Rank: Senior Sergeant Branch of troops: Artillery Vasily Antonovich GAVRISH, born in 1904, a native of the village of Starominskaya. He was drafted into the Red Army by the Starominsky RVC. Nationality: Russian. Served as a gunner in 353, 51, gun commander in 722 division company 73 Guard rifle division. Three times he was wounded and had the correspondent entry in the military ticket: neck and chest had thru woundes and shrapnel wound in the neck. He was awarded the order of the Patriotic War of the first degree, two medals "for Bravery", the medal "for the Victory over Germany". Our great-grandfather was a modest man and never talked about the war. When asked by his grandchildren " tell us how you fought?", he modestly replied "i fought the same way as others". Extracts from award lists: "03.10.1942 in the battle for the liberation from the Nazi invaders of the village of Fanagariyskaya Goryachy of the Klyuchevsky district of the Krasnodar territory, the gun squad of comrade Gavrish conducted accurate fire on the accumulation of enemy infantry, thereby contributing to the reflection of more than a dozen enemy attacks. With his well-aimed fire, unit of comrade Gavrish suppressed two enemy batteries, destroyed an ammunition depot and 5 enemy vehicles, thereby ensuring the liberation of the village from the fascist invaders. Worthy of the Government award for bravery." "November 6, 1943. In the area of the junction of roads to south-east of the village of Krasny Orlik, gun squad of comrade Gavrish supported with its fire three defencing rifle battalions. The enemy within two infantry battalions, 30 tanks, supported by three artillery batteries, four mortar batteries, and 40 aircraft from the air, went on the offensive against 3 rifle battalions. Gavrish from his gun met the enemy tank with a well-aimed barrage. In the first attack, he destroyed two German tanks. Having regrouped their forces, the enemy attacked again with two reinforced infantry battalions and 60 tanks. The unit of the comrade Gavrish did not flinch even this time, but calmly continued to destroy German tanks with a well-aimed shot, and a few minutes later a German tank and an enemy armored vehicle were again on fire, in front of our infantrymen. In the area of the location of the gun, as a result of fierce fighting, not a single person of our rifle units remained, despite the threatening situation created in the combat situation, comrade Gavrish did not move a step back from his position, but took up a circular defense near his gun and continued to repel the enemy's attacks. For three hours, being completely surrounded by the enemy, the gunners defended the line they occupied. In just one day of fighting, comrade Gavrish destroyed 4 tanks and an armored vehicle. Worthy of the title Hero of the Soviet Union." "On behalf of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR to award the medal "for Bravery" to the commander of the battery of 76 mm guns, Senior Sergeant Gavrish Vasily Antonovich, for the fact that in battle of 26. 10. 1943 for the village of Krinichki, with accurate fire from his gun, he destroyed vehicles with enemy infantry." Unfortunally, we don't know how many other feats there really were! Our huge family is proud of their Father, Grandfather, great-Grandfather and great-great-Grandfather!!!!!