Rank: Red Army Soldier Branch of Service: Land Forces, Air Force (except for Naval Aviation), Coast Guard, NKVD troops, Border Guard Ivan Bityukov was born in 1894 in a large family, in the village of Makashevka. Even before the Great October revolution, he married Alexandra Afanasyevna. Their daughter Manya was born on July 15, 1915, and a son Zhora, on April 27, 1922. They also had a daughter, Nyura, and a small son, Sashenka. They used to live well, as they said at the time. His ancestors and he was a coachman, was carrying the mail. Im Their homestead they had horses, a cow, even had their own meadows, which were not far from Spornoe Lake, and they were called "post people". With the advent of Soviet power, he had to work for hire, dig wells. He had to leave home for several weeks in neighboring villages. A horse and a cow remained at his home. By order of A. Perevozchenko, they were dispossessed, a horse was taken from the yard, a cow was taken away, and their house was dismantled and taken out. Ivan was not at home at that time. The family had to wander around relatives and neighbors. When he returned from work, he and his brother were arrested on false charges of murdering the Chairman of the Village Council Perevozchenko. Alexander's wife did not survive this. Nyura and Sashenka died of starvation. Fortunately, Ivan and his brother were acquitted and rehabilitated, but the brother died of a broken heart when they came to read the verdict. And he was left alone with two children. Fortunately, the house was returned to him, and he had to put it up again. He continued to dig wells. When he went to work, the children were left alone at home. Manya herself was a housekeeper. In Saltykovka he met Vasilisa, she loved him. Life in her first marriage did not work out for her either. He invited her to stay with him, helping him with the housework and children. So they began to live. And then the feelings came, and they got married. When the Great Patriotic War began, corporal Ivan Bityukov, due to his age, did not go to the front immediately, but in 1942. He was an excellent wagon driver. Provided evacuation of the wounded during offensive operations of our Army, from Voronezh to Vienna. Was on the 3rd Voronezh and 2nd Ukrainian fronts in the 230th and 46th armies. How many lives were saved by Ivan is not countable. He did not care about his own life. Only often he thought about his family, his wife, and most importantly that the children returned home alive. So he went all the way to Prague. The army ended its combat operations with participation in the Prague strategic operation (May 6-11). The army was relocated to the Odessa Military District in July-September 1945 and disbanded on September 25. Ivan was demobilized and returned home, but his son Zhora had not yet returned from the army, and his daughter Manya remained to restore the city of Murmansk. But it was lucky that they were still alive. Vasilisa was happy. Ivan immediately went to work for the collective farm as a Stockman. Life began to improve. Later, his son got married and had children, Ivan’s grandchildren. Ivan Bityukov passed away in 1964. He left his descendants only a bright memory of himself!