Rank: Red Army Soldier Soldier's Story Vasily Vasiliy Braytsara was born on February 19, 1920 in the village of Alekseyevka, Kuibyshev District, Zaporozhye Region in the family of Trofim and Maria Braytsara. In 1930, the family moved to the Ukrainian farm, Oryol District, Rostov Region. Graduated from 4 classes of school. He worked for a collective farm as a trailer driver, then as a tractor driver. In 1940, he was drafted into the Red Army and sent to the Far East in the 2nd Red Banner Army. Participated in the Soviet-Japanese war of 1945, was one of the best fighters of his military unit. During the war, he was wounded in the hip, and subsequently received the 2nd group of disability in this regard. For exemplary performance of command assignments at the front against the Japanese invaders and displaying valor and courage he was awarded the Medal For Military Merit, and in the postwar period – the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd degree. Vasily was dismissed from the military service in 1947. Until 1956, he worked in Rostov-on-Don in the Dono-Kuban Basin Management, and then lived in the city of Gornyak, Donetsk Region. In 1951, he married Varvara Shokalo. In 1952, their son Alexander was born in Rostov-on-Don, and in 1959, their daughter Natalia was born in Gornyak. From 1956 to 1986, he worked as a fastener at the Kurakhovskaya Mine of the SelidovUgol Trust. Vasiliy Braytsara died on October 17, 1999, buried in the mining town. Children of a war veteran live in Rostov-on-Don. The combat way of a soldier Vasiliy Braytsara was called up to the Red Army in 1940 by the Oryol District Military Commissariate of the Rostov Region. By the time the Soviet-Japanese war began in 1945, he was serving in the Far East, in the 204th Separate Automobile Repair and Restoration Battalion, the 2nd Red Banner Army, and the 2nd Far Eastern Front as a locksmith. Until August 1945, the 2nd Red Banner Army performed tasks for the defense of the Far Eastern borders of the USSR. It was part of the Active army and participated in the Sungari operation of the Soviet troops from 09.08.1945 to 03.09.1945. The army, in cooperation with the Amur Military Flotilla on August 10, crossed the Amur and Ussuri rivers, broke through the long-term Japanese defense, overcame the Maly Khingan mountain range, and, together with the troops of the 1st Far Eastern front, captured the Northern and North-Eastern parts of Manchuria. The summer of 1945 turned out to be rainy, water overflowed the banks and flooded the area. This greatly complicated the offensive. The places designated for crossings were flooded and swampy, and the roads were washed out. The 204th Battalion performed combat missions in the second echelon of army repair and evacuation units, engaged in the evacuation of vehicles pulled out of swamps and rivers and their subsequent repair and restoration. At the same time, Vasily was one of the best soldiers of the battalion. Working on the restoration of vehicles, he completed daily production tasks by 370-400%. During the war with the Japanese invaders, his work helped to quickly defeat the Japanese, and on September 1, 1945, he was presented with the Order of the Badge of Honor. During the Sungari operation of our troops, he was wounded in the thigh, but remained in the ranks. For exemplary performance of command assignments at the front against the Japanese invaders and displaying valor and courage of the soldier of Vasiliy Braytsara was awarded the Medal For military merit on 29 September. In commemoration of the 40th anniversary of victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945, he was awarded the Order of the Patriotic War 2nd degree in 1985. After the Victory over the Japanese invaders Vasiliy Braytsara continued to perform military service, and was discharged in 1947. Merits of a soldier From the award list… To award the Red Army soldier of the 204th Battalion Vasiliy Braytsara the Medal For Military Merit:"Comrade Braytsara is one of the best soldiers of a unit. Working on the restoration of motor vehicles comrade Braytsara performed production tasks for 370-400%. During the war with the Japanese invaders, his work helped to quickly defeat the Japanese samurai. Braytsara deserved government awards: Order of The Badge Of Honor. Commander of 204 Battalion Major Buynov, September 1, 1945. Memories of a soldier Says the daughter of Vasiliy Braytsara Natalya. "Dad was a very calm, reasonable and kind person. He rarely thought about the Soviet-Japanese war in 1945, like most former front-line soldiers. He told how, together with his fellow soldiers, he restored a truck from spare parts at night so that they could go to the front line to participate in battles. But they were not released. At the end of his life, he walked badly, affected by the wound received at the front. Together with our entire family, I am proud of my father and thank him for his contribution to the Victory over the Japanese invaders."