Signal Corps

Vetokhin Alexander Pavlovich_x000D_ _x000D_ In the village of Kirovo, in the Victory garden, bordered by strict fir trees, memorial marble plaques with the names of villagers who gave their lives for the Motherland rest on plinths. Among them is the name of Alexander Pavlovich Vetokhin... Missing during the war… Born in the eighteenth century in the village of Voskresenskoye (now Kirovo). There were seven children in the family. My mother, Alexandra Kapitonovna, brought us up alone. They lived in a small hut with one room, slept side by side. After finishing seven years in the village of Kirov, he went to work at the Taktashinsky state farm as a statistician. He was fond of sports, especially volleyball. At that time, everyone dreamed of serving in the Red Army and physically prepared themselves for this. The dream came true in 1939: Alexander was drafted into the army by the Kirov district military Commissariat. In a letter omitted at one of the stations, Alexander wrote that their composition is sent to the front: "I Saw Mishkino, my heart was torn in my chest: I wanted to go home and hug all my family. But you can't: an impudent enemy must be repulsed, and he will get it." The last letter was from the front in September 1941. Sasha wrote that the enemy would be destroyed and driven out of the Soviet land. "The Germans are very afraid of the Russian "Hurrah!" - he wrote. There were no more emails... We learn about the further fate of Alexander Vetokhin from the story of Alexander Mikhailovich Paklin from the village of Dubrovny, who visited Sasha's relatives after the war. Summer of 1941 Fierce fighting. The enemy is irresistibly rushing to the capital. Our troops, offering the strongest resistance, are forced to retreat before the countless hordes of rabid fascists. There were fights near the city of Rzhev, in the Kalinin region. Bobrovka village on the Bank of the Lazura river-a tributary of the Volga. Here, in this hell, our countrymen met-Alexander Paklin and Alexander Vetokhin. One is a tankman, the other a signalman (107th tank division). Here Paklin learned about the death of Sasha Vetokhin... During the battle, communication between the regimental commander and the battalion command post was disrupted. Sasha Vetokhin, under heavy machine-gun fire, found the damage and restored communication. At the cost of life. Knowing that much depends on his actions, the fate of hundreds of fighters. Having received, obviously, a wound, having seen a new break in the wire, I wrapped it around my hands with the last effort, losing consciousness. So he re-established the connection: the current went through his body. He was found dead with wires wrapped around his arms. It was the death of a true hero. He was 22 years old. It is painful to realize that the eyewitness's story did not clarify the fate of Alexander Pavlovich: in the Mishkin district military Commissariat, he is still missing, although the exact place of his death is known.

Volyntseva Klavdiya Vasilyevna_x000D_ _x000D_ Branch of the armed forces: signal Troops. Participant of the great Patriotic war. Claudia V. Volyntseva was born and lived all his life in the village Ligovo. Her mother was illiterate, but smart and economic woman, she worked on a collective farm and was engaged in raising children. My father, on the other hand, was a very educated man and held a leading position on the collective farm. Klavdia Vasilyevna followed in his footsteps, starting to work in the district Committee, later she worked at the plant of electronic devices and at the district consumer service plant. In 1942, she was called to the front and assigned as a radio operator in the Smolensk division. She had a very fine ear: because of this peculiarity, she sometimes had to work outside of her shift on the orders of the management team. By the way, after the announcement of the victory over Nazi Germany, Claudia Vasilyevna was not in a hurry to let go home, it was even about sending her to Japan, but in the end she still returned to her native village. Unfortunately, now Klavdia Vasilyevna hears very poorly-several strokes and a heart attack affected her. A long time ago, Claudia Vasilyevna allowed her medals and orders to be used as props in a theatrical production, but they were not returned to her. After the war, Claudia Vasilyevna married an officer, but their family life did not work out, they separated. She later remarried: the spouse, by the way, was also a second marriage. The result of a happy married life is five smart, caring children. Claudia Vasilyevna was awarded the honorary title "Mother heroine".

