Faces of war

Akhmet Zakirov, was born on March 19, 1911, in the Republic of Bashkortostan, Buraevsky District, village of Kashkalevo. Participated in the Great Patriotic W from 1941-1945. He was drafted into the Red Army in 1933 and in 1937. In 1941, he was again drafted into the Red Army by the Molotov District Military Commissariat of Primorsky Region. In the same year, he graduated from the Vladivostok Military Infantry School. The Commander of the Guards platoon, Second Lieutenant Zakirov separately distinguished himself during the crossing of the Dnieper River near the village of Komarin in the Braginsky District of the Gomel Region. Akhmet led a company that had the task of scouting the crossing point and capturing a bridgehead on the right Bank of the river on the night of September 27-28, 1943. His assault group of 20 soldiers, despite heavy machine-gun and mortar fire from the enemy, crossed the Dnieper, broke into the trenches of the Nazis and, suppressing the fire of enemy machine guns, secured a foothold and facilitated the crossing of other units. Guards Second Lieutenant Ahmet Zakirov, in these battles was seriously wounded. After treatment in the hospital he was discharged from the army in February 1944 and returned to his homeland. Member of the CPSU since 1953. Lived in Ufa. He worked as a machinist at the Novoufimsky Oil Refinery. He died on March 29, 1988 and was buried in Ufa. Awards: by decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of January 15, 1944, for exemplary performance of combat tasks of the command and the heroism and courage of the Guards Second Lieutenant Akhmet Zakirov was awarded the title of the Hero of the Soviet Union with the Order of Lenin (#17392) and the Gold Star Medal (#3202). He was awarded the Order of Lenin, the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree, and medals. Memory: the name of the Hero was given to the pioneer detachment of the Kashkalevsky Secondary School of the Burayevsky District of Bashkiria.

Born on October 4, 1901 in the village of Seredinovka, Sampursky District, Tambov Region. In the Red Army from April 15, 1920 - red army soldier of the 20th Reserve Regiment (Zhelezkom detachment). Since July 1920 - cadet of the Tambov Infantry Courses. From October 7, 1920 - cadet of the 7th Cadet Regiment. From January 10, 1921 - adet of the 58th Zaporozhye Infantry Courses. From April 22, 1922 - cadet of the 51st Infantry Courses (from January 10, 1923, the 6th Kharkov Infantry School). He was the platoon commander of the regimental school of the 41st Rifle Regiment of the 14th Rifle Division from September 1924. Since August 1925 - Course Commander of the Ivanovo-Voznesenskaya Infantry School. He attended the Frunze Military Academy from April 1930. From May 10, 1933 - Assistant Chief of Operations of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade headquarters. From September 6, 1933 - Chief of the Intelligence Department. From November 1935 - Chief of the Operational Department of the headquarters of the 2nd Mechanized Brigade. He became the Chief of the 1st Department of the Armored Vehicle Department of the Special Red Banner Far Eastern Army from July 1936. From April 1, 1937 - Chief of Staff of the 23rd Mechanized Brigade. Since August 9, 1938 - at the disposal of the command staff of the Red Rrmy. Dismissed from the Red Army on August 24, 1938 under article 44 "v". He was reinstated in the Red Army on June 11, 1939 and appointed Chief of Staff of the 42nd Tank Brigade. Chief of the 1st Department of the Motor-Armored Forces of the Volga Military District (August 15, 1939-July 15, 1940). From July 29, 1940 - Commander of the 9th Motor Transport Regiment. From November 25, 1940 - Chief of the Motor-Armored Service of the 66th Rifle Corps. From March 12, 1941 - Chief of Staff of the 10th Mechanized Corps. Chief of Staff of the Kingisepp sector (section) of the Luzhskaya defense line. From September 14, 1941 - Chief of the Motor-Armored Troops of the 48th Army. Since September 21, 1941 - at the disposal of the Chief Directorate of Motor-Armored Troops. Since September 1941 - Chief of the Motor-Armored Troops of the 5th Army. From February 10, 1942 -Deputy Commander of the 5th Army. Since May 21, 1942 - Chief of Staff of the Chief Directorate of Motor-Armored Troops. From January 1943 - Deputy Chief of Staff of the Armored and Mechanised Troops of the Red Army and up to May 27, 1943 - Chief of Staff. From January 1944 - Chief of Staff of the 6th Tank Army. He was recovering from a disaster in the hospital of the 27th Army from August 18, 1944 to October 5, 1944. From October 15, 1944 - 2nd Deputy and from February 5, 1945 - 1st Deputy Commander of the 5th Guards Tank Army. From April 16, 1946 - Commander and from August 22, 1946 - Chief of Staff of the 5th Guards Tank Army. On 12 August 1947 - Chief of Staff of the 8th Mechanized Army of Transcarpathian Military District. He attended the Voroshilov Higher Military Academy since July 1950. Since January 4, 1952 - Commander of the Armored and Mechanized Troops of the Odessa Military District. From January 15, 1954 - Assistant Commander of the Odessa Military District for tank armament. He had been a senior lecturer at the Voroshilov Higher Military Academy since January 4, 1955. Since May 18, 1955 - Assistant Commander of the Nothern Group jf Armies and simultaneously Chief of the combat training Department. He was dismissed to reserve on July 10, 1961. He lived in Moscow, where he died in 1987. He was buried at Vvedenskoye Cemetery. Military ranks: Major (1936), Colonel (1940), Major General of armored troops (23.08.1943), Lieutenant General (31.05.1954). Awarded: the Order of Lenin, four Orders of the Red Banner, two Orders of the Patriotic War 1st degree, the Order of Suvorov 2nd degree, the Polish Order Cross of Grunwald, the Romanian Order of Tudor Vladimirescu and many medals. By the decision of the 8th session of the city Council of People's Deputies of the 17th convocation on October 20, 1981, retired Lieutenant General Dmitry Zaev was awarded the title of Honorary citizen of the city of Mozhaisk.

