Rank: Sergeant _x000D_ Branch of troops: Artillery _x000D_ _x000D_ Nikolai Sorokin was born on August 9, 1924 in the village of Shizhgutovo, now the Rodnikovsky district. He met the beginning of the Great Patriotic War with the students of the Rodnikovsky vocational school. After graduation, he worked as a turner at a factory in the city of Furmanov. In May 1942 he was drafted into the Red Army. In a howitzer reserve Regiment, he successfully mastered the military specialty of a topographer-computer. He held the test of courage in the first combats on the Volkhov and Bryansk fronts. In July 1943, already as a gunner, he took part in the combat of Kursk. By the spring of 1944, he fought as part of 1432 Light Artillery Regiment of 317th Artillery Breakthrough Division, was a gunner, then a gun Commander. As part of this Regiment, he went to Victory. _x000D_ In 1944 he joined the Communist Party. On March 27 in the area Kuyava he shot the counter-attacking enemy with point-blank fire, knocked out a tank and destroyed an infantry platoon. For this combat he received his first military award, the Order of Glory, 3rd degree. _x000D_ On 16/0744, 4 tanks and up to 2 infantry platoons moved to Sorokin's gun. Letting the tanks and infantry of the enemy at a distance of 300-400 meters, Sorokin entered into single combat with them. As a result of an unequal and fierce combat, 2 Tiger tanks were destroyed. Firing at the retreating infantry, he destroyed 40 enemy soldiers and officers. _x000D_ On 17.07.44 the enemy again counterattacked the Regiment's positions. The battery, where Sorokin was the gun Commander, had 18 tanks and up to an infantry Battalion. Having let the enemy at a distance of 300 meters, Sorokin opened fire from his gun. The lead tank was hit by the second round. At the moment when the crew went out of order, Private Sorokin stands at the panorama of the gun and personally knocks out the second tank himself. The enemy tanks and infantry turned back. In an unequal combat, Private Sorokin emerged victorious. For 2 days of fighting, he knocked out 4 tanks with his cannon and destroyed 110 enemy soldiers and officers, repelling 4 counterattacks. As a result, the occupied line was held, our infantry moved forward. _x000D_ "By the order of the Commander of the artillery of 60th Army, he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War, 1st degree. The enemy's mortar battery was suppressed, 2 bunkers were destroyed, an armored personnel carrier with infantry was knocked out by direct fire. Having been wounded in this combat, Sorokin did not leave the gun and after rendering assistance remained in the ranks. The award for the combat was the Order of the Red Star. _x000D_ Sergeant Sorokin distinguished himself again in May 1945. On May 1, near the village of Got, fighting in an encirclement, he fired until the last shell, after which, by order of the Battalion Commander, he removed his guns from encirclement. For this combat he was awarded the medal "For Military Merit" on the territory of Czechoslovakia. _x000D_ In 1947 he was demobilized. He returned to his homeland. He worked in Rodniki as head of the trade department. In 1956 he moved l to the city of Kaliningrad. He worked at 2nd pulp and paper mill as a loader, barker, turner. When he was entrusted to head the transport department of the enterprise, his organizational skills of the head were revealed. He retired in 1984 from the position of the head of the personnel department. He lived in the city of Kaliningrad (regional). He died on July 6, 2001. He was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War of 1st degree (15.09.1944), the Order of the Patriotic War of 2nd degree (11.03.1985), the Red Star (05.02.1945), the Order of Glory of 3rd degree (15.04.1944), medals.