Vinichenko (Menshova) Evdokia Sergeevna_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Senior Sergeant Branch of the armed forces: signal troops Vinichenko (Menshova nee) Evdokia Sergeevna was born on February 23, 1922 in the village of Durnikino in the Romanovsky district of the Saratov region in the family of a worker.Father and mother moved to Mozhaisk district (Pushkino)Moscow region. In 1939, she joined the Moscow electrical insulation plant as a worker. In 1942,the factory was evacuated to Siberia, after which my grandmother was transferred to the Klara Zetkin factory, where she worked as a worker before being drafted into the army.From this factory, workers were attracted to the construction of defensive lines near Moscow. In may 1942, she was drafted into the Red Army by the Molotov district military Commissariat of Moscow.Since may 1942.until the end of June 1942, she served as an ordinary red army soldier as a telephone operator in the First separate reserve linear communications regiment.In June 1942, she was sent to the front in the 160th separate communications company of the 263rd aviation division, where she retrained as a radiotelegraph operator. For the successful fighting at the front in the Great Onion 263-I air division was transformed into the First guards bomber aviation division ,and the 160th separate company connection converted to 11 guards separate company of communication where Evdokiya Sergeevna was radio telegraphist 2nd class in the rank of guards Sergeant. In combat operations, she took part in the First guards bomber aviation division of the 11th guards separate communications company on the Kalinin front until January 1943, on the Volkhov front from January 1943 to February 22, 1943,and from February 23, 1943. until March 16, 1943.on the North-Western front, from April 1, 1943 to August 1, 1943.on the Voronezh front, from October 1943. until June 1944. on the Second Ukrainian front, from July 1944. and until the end of the war with Germany on the First Ukrainian front. Since June 15, 1945it was part of the troops of the Central group of Soviet troops in Germany, and then in Austria. In October 1945, she was discharged from the army with the rank of guard senior Sergeant. On October 13, 1945, she married Ivan V. Vinichenko(my grandfather). For conscientious performance of combat missions to ensure radio communication with bomber aircraft that struck enemy troops, she repeatedly received commendations from the command ,and on March 8, 1945, by order of the commander of the First bomber aviation division, she was awarded the medal "for military merit".Later, she was awarded many more medals. After being discharged from the army, she raised and raised her children, and then periodically took care of her grandchildren. Since April 1978.she was retired. In 2010.pass away...

Vereshchagin Ivan Mikhailovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Military branch: Artillery Occupied Odessa on the eve of liberation. A group of boys aged 14-15 are looking forward to the arrival of our units. And here is the long-awaited day: Soviet troops under the roar of guns enter Odessa... Vanya Vereshchagin did not remember his mother, his father was killed in the fighting near Kharkiv, and his younger brother was raised by his father's sister. And he decides to go to the front. Requests to enlist him as a volunteer in the army are refused everywhere. But he does not deviate from his intention, his hatred for the fascists and love for the Motherland are too great, and, finally, he achieves enrollment in a separate machine-gun and artillery battalion. On June 6, 1944, Ivan Vereshchagin received his first baptism of fire in Moldavia near Iasi. So began his military biography. He serves as a signalman. The unit in which Ivan Mikhailovich Vereshchagin served (106 SK 500 opab 159 UR 4 Ukrf), fought in Czechoslovakia, Hungary, Poland and Germany. One point: in the front-line documents, he was born in 1930. In the post-war passport, the date of birth was 1929. I remember him saying that he added his age after the war in order to reach adulthood faster, but it is impossible to say exactly where this age difference came from now. "Having been demobilized in 1952, senior reserve Sergeant Ivan Vereshchagin goes on a Komsomol ticket to restore the mines of Donbass destroyed by the Nazis. The country needed coal. Everyone worked regardless of time, and here Ivan needed front-line training. And in 1959 - again on the road. Ivan Mikhailovich goes to the construction of a large chemical plant in Krasnoyarsk, then to the Orenburg region, where he works for three years on the construction of a Nickel-cobalt plant as a crawler crane driver. The end of 1969. The cry rang out across the country: "All - for the construction of KAMAZ, the greatest construction of the ninth five-year plan!" In December, Ivan Mikhailovich was going on vacation, and the Builder's heart pulled him to Naberezhnye Chelny to see what KAMAZ Is. I came, looked, and stayed in Chelny. I didn't want to be on the sidelines of such a great cause. At first, he worked in Spetsstroy, and since mid-1970 In the Department of construction mechanization as a crane driver DEK-25. A high sense of duty and responsibility for the assigned task, great effort and experience distinguished Ivan Mikhailovich in his work. At the Engine plant, he drilled the first wells for drilling piles. At the car Assembly plant, he worked until the complete delivery of the case. For his good work, he was awarded the title of "Drummer of Communist labor" and "Drummer of the ninth five-year plan". He received dozens of certificates and commendations for conscientious work." From an article in the newspaper "Banner of communism" may 14, 1975, Wednesday. - No. 75 (2478). - P. 2.

