Bart and the Baltic Sea. I celebrated Victory Day in Grunberg. I also visited the conquered Berlin.” _x000D_ After the war, he served there for another five years. He was the commander of the chauffeur department, delivered mail. Then in 1950 he was demobilized. Returning home, he worked for 10 years in a kolkhoz, and for 12 years as a blacksmith. Нe war retired шт 1975.

Rank: Sergeant _x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces _x000D_ _x000D_ Konstantin Ivanovich Smirnov was born on October 14, 1903 in Astrakhan into a merchant family. When the Great Patriotic War began, he had the right to be exempted from the active duty, but in September 1941 he went to fight voluntarily. In December he was sent to the front, into the army. _x000D_ He served in the 349th Infantry Division, received the rank of Sergeant, becoming the commander of a recon squad of a Separate Reconnaissance Company. From the first days of its arrival at the front, the 349th Infantry Division had been fighting bloody battles, defending the cities of Ukraine. It was baptized by fire in the Kramatorsk region. It broke through the enemy's defense line and occupied a number of settlements near Kramatorsk. On the left was Slavyansk, on the right was Izium. Here the division held its defenses until mid-May 1942. _x000D_ When the Nazi troops launched a counteroffensive, the 349th Rifle Division was thrown in to cover the frontal gap that had formed south of Izyum and was surrounded. _x000D_ Konstantin Smirnov got his first wound in heavy combats. He used to have jet-black hair ... However, when he returned alone of the entire reconnaissance group carrying out a mission behind enemy lines, he was seriously wounded and his hair turned completely gray... _x000D_ After being treated in the hospital, he returned to his division. Then, at the beginning of July 1942, there were short days of rest, when the almost completely destroyed division was withdrawn for reorganization to the area of Krasny Luch, Luhansk Region. _x000D_ On July 17, it was deployed to defend the southern borders of Stalingrad. Here, in July-September 1942, my grandfather went missing in a regular reconnaissance raid behind enemy lines.

Rank: Red Army Soldier_x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except for naval Aviation), Coastal Service, NKVD troops, Border Troops _x000D_ _x000D_ Sukharev V.A. participated in the Finnish War in the Quartermaster Regiment to provide the Red Army with food and uniforms. Vasily Andreevich Sukharev began the Great Patriotic War in 1941 on the Luga front. He served as a machine gunner (machine gun "Maxim"). In one of the battles he was wounded in the head by a shell fragment. After the hospital Sukharev V.A. ended up on the Leningrad front. He took part in the defense of Leningrad near Oranienbaum. There Vasily Andreevich received a new wound. A mine exploded, and both his legs were broken. In the left leg, the knee was completely crushed, the right leg, fortunately, suffered less damage. He lay in a hospital in besieged Leningrad. He underwent several operations. They did not dare to amputate the left leg due to the lack of donor blood in starving Leningrad. _x000D_ When the Road of Life across Ladoga opened, Vasily Andreevich was sent the first echelon to the mainland in Sverdlovsk. He never returned to the front due to his disability. The left leg did not bend for the rest of his life. In 1943, Vasily Andreevich Sukharev returned to his homeland in the village of Novoselitsy, Borovichi district. As a front-line soldier, he was appointed Chairman of a kolkhoz in the village of Glinentsy in the same region. Then he returned back to Novoselitsy, where he worked on the kolkhoz "Russia" in Borovichi district until the end of his life. _x000D_ Sukharev Vasily Andreevich was awarded the medal "For Courage", as well as many medals in connection with the anniversary dates of Victory in the Great Patriotic War. Awarded with the "Labor Veteran" medal for labor achievements. Sukhareva Tatiana Aleksandrovna (1906 - 1993), his wife, worked all her life on the kolkhoz "Russia" in the Borovichi region. She was awarded medals “For Valiant Labor during the War and the Post-War Period”, “Veteran of Labor” and other commemorative medals. They raised three children. And now there are six grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