Alexey Zonov was born on 16.10.1925 in the village of Petropavlovsk in the Alnash District of the Udmurt ASSR. Mother - Evdokia Zonova. Father - Zonov Ivan. Education – 9 classes_x000D_ He was drafted into the Soviet army on February 3, 1943._x000D_ He was a cadet at the 2nd Moscow Machine Gun School from February 1943 to June 1943._x000D_ From June 1943 to April 1944, the 10th Guards Airborne Brigade, Rifleman._x000D_ From April 1944 to May 1944 – 301st Guards Rifle Regiment, Rifleman._x000D_ From June 1944 to September 1944 - evacuation hospital. Severe shrapnel wound in the right hand on 21.06.1944. 4th and 5th fingers were missing. As a result of the injury, he was recognized as a disabled person of group 3 for life._x000D_ He graduated from the courses at the Alnash RKSH in April 1948, worked as an accountant for the collective farm._x000D_ Awards: _x000D_ 21.08.1960 - Miner's Glory Badge of the 3rd degree._x000D_ 22.02.1966 - anniversary medal 20 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945._x000D_ 15.10.1969 - jubilee medal 50 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR._x000D_ 06.04.1970 - For Valiant Labor in Commemoration of the 100th Anniversary of the birth of V. Lenin._x000D_ 27.04.1971 - medal For Labor Valor._x000D_ 24.11.1976 - anniversary medal 30 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945._x000D_ 19.07.1976 - medal For Bravery_x000D_ 01.11.1978 - medal 60 years of the Armed Forces._x000D_ 26.01.1981 - medal Veteran of Labour._x000D_ 30.04.1985 - Forty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945._x000D_ 11.03. 1985 - Order of the Great Patriotic War, 1st degree._x000D_ He was a Deputy of the Karpinsky City Council of workers' deputies of the 10th convocation of 1965. Alexey lived in the city of Volchansk after the war. He worked as the Chairman of the Mining Committee of the Volchansky Coal Mine, then as a safety engineer._x000D_ He died in 1987.

Ivan Zaklyuka was on the fronts of the Great Patriotic War since 1942. He took part in the Battle of Kursk, the liberation of the Ukrainian SSR. Lieutenant Ivan Zaklyuka was a Komsomol leader of the 4th Battalion of the 248th Separate Cadet Rifle Brigade of the 60th Army of the Central Front by August 1943._x000D_ He distinguished himself during the liberation of the Sumy Region of the Ukrainian SSR .When it became necessary to select volunteers to attack a German bunker located at a low altitude near the village of Neklyuyevka, Zaklyuka volunteered first, and then selected Sergeant Karpenko and private Filchenko for this task. The group secretly got close to the bunker and threw grenades at it, and then broke in. As a result of the fight, 20 enemy soldiers and officers were destroyed, 2 mortars, 700 mines to them, 4 machine guns, and a radio station were captured. German units in the village who heard the shooting raised the alarm and launched a counterattack, but thanks to captured machine guns, the group successfully repelled it. The approaching battalion completed the destruction of the German units. Zaklyuka destroyed several more soldiers and officers of the enemy in hand-to-hand combat, but he was seriously wounded and was sent to the hospital_x000D_ Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR of 17 October 1943 for "exemplary performance of command assignments at the front against the German invaders and displaying courage and heroism" Lieutenant Ivan Saluka was awarded the title of Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin and Medal Gold Star #878.