Vorontsov Mikhail Stepanovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: captain. Branch of service: artillery. Division: 143rd infantry Konotop-Korosten red banner order of Suvorov division. The story of my great-grandfather, Updated Zlata. Almost 72 years have passed since the end of the Great Patriotic war, but the memory of those terrible four years is still alive to this day, because this war, one way or another, affected every family in our vast country. My great – grandfather Mikhail Stepanovich Vorontsov also took part in the great Patriotic war. Unfortunately, I don't remember him at all, he died when I was two years old. But my family tells me about his life and exploits, we keep his photos, personal records and memories, and participate in the "Immortal Regiment"campaign. My great-grandfather always wanted to be an officer. In 1938, three years before the start of the war, he was asked at school to write an essay on a free topic. And my great-grandfather wrote how our country was attacked by the Germans, and he, a brilliant officer, commander of the red Army, fought bravely against them. But at that time, a non-aggression Treaty was signed between the USSR and Germany, and, of course, such an essay was given a very bad rating. But in July 1941, my great-grandfather had to put on a military uniform. The war began, and he was called to the military enlistment office. At that time, he was almost eighteen years old. First, my great-grandfather was sent to Moscow in the 33rd motorized rifle regiment. They taught me how to ride a motorcycle, how to shoot a light machine gun, and other basic military training. Then great-grandfather was sent to the Penza mortar school, where he graduated with honors, and was appointed commander of the battery management platoon. Immediately after graduation, the harsh reality of the war began for my great-grandfather – their regiment was sent to Stalingrad to perform a combat mission: to push back the Germans who broke through to the Volga river, and to ease the situation of the troops fighting directly in the city. These were terrible, heavy and bloody battles. In one of them, my great-grandfather was concussed. But after thirteen days in the hospital, he returned to the Stalingrad Inferno to continue defending the city. At the end of the battle of Stalingrad, my great-grandfather was appointed chief of communications of the regiment. In this position, he fought until the end of the war. But until the end of the war there were very long and difficult days and nights, months and years. And every day, month, year is a life full of tragedies, events worthy of great descriptions, stories that not every writer can come up with. It is still difficult for me to fully understand and feel what it is like to live and continue to fight fiercely with complete dedication, without fear of the enemy and bullets, when death is on my heels. So, my great-grandfather had a case when he and a friend were sitting in a trench, waiting for the battle to start. At one point, they both poked their heads out to look around, and at that moment, an enemy sniper accurately hit a bullet in the forehead and killed the great-grandfather's friend. There were two targets, but ironically the sniper didn't target his great-grandfather. Great-grandfather Mikhail's battle path took him through the hottest points of the war: the orlo-Kursk arc, crossing the Sozh and Desna rivers, breaking the Dnieper wall, operation Bagration, liberation of Belarus, fighting on Polish territory, capture of Danzig, crossing the Oder. For his military exploits, my great-grandfather Mikhail Vorontsov was awarded the order of the red Star, three orders of the Patriotic war, and thirteen medals, the first and most expensive of which he considered the medal for bravery received at Stalingrad. My great-grandfather served for the good of the Motherland after the war. He headed the Department of correctional labor institutions in our region. For his honest service, he was awarded the Governor's badges "for valiant service in the Tver region" and "for services to the development of the Tver region". Today, a memorial plaque in honor of my great-grandfather hangs on the building of the Tver Department of the Federal penitentiary service. I am very proud of my great-grandfather. His life is an example for me, because, overcoming endless challenges on his way, he not only did not give up, but also became stronger, developed and helped others. The life and exploits of our great-grandfathers are a worthy example for us, the generation of the twenty-first century, an incentive to appreciate what we have today, and most importantly – a peaceful sky above our heads!