The time has come to tell a story about my grandfather's brother, a participant in the Great Patriotic War, the heroically deceased Ivan Akimovich Tikhonov. Tikhonov Ivan Akimovich was born in November 1924 into a peasant family who lived at that time in the village of Maryevka, Nikolsky district, Penza region. Since 1931, the family had lived in Poshatovo, Arzamas District, Gorky Region. In 1939 Ivan graduated from the 7th grade of the Chernukhinsky Secondary School and entered the Gorky Forestry Technical School. _x000D_ In August 1942, from the third year of the Technical School, he was drafted into the army and studied for two months at the Arzamas Military School. In October 1942, he sent the only letter that he was going to where there were strong battles. There were no more letters. In March 1943, a death notice came that the guard soldier Ivan Akimovich Tikhonov died heroically and was buried in a mass grave in the village of Donskaya, Tarasovsky district, Rostov region. Unfortunately, this death notification has been lost. _x000D_ In 2015, his own younger brother, Alexander Akimovich Tikhonov, together with his children and grandchildren, erected a monument at the village cemetery in Poshatovo, Arzamas district of the Nizhny Novgorod region, next to his father's grave. Now the hero has finally found peace with his loved ones. _x000D_ The story of Ivan Akimovich Tikhonov is similar to the millions of stories of other dead soldiers of the Soviet army. But for each family, its own story is the most valuable and important! And as long as we remember these stories, as long as we remember their heroism, as long as we pass this history from generation to generation, we will exist as a nation, as a people who have not been broken. I am happy that I was able to tell and honor the memory of a simple Russian guy, a simple Russian hero.

Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except for naval Aviation), Coastal Service, troops of the NKVD, Border Troops_x000D_ _x000D_ From 1939 he served in the NKVD Cavalry Regiment(border Guards), which was located in the Babushkinsky district of the Moscow region. At the beginning of the Great Patriotic War (July 1941), he was sent to an Recconaissance School, which was located in a railway echelon plying the Moscow-Novosibirsk route. Cadets were housed in Separate heating houses, in others, war horses and fodder. During the day, the train moved along the route, and the cadets slept, and the horses rested. With the onset of darkness, the train halted and combat training began, which lasted all night. The echelon continued to move. So the study lasted for several months. _x000D_ In February 1942 Tarasov was on the front line as the commander of an army reconnaissance group as part of the Western Front. With his reconnaissance group, he repeatedly went on reconnaissance across the front line to the location of enemy troops for the "prisoner tongues" This was the name of the captured Nazis, who were transported for interrogation to obtain important information about enemy units and their plans. For courage and bravery he was awarded: the Order of the Red Star, medals "For Courage", "For Military Merit" and others. _x000D_ In the area of Lake Ilmen, near Staraya Russa, during the combat to destroy the fascist command post and capture an important "prisoner tongues", he was seriously wounded. The recon comrades did not leave him in enemy territory and carried him across the no-man's land. _x000D_ At the crossing of the neutral zone, the alarmed Hitlerites were firing the retreating group of recons from machine guns, so the whole body of Konstantin Tarasov until the last days of his life was stuffed with shrapnel. The thigh of his left leg, shattered by a machine-gun burst, was replaced by a 30-centimeter tube. A bleeding trophic ulcer formed on the shin burned by a fragment of a thermite shell he bandaged all his life. _x000D_ Then it was a hospital in the ambulance train. As hopeless for recovery, he was given to an old nurse who, having received a summons about the death of her last son, they got off at her station. She (unfortunately, did not remember the name) atook care of him. On one of the warm sunny day, the recovering warrior was able to crawl out into the street, the elderly woman-savior said goodbye to him:“Now you get over by yourself...”.Then she went into the hut, lay down and fell asleep in eternal sleep ... He buried her in the yard. .. I made myself a carriage (I couldn’t walk on my feet yet) and trudged home to my village, so his war ended ... _x000D_ After the war, Konstantin Tarasov worked in a School as a biology teacher in his village. He married, had three children, two sons became soldiers. Then he and his family moved to Uzbekistan, to the Tashkent region, the city of Chirchik. Lived there and worked at a local School. Despite the lack of special education, he taught very successfully, interestingly, was very much loved by his students. He died in 1991 and was buried in Chirchik.