From my memories:_x000D_ I left voluntarily after finishing the first year of the Armament Department of the Moscow Aviation Institute. I was enlisted in a dive bomber regiment as an armament mechanic in October 1941, since I had no flying experience. The formation of the regiments took place in the city of Engels. We and our instructors faced a difficult task - to master new equipment and all the subtleties of aviation weapons in a short time. And we did it._x000D_ At the front, it was difficult at first: training bombs are one thing, but combat bombs are quite diffrent. For each flight, it was necessary to hang 10 bombs of 100 kilograms each or two cassettes (large boxes of 200 kilograms with an opening bottom) with small bombs. And sometimes there was not enough time to prepare the planes. If there were three departures a day, one had to move three tons of cargo, grab the bomb by the stabilizer and drag it along. We wound the cartridge belts around ourselves and climbed into the plane, and then put them in the cartridge box in the cockpit. The work of the armament mechanics on the PE-2 bomber was exceedingly difficult and responsible. If the weapon fails in a battle, the crew may die, bombs would not be dropped, and the combat mission would be disrupted._x000D_ It was exceedingly difficult for us on the Stalingrad Front. There were severe frosts. Combat sorties followed one after another, and there were not enough armament mechanics. The entire crew helped us to hang the bombs. In a word, the amount of work was huge, but this exam was passed with honor._x000D_ Under Yelnya we were overcome by snow drifts. Nights had to be spent on a storm alert near the planes, and during the day shoveling snow, digging out bombs, the stock of which about the planes was decent. There was enough work to do. We lived literally in the field. In the summer we spent nights under the planes, and in the winter - in a dugout, where sometimes there was nothing to heat the stove with to dry uniforms and boots. Once, on the way to the guard duty, Masha Kaloshina and I had to cross into the ditch. The water was above my knees, and my boots were full. With wet feet in a freezing temperature, we stood at the post for four hours. But we were already so physically hardened that we did not even got a cold._x000D_ We technicians - gunsmiths, instrument makers, mechanics, motorists - were very worried about our planes and crews. We were looking forward to their return from combat missions. When the planes were just approaching the airfield, we counted all them to make sure that everyone returned home._x000D_ Finally, May of 1945 came. It was a great happiness. And soon we with the best crews of the regiment flew to Moscow to participate in the Victory Parade. It was then - June 24, 1945 - that the feeling of victory became complete.