Valesina Vera Michailovna_x000D_ _x000D_ Branch of the armed forces: signal Troops. Vera Mikhailovna was born on October 5, 1923 in Logoisk, Minsk region. Orphaned early. She lived with her older sister in Osipovichi. In 1940, she married Ivan Timofeevich Valeshin. War found the young family in the town of Brest. On the first day of the war, Vera Mikhailovna was in the hospital with her newborn son. Her husband, Ivan Timofeyevich, was guarding military warehouses and could not take her away. With the baby in her arms, she left the encirclement along with the retreating units of the red Army. It was dangerous to be on the territory of the military camp where they lived. Exhausted, frightened, hungry, an eighteen-year-old girl with a child in her arms wandered through the Belarusian forests with people just like her, terrified. The milk was gone and the boy died. She dug a hole with her hands and buried it. Vera Mikhailovna was able to get out only thanks to the soldier-driver, who picked her up, already completely exhausted, and took her to his own. The Germans advanced and occupied Belarus. Vera went from this horror to the interior of the country. As a military wife, she joined the special communications group of the black sea fleet in June 1942. She took the oath and received the military rank of " sailor "and the specialty"telephone operator". The service noticed her abilities and, despite the difficult time, determined to continue her studies. Planning and economic Institute. By the end of the war, she had completed the 2nd year of the Institute. During her studies, she had the state of food rations, military uniforms, a stipend and accommodation in the hostel. I didn't know anything about my husband during the war. I thought that if he was alive and would not look for her, then she did not complain, because she had a perspective and goal in life: to graduate from the Institute and remain in the military service. And Ivan Timofeyevich was discharged and began to search for her. Vera Mikhailovna by that time contacted her sisters (there were four of them) through letters. The older sister lived in Osipovichi. Ivan Timofeyevich wrote to her. That's how they knew they were both alive. Ivan Timofeyevich was already at home, in the village of Divnoye. He called his wife to him, and on November 1, 1945 Vera Mikhailovna retired to the reserve and in early 1946 came to her husband with a suitcase in her hands. All the rest of Vera Mikhailovna's life depended on Ivan Timofeevich's place of work, and he, exhausted by the camp, captivity, and uncertainty about his family, could not get along in one place – Divnoye, Raguli, state farm 107, Kievka. And no matter who he worked for, she was always there. In 1948, she became a Communist and received a party ticket. She worked as a milk lab assistant before retirement and for another 11 years after that. She was awarded with medals: "For the victory over Germany in the second world war 1941-1945"," for the defense of the Caucasus", commemorative medals dedicated to the anniversaries of the Victory in the great Patriotic war and the formation of the Soviet Army and Navy. Vera Mikhailovna died in 2000.

Vankov Sergey Yakovlevich_x000D_ Rank: Corporal. _x000D_ Branch of the armed forces: Signal troops._x000D_ _x000D_ Unfortunately, I can't tell you much about my grandfather, because I was still quite young when he died. We didn't talk about the war. I only remember that my grandfather was a very kind, calm and reasonable person who was loved both at home and at work. He never raised his voice to anyone and always spoke in a low voice. Before the war, he was the Chairman of the collective farm, as evidenced by the surviving certificate. In peacetime, he worked at the Arzamas felt factory as a Stoker and was a trade unionist, about which there is also a clipping from the newspaper Arzamas Pravda. Grandfather loved the song «Oh, the roads…», sang it, and tears appeared in his eyes. _x000D_ In General, he never thought about the war. Unfortunately, he died early (stomach cancer). That's all I can tell you about him. I also know that he had a lot of medals, decorations and certificates for his awards. Unfortunately, all these awards disappeared after the death of my father, who continued to live in his parents ' home after the death of his parents. I really wish I had taken them earlier to keep them. I vaguely remember what kind of medals they were. I remember that there was a medal "for bravery". _x000D_ I would very much like to learn about my grandfather's battle path with your help. Maybe on the front-line photo that I posted here, someone will recognize their relatives and respond. This way you will be able to restore at least something bit by bit. Since I'm trying to find information about my grandfather, I visit websites from time to time. So on the pamyat website - naroda.ru I found a document about awarding my grandfather the medal "for the defense of the Soviet Arctic".