Branch of troops: Artillery _x000D_ Subdivision: 2nd Infantry Division (2nd formation)_x000D_ _x000D_ My great-grandfather, Iosif Ivanovich Subbotovsky, was born in 1909 in the Novosibirsk region. Mariinsky district, village Raevka in a family of exiled Poles. Almost all of his relatives, parents, sisters and brothers, were repressed in GULAG camps. _x000D_ As his wife mentioned, Emelyanova Anastasia Kuzminichna is my great-grandmother, "Yuzik" was a very kind, sympathetic and respected person, a Soviet officer. He also took part in the Finnish war. After in 1941 he was called to the front, communication with him was lost. My great-grandmother was looking for him for a long time, he was reported missing, but then she received the second death notification: _x000D_ Subbotovsky Joseph Ivanovich of the Guard Jr. Leiutenant, commander of a Rifle platoon, 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Division of the 2 Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment, killed in action 08/03/1942, Kalinin region. Rzhev district, village Galakhovo, north-east the outskirts, the forest ... _x000D_ Dry words, a short summary, and a whole life was cut off, even two lives, because my great-grandmother never married again and did not even allow such a thought, she kept living only with memories. She could not betray the memory of her husband and father to her only daughter. She could not betray the daughter who didn't even remember his face, his voice. _x000D_ My great-grandfather was killed near Rzhev, judging by the date, at the notorious for its grandiose losses of the Combat for city of Rzhev, in the first Rzhev-Sychevsk operation (July 30-October 1, 1942) of the Kalinin under the Commander I. S. Konev and Western under the Commander and leader of the entire operation, G.K. Zhukov fronts with the aim of defeating the German 9th Army under the Ccommander, Colonel General V. Model, which was defending in the Rzhev-Vyazemsky ledge. _x000D_ The total losses of Soviet troops in the operation amounted to about 300,000 people, or 60% of the size of the Red Army grouping at the beginning of the operation. Incomplete losses in tanks amounted to about 1085 people. Direct losses of the 30th Army amounted to 99,820 people. My great-grandfather ended the war as the Commander of a Rifle Platoon of the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Guards Motorized Rifle Division.

Branch of troops: Ground forces, Air Force (except for naval Aviation), Coastal Service, troops of the NKVD, Border Troops_x000D_ _x000D_ The story of my family: The victory in the Great Patriotic War came at a high cost to the Russian people. In our time, people should not forget that war brings suffering and death of tens of millions of people. Oblivion would be a crime against the warriors who gave their lives for peace so that we can live happily today. Remembering the war, about the heroism and courage of people, to fight for peace is the duty of all living on earth ... My generation knows very little about war. It is even hard to imagine how unbearably hard it was for our soldiers to cope with the fascist evil spirits. The Great Patriotic War left its mark on every Soviet family. _x000D_ My grandfather was from Moldova, Slyusar Vasily Kirillovich, was born on January 14, 1909. According to the stories of my grandmother, he did not like to remember the war, about his wounds, about his awards, he just frowned, and then he was silent for a long time and held on to his heart. It was hard for him to remember what they had gone through. But sometimes he still indulged in the memories of the war. _x000D_ Vasily Kirillovich was drafted into the army from Mogilev-Podolsky in March 1944. My grandmother recalls that, going to the front, he carried her, his little daughter, in his arms to the very recruiting station. _x000D_ My grandfather,Vasily Kirillovich, fought on the 2nd Belorussian Front, the commander-in-chief of which was Rokossovsky, he participated in the liberation of Poland, Germany, cities of Konigsberg, Danzig and Poznan. The Oder River remained the last major water border on the way to Berlin. _x000D_ In January 1945, Vasily Kirillovich was one of the participants in the crossing of the Oder River. After the battle in the Kustrin area, my great-grandfather went on reconnaissance. The reconnaissance group reached a group of 6 Germans. He threw a grenade, but its fragments wounded him. Vasily Kirilovich was in serious condition and miraculously survived. In a hospital in Germany, a German doctor saved his life. _x000D_ The hospital was overflowing with wounded. There were not enough beds, people were lying and even sitting in the corridors. When the great-grandfather was already recovering, he looked for broken furniture around the board and made wooden loungers, after all, he was from the village and knew how to do everything with his own hands. The Head Physician of the German hospital, in gratitude, presented the grandfather with a tablecloth, which was kept for a long time in memory of this event. Grandfather Vasily served in the infantry and went as far as Berlin, was awarded many medals for his courage in battle. _x000D_ After the war, by May 9, he received anniversary medals for Victory Day. Vasily Kirillovich had been dead now for 14 years, but my family never forgets that he and millions of other soldiers who fought during the Great Patriotic War saved the whole world from fascism so that we could live under a peaceful sky. We, the children of the century, thank all the veterans for our happy peaceful life!