Magomed-Gerey was born in 1917, in Port-Petrovsk (the current name of Makhachkala) in a family of architects. The father of Mohammed- Gerey, the Abdulmajid Zulpukarov, was a native of Tsudahara Dargin District. In 1910, he graduated from the Kharkov Institute of Technology. He worked for the construction Department of the administration of the Dagestan Region. In 1914, he became the architect of one of the most ancient cities in the world - Derbent. Abdulmajid Zulpukarov was a colleague of Makhach Dakhadaeva, Said Gabiev, Alibek Takho-Godi, Dzhamalutdin Korkmasov. Fame came to him incredibly early._x000D_ His mother, Nazhavat, came from the Korkmasov family, one of the most educated women of her time, with a strong will and a determined character. All her brothers were officers of the tsarist army, served in the Imperial Regiment. The difficulties associated with the revolutionary character of her husband, Nazhavat endured bravely and courageously. After his death, she devoted her entire life to her only son, Magomed-Gerey. Nazhavat not only taught her son to read and count, but also managed to instill in him the concepts of kindness, honesty, and love for people. Magomed-Gerey's attitude towards his mother was tender and reverent, he was afraid to cause her the slightest trouble. He was grateful for everything. Perhaps it was just his persistent character and will that have helped him on the difficult path of life. He lived in a fast-paced, passionate, bright, curious, talented way._x000D_ After the 7th grade of school, Magomed-Gerey left for the capital to continue his studies at the Moscow Architectural Faculty – to follow in the footsteps of his father. And since his age did not correspond to the age of the student, his documents were not accepted. But a friend and colleague of his father Jamaludin Korkmasov helped him with admission. After finishing classes in Moscow, Magomed-Gerey entered the Azerbaijan Industrial Institute in Baku._x000D_ In the middle of his studies, in 1941, the Great Patriotic War broke out, and the Institute was evacuated from Baku to Leningrad to the facility of Leningrad Aviation Institute. After listening to Stalin's speech on the radio, Magomed-Gerey voluntarily went to the front as part of the people's militia, which consisted of intellectuals and students._x000D_ An interesting incident occurred on September 4, 1941. Viktor Zalgaller in his book "Everyday Life in the War" devoted an entire Chapter to Magomed-Gerey and just mentioned this episode: "...We arrived at the battery in the village of Voronino. Against the battery, on the rise behind the ravine, a tank has arrived and is standing. Black against the already low sun. Scout Magomed Zulpukarov was sent to find what kind of people were there. The tank is slowly coming at us. And shoots tracers to the West, i.e. from us. Then it suddenly turns the turret around and smashes the lower gun at point-blank range with the first shell, and the truck with the second one. The injured driver is on fire in the truck. From the top gun, the tank is no longer visible. It is in a ravine. I throw myself to the gun. Together with the crew, we shoot over the tank, keep it in the ravine. The battalion commander was wounded by a shrapnel in the mouth. He was taken to the rear. Magomed Zulpukarov came running and said that 50 German machine gunners had passed us on the left._x000D_ When Magomed-Gerey returned from a short reconnaissance mission, he said that the Germans saw him and began to shout: "Rus, Rus!", and they began to call with gestures, patting themselves on the stomach and promising to feed him._x000D_ After breaking the Siege of Leningrad, he was transferred to the 3rd Baltic Front, formed by the decision of the Supreme Command from the troops of the left wing of the Leningrad Front in the second half of 1944. The troops of the 3rd Baltic Front liberated the city of Ostrov on July 21, 1944, and the city of Pskov on July 23. The Pskov-Ostrovskaya Operation ended on July 31, as a result of which the troops advanced to the West from 50 to 100 km and inflicted serious damage to the 18th German Army._x000D_ The Tartu offensive operation of the 3rd Baltic Front began on August 10. It lasted until September 6. As a result of this operation, the troops broke through the main line of the enemy's defense and advanced 10 km, they liberated the cities of Vyru and Angele on August 13, the city of Aluksne on August 19, and they liberated the city of Tartu and cut the Tartu-Valga railway on August 23._x000D_ Together with the soldiers of the Leningrad and Belorussian Fronts and the forces of the Baltic Fleet, they defeated a significant force of German fascist troops in the Baltic States on September 14, 1944. The Riga offensive operation of the 3rd, 2nd and 1st Baltic Fronts began on the same day. As a result of this operation, the enemy received a crushing blow. Soviet troops liberated the towns of Tyrva and Valga on the night of September 20, Smiltene on September 23, and Valmer on September 24._x000D_ Magomed-Gerey was dismissed to the reserve with the rank of Second Lieutenant of Artillery to continue his studies in January 1946, in accordance with the order of the Commander of the Red Army artillery. He continued his studies at the Azizbekov Azerbaijan Industrial Institute from March 1946 to March 1949. After compliting his graduation project, he received a diploma of mining engineer in oil industry._x000D_ He began his career as the Chief of the Makhachkala oil field, which soon led from the lagging industry to the very advanced one. He was quickly noticed by the government and was appointed a Head of Department of Industry of the regional party Committee. On his initiative, in 1951, the Institute of Geology with an oil laboratory was opened at the Dagestan Branch of the Soviet Academy of Sciences._x000D_ He was appointed Director of the Makhachkala oil field in 1949. He became Chief of the Department of Heavy Industry of the Dagestan Regional Commity of the CPSU (b) in 1950. Director of the drilling office #2 - in 1951, Manager of the Dagestan Oil Trust - in 1952. Four times he was elected a Deputy of the Supreme Council of the DASSR.