Vorobyova Agrippina Timofeevna_x000D_ _x000D_ Branch of the armed forces: Signal Troops. Vorobyova (Ermolina) Agrippina Timofeevna, was born on June 22, 1921, in the Altai territory, Altai district in the village of Torak. Mother-Ermolina Fiena Stepanovna. Father-Yermolin Timofey Zakharovich. It was an ordinary peasant family with 11 children. After sending five children to the front, the mother's heart failed, and she died in 1943. In 1942, Agrippina Timofeevna asked the Komsomol district Committee to take her to the front as a volunteer. On May 1, 1942, she went to Gorky for a 6-month special-purpose intelligence-training course and, after completing it, went to the front. She was assigned to the 541 radio division named after B. Khmelnitsky, as a scout-radio operator. Division "OSNAZ" led monitor the activities of enemy aircraft. My grandmother had a difficult task - to intercept and decipher the fascist radio messages. To do this, she had to learn Morse code and master the equipment in a short time. The radio division named after B. Khmelnitsky was "hunted" by the Germans because it was the only one on the entire front. In the winter of 1943, near the city of Leningrad, my grandmother intercepted an encrypted radio message that the Germans were planning to bomb our military hospital in the city of Valdai. For this, she received the Order of the Patriotic war and the Order of Military Glory second grade. My grandmother was on many fronts: the Northwestern front from 06.1941-02.1944, the 1st Belorussian front from 02.1944-11.1944, the first Ukrainian front from 11.1944-09.1945. By their actions, the division's soldiers made an invaluable contribution to the defenсe of the cities of Leningrad, Moscow, the liberation of Minsk, Brest, Warsaw, Prague, the defeat of Nazi Germany and the capture of Berlin! "It is pleasant to remember that on March 31, 1945, in commemoration of the Victory in the battles for the capture of the cities of Ratibor and Biscau, the capital of our Motherland, Moscow, saluted the soldiers of the 1st Ukrainian front, including the soldiers of the 541 radio division "Osnaz". The Supreme commander-in-Chief, Marshal of the Soviet Union I. V. Stalin by the order №, thanked the entire staff. 321 of March 31, 1945 ".A retired Colonel I. V. Guslavsky. Military awards: The Order of the Patriotic war; the Order of Military Glory 3rd rank; medals: - a badge "Excellent scout»; - medal "For the liberation of Prague»; - medal "for the liberation of Warsaw" - medal "for the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945"; as well as commemorative medals in honour of Victory Day. After the capture of Berlin, a week later, the division was sent to the Czech Republic, and there until December 15, 1945, Czechoslovakia was being liberated. On December 15, 1945, she was discharged home. After going through the entire war, my grandmother was wounded during the bombing in Warsaw and spent 3 months in the hospital. After the war, my grandmother devoted her life to children, working as a math teacher at school № 29 for forty years. I am very proud to have such a grandmother. And I am very sorry that she has had so many trials. Thanks to the Victory won in that war, we now live under a peaceful sky.