Rank: Senior Sergeant _x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except for naval Aviation), Coastal Service, NKVD troops, Border Troops. Subdivision: 201st Gatchina Rifle Red Banner Division._x000D_ _x000D_ My father, Vasily Ivanovich Smirnov (January 14, 1927 - October 26, 1982), a native of the village. Malo-Mitkino, Kalachinsky district, Omsk region, disabled of the II group of the Great Patriotic War, awarded the Order of Glory, III degree. He went to the front at the age of 16. _x000D_ In 1943, after the family received a notice of the death of his father (Ivan Sosipatrovich Smirnov, who died at the front - Kostyukovichi, Mogilev region), he did not wait for his draft year, and together with his comrades born in 1926, he appeared at the recruiting station and was enrolled as a cadet 17th district School of snipers of the Siberian Military District. He graduated from the School of snipers with the assignment of the military rank of Corporal. _x000D_ In June 1944 he served in the Gorokhovets military camps in the Ivanovo region. From July 1944 he served in the 7th Rifle company of the 3rd Rifle Battalion of the 446th Rifle Pinsk Order of the Alexander Nevsky Regiment. With the 446th Rifle Regiment he marched from Baranovichi to Bialystok and beyond. At the beginning of August 1944 he became a recon of the reconnaissance platoon of the 59th Infantry Regiment of the Second Baltic Front. He took part in the liberation of Võru, Valka, Valmiera, Cesis ... _x000D_ In September 1944 he was wounded and went to the hospital. After the hospital, he was sent to the regimental reconnaissance, and a month later he was appointed commander of a division of a Rifle company located in Courland (Latvia), between Tukums and Libava. The last time he went on the attack on February 16, 1945. On that day, during the attack, he was wounded in the head and lost an eye. He was treated in hospitals in Riga and Mitava. In May 1945, he graduated from medical training courses, but did not have to fight again, the war ended. In 1946 he was demobilized as a disabled II group of the Second World War. _x000D_ He returned to his homeland, to the village of Malo-Mitkino. He graduated from the regional School of cultural and educational workers. He worked as the head of the culture department of the Maryanovsk regional executive committee of the Omsk region and studied at the correspondence Omsk teacher's institute named after M. Gorky. Since 1951 he worked in schools of the Omsk region (history teacher, School director). We remember and are proud of our father, grandfather and great-grandfather. Eternal glory!

