Lavrentiy was drafted to The Red Army on February 20, 1942. The service took place in the 134th Verdinsk Red Banner Order Suvorov Rifle Division, which since April 1944 as part of the 69th Army of the 1st Belorussian Front took part in the Lublin-Brest, Warsaw-Poznan and other offensive operations of the Soviet troops. Since February 13, 1945, the Red Army 4th Rifle Company of the 515th Brandenburg Rifle Regiment L.M. Zelensky was on the front line. Taking part in the Vistula-Oder operation, the 515th rifle regiment in 18 days walked with fights over 500 kilometers, and with minimal losses, liberating dozens of Polish settlements, crossing the rivers that were on the way. Having overcome the powerful Mezeritsky fortification, the regiment entered the territory of fascist Germany, meeting fierce resistance of the enemy when approaching the river Oder. During February-March 1945 the 515 th Regiment held the defense in the eastern part of the German city of Frankfurt on Oder. At this time, the Berlin offensive operation was being prepared by the supreme stakes. Soldiers and commanders of the Soviet Army were waiting for the moment to deliver a crushing blow to the fierce enemy. And this moment came ... On April 16, 1945 our troops, after a powerful artillery training and crushing bombardment, rushed to the lair of fascism - Berlin. The Red Army soldier LM Zelensky distinguished himself in the battles to expand the bridgehead on the western (left) bank of the river Oder. Among the first, he broke into the trenches of the enemy, and in hand-to-hand combat killed eight German soldiers, and then threw grenades at the enemy dugout, eliminating four other fascists. On May 2, 1945 the 515th rifle regiment received an order to reach the Elbe river, destroying the enemy on its way. The soldiers fulfilled the task, having met with allied American troops near Magdeburg. There was no limit to rejoicing. My great-great-grandfather Lavrentiy was also among the victorious soldiers. The 515th Brandenburg Rifle Regiment was then stationed on the eastern bank of the Elbe on the temporary demarcation line. The soldiers welcomed the Victory Day in the forest near the town of Burg. There was no limit to their joy. The soldiers were saluting from all kinds of weapons, hoping that these shots would be the last...The Commander of the 515th Guards Regiment Lieutenant Colonel K.I. Ponomarchuk presented his subordinate to the high soldier award - the Order of Glory, III degree. On May 18, 1945, the Commander of the 134th Infantry Division of the Guard, Major General V.F. Stepin, signed the award documents of Lavrentiy Maximovich.