Vlasov Vyacheslav Mikhailovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Vyacheslav Mikhailovich Vlasov was born in 1924 in the city of Tula, in an ordinary working-class family. In 1940, he graduated from the eighth high school. When the Great Patriotic war began, he was 17 years old. And since he couldn’t be drafted into the army yet, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich participated in the labour front. He worked as a projectionist in the house of the Red Army. At this time, there were a large number of wounded soldiers in Tula. Tula was a rear city, so there were large sanitary and medical formations here. All the city schools were turned into hospitals. Vyacheslav Mikhailovich showed films to wounded soldiers. At the same time, he participated in defence construction: they built barricades, dug trenches and anti-tank ditches. In 1942, 18 years old, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was drafted into the army. For a month, he was doing a training course of radio operators in Moscow, and having received specialization of the radio operator, was sent to the Don front in the third heavy guards of the Order of the Red Banner brigade named in honour of Kutuzov, which was the breakthrough brigade. The main tasks of the radio operator were to ensure uninterrupted communication with the infantry, regiment, battalion, adjustment of firing points, and elimination of accidents. For the heroic defence of Stalingrad, he was awarded the medal "For the defence of Stalingrad". The service of a radio operator was not easy, he had to work in a 40-degree frost when not only hands but also the radio station freezes. For good service and valour, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was awarded the medal "For bravery" in 1942. The presentation of this medal was a memorable day for the fighter. Its presentation was held in the Kremlin. A hard soldier's life was united by friendship and mutual assistance between the soldiers. A Soviet soldier has a sense of solidarity with the soldiers of other countries. American and British soldiers were fighting alongside Soviet soldiers. They were sharing all the hardships and joys of war, shared one piece of bread and covered themselves with one greatcoat. In 1943, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was accepted into the ranks of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union. That solemn day of receiving a party ticket remained in his memory for life. While serving on the Western front, while performing a combat mission, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was seriously wounded in the head. After treatment, V. M. continued to fight for our Motherland. He participated in the liberation of cities in Poland and Czechoslovakia, 12 German cities, for which he has four commendations of the Supreme commander. With fights reached Berlin, for which he was presented to the medal "For the liberation of Berlin". After the end of the war, Vyacheslav Mikhailovich was sent to the Kuril Islands. However, the service did not last long. The injuries suffered could not but affect health. In 1947, for health reasons, he was demobilized and is a Second World War disabled veteran.

There is hardly a single family in this country where the memory of the courage defenders is not kept. Our family is no exception. We are proud that my great-grandfather was a part of that war. Unfortunately, he died the same year I was born, so I didn't see him. The Great Patriotic War left its mark on every family. Someone did not return from the war, and someone returned wounded, shell-shocked, but he remained alive. _x000D_ My great-grandfather, Potienko Anatoly Andreevich, also returned home. He went through the whole war all the way to Berlin, got there and, fortunately, is alive. The war for him began on the North Caucasian front. He was a signalman with the ranks of Junior Lieutenant and Lieutenant. He served in the 1442nd Radio Platoon of the 414th Anapa Red Banner Infantry Division. On October 7, 1943, he was awarded for the support of radio communications throughout all hostilities. _x000D_ “He created a cohesive and well-trained team of radio operators. During the period of battles he showed excellent examples in providing communications for the Division. During intense hostilities, where wire communications were destroyed by fire enemy, radio communication worked smoothly, thanks to the selfless work of Comrade Potienko. In the area of height 88.1, the radio was damaged, but Potienko Anatoly Andreevich personally eliminated the damage under fire and achieved communication. ” For this, the Minister of Defense of the USSR awarded my great-grandfather the Order of the Red Star. _x000D_ My great-grandfather took part in the hostilities for the liberation of the city of Sevastopol and on May 31, 1944 was awarded the second Order of the Red Star. _x000D_ At a challenging combat situation, he kept uninterrupted radio communication between the command post of the Corps, the command post of the Division and the command post of the regiments._x000D_ In addition to two orders, my great-grandfather also received the Medal “For the Defense of the Caucasus” and the Medal “For Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941–1945.” I am proud that my great-grandfather defended this country, that he and his peers did everything possible for me to be born in a free country. Thank you my great-grandfather!