Rank: Senior sailor _x000D_ Branch of troops: Coastal defense and air defense artillery, coastal units, Aviation of the RKKF and the Naval Forces of the NKVD Border Troops. _x000D_ _x000D_ Pavel Grigorievich Tikhonov was born on 17.12.1920 in Moscow Region._x000D_ He served from 10/25/1939 as a gunsmith in the 71st Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force (item 1071). The 71st Red Banner Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force was formed in September 1940 (Subsequent renaming: from May 31, 1943 by Order of the People's Commissar of the Navy No. 190, the 10th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the Baltic Fleet Air Force). As part of the active army during the Second World War from June 22, 1941 to May 31, 1943. On June 22, 1941, it is based at the airfields near Tallinn: Lagsberg (56 I-153) and Ülemiste (3 MiG-3, 8 Yak-1, 3 I-15 bis, 2 UT-1, 1 UT-2, 3 U- 2). Since the beginning of the war, it has been covering Tallinn and the islands of the Moonsund archipelago from the air. _x000D_ In August 1941, the Regiment was mainly involved in strikes and cover strikes against enemy columns that were advancing towards Tallinn, operates in the area of Narva, Kingisepp, Volosovo, and also covers convoys of ships that were evacuated from Tallinn. _x000D_ At the end of August 1941, the remnants of the Regiment flew to Leningrad. Tikhonov Pavel Grigorievich was captured on October 5, 1941 near Riga, died in January 1942 in the Stalag XD camp (310) Witzendorf. Record number 300102490. Camp number 43920. He was killed in captivity. Burial place: Witzendorf.

Rank: Junior Lieutenant _x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border troops _x000D_ Subdivision: 12th Guards Rifle Pinsk Red Banner Order of Suvorov Division. _x000D_ My grandfather is Safiullin Galimzyan Mukhemetovich. He is a participant, disabled of the Great Patriotic War. He was born on November 17, 1924 in the village of Baltachevo, Agryz district. In 1942 he was drafted into the ranks of the Soviet Army. _x000D_ In the city of Petropavlovsk, the Kazakh Republic, he graduated from the courses for Junior Commanders with the rank of Sergeant. After completing the courses, he was sent to the city of Namangan of the Uzbek Republic. There, as a squad leader, he taught military draftees and sent them to the front. _x000D_ In 1943 he was sent to the Ashgabat Infantry School. In 1944, at the age of 20, with the rank of Junior Lieutenant, he was sent to the 1st Belorussian Front as part of the 61st Army and was appointed Commander of a machine-gun platoon. In October 1944, they crossed the Vistula River near the city of Warsaw in Poland. According to the stories of my grandfather, many of our soldiers died crossing the river, the river was red from blood. They took a foot-strong and held the defenses until the main forces of the Soviet Army were ferried. Then the Regiment was transferred to the Baltic front in the direction of Konigsberg, (now Kaliningrad). _x000D_ In March 1945, during fierce battles near Konigsberg, while crossing the motorway, he received a severe bullet wound in the chest. He was sent to the hospital in Pozdam. He celebrated the Great Victory in the hospital. After the Victory, he was sent to Russia to the city of Ruzayevka, Ryazan Region, to heal his wounds. _x000D_ After his recovery, grandfather was sent as an officer to a Reserve Regiment in the city of Saratov. Then he served in the Koshkinsky military registration and enlistment office of the Ulyanovsk Region. In June 1946 he was transferred to the Reserve. In the battle for the village. Augustzwalde 03/07/1945 with the fire of his heavy machine guns destroyed up to 15 Germans and suppressed the fire of 3 machine guns. Worthy of being awarded the Medal For Courage. My grandfather knew about the award, but never received it until his death ... _x000D_ The bureaucratic machine did its job, depriving him of the opportunity to see the well-deserved award. He lived with my grandmother for 61 years. My grandfather passed away in 2014 at the 91st year. He really wanted to live until the 70th anniversary of the Victory.

Rank: Red Army _x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except for naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border troops. _x000D_ Unit: 2nd Guards Rifle Taman Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov Division. _x000D_ My great-grandfather, Alexey Vasilievich Sariev, is a veteran of the Great Patriotic War. Born in 1924 in the village of Beshtash, Tsalka Region, Georgian SSR. He came to Pyatigorsk at the age of 16. In the Workers 'and Peasants' Red Army had been since 08/04/1942. He was called to the front in the Pyatigorsk city military Commissariat of the Stavropol Territory. He went to the front as a Private., a Red Army Soldier. _x000D_ In the battles for the Soviet Motherland, my great-grandfather Alexey Vasilievich Sariev was wounded three times. As part of the 2nd Guards Rifle Division of the 875th Regiment near the village of Krymskaya (Troops of the 2nd Belorussian Front) on 05/02/1943, he was wounded for the first time. The second wound was received in the 64th Separate working Battalion near Novorossiysk on 08/15/1943. As part of the 78th Zaporizhzhya Infantry Division of the 244th Regiment near Kirovograd, on 05.01.44, he was wounded for the third time. _x000D_ In archival documents they wrote about him: "Being in a Separate Guard Battalion, he carried out Guard duty well, disciplined and vigilant, kept his weapons clean." For participation in battles from 1942 to 1945 on behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR for exemplary performance of combat missions of the command on the front of the fight against the German invaders and the valor and courage shown in this case, he was awarded the Order of the Red Star, the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree, a medal "For Courage", the Medal "For Military Merit", the Order of the Patriotic War, II degree. _x000D_ We should be proud of our great-grandfathers and great-grandmothers who saved the world from the Nazi yoke, defended the independence of our Motherland. We must remember the cost for the Victory.