Rank: Red Army Soldier. Branch of service: Artillery._x000D_ He was born in 1911 in the village of Remontnoye, Rostov Region._x000D_ Before going to the front my great-grandfather worked as a Director of warehouse in Remontnenskiy Rural Consumer Society. When the war started, he was 30 years old. He went straight to the front. His wife, Alexandra Zaytseva, and three sons - the eldest Georgy (my grandfather), the middle Viktor, and the youngest Anatoly - stayed home._x000D_ The fact that the great-grandfather was called up in the first days of the war is evidenced by the paper from his place of work , issued on 23.06.1941. My great-grandfather's military feat is described by his medals - For Military Merit and For Bravery. He was awarded the Medal For Military Merit on 24.03.1944 for the defense and liberation of the city of Novorossiysk._x000D_ Being wounded, he did not leave the line and under heavy artillery and mortar fire of the enemy continuously delivered ammunition to the front line. For exemplary performance of combat tasks of the command at the front, he was awarded the Medal For Bravery in May 1944._x000D_ The death notice of came to my great-grandfather’s family in February 1945, when victory was just a little bit away. It contained modest lines: "Red Army Soldier Zaitsev in the battle for the socialist homeland, loyal to the military oath, showing heroism and courage, was killed on November 26, 1944. He was buried in the South-Eastern part of the outskirts of the village of Staccin in Czechoslovakia."

Georgy Zakharov (13.2.1924 - 10.10.1960) was born in the village of Nachalovo in the Astrakhan (now Volga) District of the Astrakhan Region._x000D_ 31.12.1941 - graduated from Astrakhan Road Technical School._x000D_ Drafted into the Red Army by the Shadrinsky District Military Commissariate of the Chelyabinsk (now Kurgan) Region on 22.8.1942. In late 1943, he graduated from the 1st Leningrad Double Red Banner Military Infantry School named after S. Kirov (Berezniki, Molotovskaya now Perm Region)._x000D_ At the front-from 25.3.1944._x000D_ Military rank: Second Lieutenant; Lieutenant (21.6.1944). Position: Commander of the Rifle Platoon of the 5th Rifle Company, 624th Rifle Regiment, 137th Bobruisk Rifle Division, 48th Army._x000D_ Was slightly wounded on 30.3.1944. Awarded the Order of the Red Banner on 10.8.1944 for skilful performance of a combat mission, for showing high courage and dedication in a continuous chain of battles on 27.6.1944 for the localities: Rynya, Mikhalevo, Barak and Borshchevka of the Mogilev Region in Belarus._x000D_ A platoon under the command of Zakharov destroyed up to 70 German soldiers and officers, took 15 prisoners and captured two 37-mm enemy guns._x000D_ During the capture of Borshchevka, Zakharov was seriously wounded in the left knee, but continued to lead the fight to the end._x000D_ He was sent to the evacuation hospital #5128 in Saratov. Retired for health reasons on 31.10.1944_x000D_ In the 1950s, he worked as the Chief of the State Traffic Inspectorate of the Enotaevsky District with the rank of Captain. He was buried in the cemetery of the village of Enotaevka, Enotaevsky District, Astrakhan Region.

Pelageya Danilovna Zemlyakova (Lagacheva), born in 1921, Sergeant, awarded with the Medals "For Battle Merit", "For the Victory Over Germany", the Order of the Patriotic War, 2nd class

Smirnova Maria Vasilievna Smirnova Maria Vasilievna, born in 1920, in 1944 - Guards Captain, Squadron Commander of the 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment of the 2nd Guards Night Bombers of the Air Division of the 8th Air Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front. Hero of the Soviet Union (1944).

Snesarev Vladimir Semenovich Snesarev Vladimir Semenovich, born in 1914, in 1944 - a Senior Lieutenant of the guard, squadron commander of the 11th Guards Fighter Aviation Regiment of the 1st Mine Torpedo Aviation Division of the Black Sea Fleet Air Force. Hero of the Soviet Union (1944).

Sokolov Semyon Nikanorovich Sokolov Semyon Nikanorovich, born in 1922, in 1944 - Lieutenant, pilot of the 100th separate reconnaissance aviation regiment of the 8th Air Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front. Hero of the Soviet Union (1945).

Sotsenko Alexander Nikitovich Sotsenko Alexander Nikitovich (1924-1944), in 1944 - common soldier guard, sapper of the 70th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 24th Guards Rifle Division of the 2nd Guards Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front. Hero of the Soviet Union (1945, posthumously).

Spirin Nikolay Ivanovich Spirin Nikolai Ivanovich (1922-1942), 1941-1942 - Senior Lieutenant, company commander of the 381st Rifle Regiment of the 109th Rifle Division of Independent Coastal Army. Hero of the Soviet Union (1942, posthumously).

Streltsov Vladimir Fedorovich Streltsov Vladimir Fedorovich, born in 1909, in 1944 - Guards Major, navigator of the 75th Guards Assault Aviation Regiment of the 1st Guards Assault Aviation Division of the 8th Air Army of the 4th Ukrainian Front. Hero of the Soviet Union (1945).