Branch of troops: Communications troops. I want to tell you about my great-grandfather (mother's grandfather). My great-grandfather, Pavel Leontyevich Prozhirko, born in 1925, left for the war in June 1941, when he was not even 16 years old (he fled secretly from home). He was returned home. But he was persistent, ran away from home again and got on a freight train that went to the West. At one of the stations in the Odessa Region, he made his way onto the platform of an armored train. He hid and fell asleep, and woke up from a terrible roar: the guns were beating. Shells exploded. _x000D_ After the battle, the Red Army men examined the armored train and came across a boy. The boy said that he had no one, and begged the Commander to take him with him. So he found himself on an armored train and began to serve. In the fall, the armored train was bombed. My grandfather ended up in a battalion on a special mission: he blew up objects behind enemy lines. After several successful operations, he was enlisted in the battalion, here he took the oath and joined the Komsomol. _x000D_ Once a sabotage group of 16 people, my grandfather was among them, after completing the mission, was making its way through the front line. For a long time they could not get out of the encirclement. They took a passenger car off the Germans, but no one knew how to drive a car. Then my grandfather asked the Commander to let him drive the car, saying that his father was a driver. _x000D_ And they broke through to the Soviet troops. Under the shelling of the Nazis, my grandfather brought the car to the location of his unit. He celebrated Victory Day in Vienna. He was wounded four times. Has state awards: "For the Victory over Germany!", "For the capture of Budapest", "For the defense of the Caucasus!", "For military services", "For the capture of Vienna", "For the Liberation of Warsaw". Order of the Red Star. _x000D_ As a memory of the battles in Hungary, a silver cigarette case is kept in our family with an engraving: "To the Guards Corporal Prozhirko Pavel Leontyevich for excellent military operations to defeat the enemy's Budapest group from the Commander of the 3rd Ukrainian Front. 23, February 1945. TOLBUKHIN," _x000D_ He had reached his native village on the eve of 1946. After the war, he was a miner and electric welder. He participated in the Construction of a road bridge across the Volga, in Mostootryad No. 8. He worked at the Communications Plant, from where he retired. But even in retirement, my great-grandfather could not sit idle. He became a public traffic police inspector. What I have just written, I learned from the stories of my mother and her aunt. He often told them about the war, how scary it was. And at what cost did they get the Victory. _x000D_ The most terrible thing was listening to stories about the crossing of the Dnieper. They wrote about my great-grandfather several times in the newspapers: Regional Communist dated August 16, 1984 in an article entitled "The boy went to war ..." newspaper "Communist" (city of Engels dated April 8, 1983 in the article "Traffic police inspector" and dated February 28, 1985 in the newspaper Communist "(city of Engels) in an article entitled "Demo-man" _x000D_ These newspapers are carefully kept in our family. I am very proud of my great-grandfather. Bow to all veterans and eternal memory to those who are no longer with us. Those who at the cost of their lives gave us a peaceful life and those whom was gone after the war There are no words to express all gratitude for what they did, so that we live now.