Rank: Starshina_x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except for naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border troops. _x000D_ Talaev Ivan Petrovich from December 9, 1939 to March 1940 was a participant in the Finnish Campaign as a driver in the 884th Motor Transport Battalion. From June 1941 to November 1943, as part of the 9th Guards Separate Anti-Aircraft Division, he fought on the Leningrad Front. In 1941 he walked in the First Column of the "Road of Life" to Leningrad on the ice of Lake Ladoga, driving a lorry, and was later awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, II degree. Then he took part in the battles near Leningrad. He was 2 times surrounded. _x000D_ Grandmother received 2 funerals, but luckily he survived. Leaving the encirclement as part of the unit, according to the order of the commander, everyone buried their military papers. Subsequently on February 11, 1943, my grandfather was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but his sentence was changed and sent to a Disciplinary Battalion. There he fought heroically and was seriously wounded on November 7 in the stomach and head. He was in a military hospital for treatment from November 1943 to April 1944. Then he fought in the 61st Separate Automobile Battalion of the Baltic Front as a driver, was a squad leader. _x000D_ He was the member of the East Prussian operation. Somewhere near Konigsberg he was seriously wounded and was sent to a military hospital in Moscow for treatment. He had served until October 15, 1945. They offered to stay to work as a mechanic in the capital, but he decided to return to his native north. He was demobilized. In the depot-war period, he worked as a Senior Mechanic in the military registration and enlistment office in the city of Nyandoma, Arkhangelsk Region. Of the awards he was very dear to the badge "Veteran of the Karelian Front 1941-1945". In 1980 he was awarded the second Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree. He lived a happy life, had 5 children! He passed away of a heart attack on September 29, 1985.

Rank: Lieutenant _x000D_ Branch: Ground Forces, Air Force (except naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border troops _x000D_ Subdivision: 93rd Guards Rifle Kharkiv twice Red Banner Orders of Suvorov and Kutuzov _x000D_ Sokolnikov Afanasy Iosifovich, was drafted into the army in 1942 by the North-Baikal Commissariat. At that time, the guy from Lake Baikal was 19 years old. He was sent to serve in the Far East, where he received news of the death at the front of his father, Joseph Petrovich Sokolnikov. Wanting to avenge his father, he wanted to be sent to the war front. _x000D_ As a result, he was sent to the active army and fell under Stalingrad. As part of a group of foot reconnaissance, he participated in the battles at the Kursk Bulge, near Prokhorovka, Kharkov, liberated Ukraine, Poland, Germany. With a victory, he had reached Berlin. He was wounded four times. _x000D_ He was awarded orders and medals for his heroic efforts. From the recently opened archival documents, we found out the datails of these high front-line awards. _x000D_ In 1943, a Reconnaissance platoon of foot Reconnaissance of the 285th Guards Rifle Regiment, Sokolnikov A.I. was awarded the Order of the Red Star. In the area of the village of Znamenka, a group of recons under the command of my grandfather made their way to the rear of the enemy and attacked the outpost of the Germans. Senior group Sokolnikov A.I. captured a machine gun and began to fire at the retreating Germans. As a result of the military operation, 5 Germans were taken prisoner and several units of captured weapons were captured. In 1945, the platoon Commander of the 156th Separate Reconnaissance company of the 134th Infantry Division A.I. Sokolnikov. was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 1 degree. _x000D_ During the offensive from the Vistula to the Oder, he repeatedly performed combat missions of the command to capture prisoners of the "tongues". On February 1, 1945, in the area of the village of Baryanshi, the Guard Lieutenant Sokolnikov with his group destroyed the enemy bunker in one throw and captured 