Villadge of Chistoozernoe, Barabinsk District, Novosibirsk Region_x000D_ 10.10.1924 - 09.05.2013_x000D_ Rank: Sergeant Major_x000D_ Branch of Service: Signal Troops_x000D_ Leonid Potemkin was born on 10.10.1924 near the city of Barabinsk in the village of Chistoozerny. After finishing a rural four-year school, he was forced to continue his studies in another place – in the village of Novonikolaevka, which was located 12 kilometers from his home. After graduating from the 7th grade, despite everyday difficulties, he tried to continue his studies in every possible way. Rural teenagers who had barely completed their seven-year studies were eager to go to the city, to factory schools, to acquire a profession and earn their own bread. So in the city of Barabinsk, Novosibirsk Region, Railway School #1 was opened, where many people wanted to study, because the school gave out uniforms and provided free food. The selection was strict, but the one who chose this school never regretted his choice.So Leonid entered the Barabinsk Railway School, which trained assistant locomotive operators, where there were wonderful teachers and masters. In addition to learning the profession, they were full participants in the production process. So, by order of the Ministry of defense, they made in workshops vices, wrenches and other tools for completing tank and aircraft repair kits. On weekends and holidays, cadets of the school went to the parade ground and marched to the brass band, like real soldiers. But the most interesting thing for them was, of course, the practice in the locomotive depot, since much attention was paid to practice during their studies. The students helped to repair the injectors to wash out locomotive boilers. The workers tried to pass on their experience to them, who were still very young. And everything would have gone on as usual, if not for the war. Men went to the front, they were replaced by women and teenagers. They immediately grew up, and the staff workers asked them as adults. Leonid told how they dressed the "Company" in armor (as they called the locomotive). He had to stand at the head of the armored train and they when installing guns and machine guns, performed any tasks. The work was still in full swing, and the armored train had already received a name. It was a "Siberian-Barabinets"! More than once he told how he heard that this armored train fought near Moscow and on the Karelian Front and fulfilled its purpose with honor. Even where tanks could not pass, it delivered ammunition and food along hastily abandoned rails, and took out the wounded. The school's students were assigned to locomotive crews in the spring of 1942. They had to manage with steam locomotives SO ("Sergo Ordzhonikidze”) with the condensation of steam. Therefore, in the cold, it was covered with an ice coat, for which it received the nickname "samovar". It was very difficult to work on a steam locomotive. The train shoulder of 150 kilometers was overcome in two or even more days, they stood for hours at semaphores, holding the machine under steam. But they didn't waste time: they cleaned the chrome parts of the locomotive to a high gloss, even the tender was cleaned. On the way, they watched as trains of tanks and planes covered with tarpaulins, with new recruits in new uniforms, kept going west along the "green street", and to the East stretched freight cars with mangled equipment and ambulance trains that carried the wounded to the evacuation hospitals. They worked during the war, not knowing how tired they were. Oil dirt, coal dust were their constant companions, which were so ingrained in the skin that it was impossible to wash without kerosene. During the short smoke breaks at the depot, they talked about the war. Very young guys wanted to go where the fate of the country was decided. They were afraid to be late for the front! In June 1942, his peers began being called up. Now it was his turn to stand up for the Motherland! Leonid was not yet eighteen when the summons was brought. There were only a few days left before the shipment. He had to say goodbye to his family. Mother with the younger brothers lived in Chistoozernoe, a hundred kilometers from Barabinsk. There was only one kinf of "transport" one own feet. He told us children and grandchildren how he got to his family and two days later, on passing carts, went to the recruiting station. A whole train was with the conscripts of their district moved to the West. When it started to move, women and children ran after it for a long time, crying and shouting. _x000D_ He was moved with other guys from Inskaya station to the Novosibirsk Region to the regimental school of front-line signalers. They were trained there for six months. After that in March 1943, they received new uniforms, small arms and were sent to the West with a marching company. He got to the Bryansk Front, where offensive battles were then taking place. After that, he was on the Kalinin, Leningrad, and 2nd Baltic Fronts. So began the front-line roads through the fire and smoke, the loss of friends and comrades. He fought on the Bryansk, Kalinin, 2nd Baltic and Leningrad Fronts. Drowned in swamps, the Vadakste River, and Lake Idria. He suffered a concussion and a traumatic brain injury, was stunned by gunfire, and survived the explosion of an anti-personnel mine. Much had to be experienced and endured during the 700 days and nights of wartime, as well as by any other front-line soldier. He was able to liberate Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia. After liberating Novosokolniki, they launched an offensive on the city of Idritsa, where there was a huge lake – Idria, in which he drowned when setting up communications and was saved by one of the officers. He was a good athlete, and he didn't hesitate to rush to his aid… Idritsa was liberated on July 12, 1944. Their detachment became known as “Idritskaya”. They liberated the cities of Latvia: Rezekne, Daugavpils on July 17, 1944. At that time, some "good fellows" began to rob the civilian population, the Government was forced to organize counterintelligence "SMERSH" (death to spies), in one of the groups of 4 people, Leonid was also the senior operative of the mobile group, saving the civilian population. In battles and campaigns, he received a traumatic brain injury._x000D_ The Soviet Army expelled the fascist invaders from the Belarusian land in July 1944 as a result of the brilliantly planned operation Bagration and began the liberation of the peoples of Europe. During the operation, 17 enemy divisions were destroyed, and 50 divisions lost more than half of their strength. He was discharged in March 1946.

Soviet communications men in one of the streets of Vienna

Lieutenant M.Karchava is delivering a message over the phone to the headquarters during the street combat in Budapest

Signalers, Guards Sergeant P. Abramenko (front) and private E. Pasechny, who crossed to the West Bank of the river Oder, report to the command post about the situation on the battlefield