8 fascists. In pursuit of the enemy, the recons organized an ambush behind enemy lines and destroyed a platoon of German infantry. Over the entire period of the offensive, Sokolnikov's Reconnaissance group captured 29 "tongues", and killed 115 soldiers and officers. _x000D_ One of the most valuable awards of my grandfather is the Order of Alexander Nevsky, the junior order among the captainship awards. _x000D_ Such orders were awarded to officers in the position of Platoon, Company, Battalion Commander. Junior Lieutenant Sokolnikov was awarded the Order of Alexander Nevsky for completing a combat mission to capture a control prisoner near the village of Shlyakhtinsky Lyas. This happened on the night of September 23-24, 1944. After 3 days of observation, his reconnaissance group was supposed to take the "prisoner tongue". The recons neutralized the sentry and moved along the trench. _x000D_ My grandfather was the first to see two Germans standing at the machine gun and rushed at them. In hand-to-hand combat, he killed one of them and wounded the other. He himself was wounded in the head, but continued to lead the operation. As a result, the wounded prisoner was taken to the headquarters, where he voluntarily told valuable information. And then they saw each other at the hospital. The German was very frightened by this meeting, and his grandfather told him: “Don't be afraid. Nobody will touch an unarmed man, ”and offered to smoke. And while the German prisoner was at the hospital, he was called "Sokolnikov's godson". _x000D_ In March 1947 he was mobilized and returned to his native land. And in the fall of 1947, he met his Annushka, who became his faithful companion for life. Together they came to the legendary construction site of the Bratsk hydroelectric power station and remained loyal to this city. Together they raised five beautiful daughters in Bratsk. Together they rejoiced at the birth of grandchildren and great-grandchildren. But his health undermined at the front did not allow grandfather to live longer. He passed away in 1994._x000D_ Talaev, Ivan Petrovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Starshina_x000D_ Branch of troops: Ground Forces, Air Force (except for naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border troops. _x000D_ Talaev Ivan Petrovich from December 9, 1939 to March 1940 was a participant in the Finnish Campaign as a driver in the 884th Motor Transport Battalion. From June 1941 to November 1943, as part of the 9th Guards Separate Anti-Aircraft Division, he fought on the Leningrad Front. In 1941 he walked in the First Column of the "Road of Life" to Leningrad on the ice of Lake Ladoga, driving a lorry, and was later awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, II degree. Then he took part in the battles near Leningrad. He was 2 times surrounded. _x000D_ Grandmother received 2 funerals, but luckily he survived. Leaving the encirclement as part of the unit, according to the order of the commander, everyone buried their military papers. Subsequently on February 11, 1943, my grandfather was sentenced to 10 years in prison, but his sentence was changed and sent to a Disciplinary Battalion. There he fought heroically and was seriously wounded on November 7 in the stomach and head. He was in a military hospital for treatment from November 1943 to April 1944. Then he fought in the 61st Separate Automobile Battalion of the Baltic Front as a driver, was a squad leader. _x000D_ He was the member of the East Prussian operation. Somewhere near Konigsberg he was seriously wounded and was sent to a military hospital in Moscow for treatment. He had served until October 15, 1945. They offered to stay to work as a mechanic in the capital, but he decided to return to his native north. He was demobilized. In the depot-war period, he worked as a Senior Mechanic in the military registration and enlistment office in the city of Nyandoma, Arkhangelsk Region. Of the awards he was very dear to the badge "Veteran of the Karelian Front 1941-1945". In 1980 he was awarded the second Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree. He lived a happy life, had 5 children! He passed away of a heart attack on September 29, 1985.