Rank: Rear Admiral Branch of the Armed Forces: the Navy of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics and the Naval forces of the border troops of the People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs In 1938, he graduated from the naval school of M. V. Frunze. In 1941, he graduated from the Pacific Higher Naval School. In 1953, he graduated from the academic officer courses at the Voroshilov Naval Academy. He was the participant of the Great Patriotic War. From 1941 to 1942, he was the commander of the patrol boat "Sea Hunter 201" of the 1st division of the patrol boat. From 1942 to 1944, he became commander of “Sea Hunter” boats. From 1944 to 1945, he became commander of the 2nd division of patrol boats of the "Sea Hunter» type in the Ladoga Military Flotilla. From 1945 to 1947, he served as the commander of the 6th "Sea Hunter" division of the Tallinn sea area of defense of the Baltic fleet. From 1947 to 1948, he served as the commander of the 2nd division of small gunboats. From 1950 to 1952, he served as the commander of the 112 brigade for the protection of the water area of the Svinemund naval base number 4 of the Navy. From 1953 to 1955, he was the commander of the 106 brigade of the independent military service division of the Potiysk naval battery. From 1955 to 1960, he served as the commander of the 24th division of protection of the aquatic area of the Black sea fleet. From 1960 to 1962, served as the commander of the 18th brigade of protection of the aquatic area of the Black sea fleet. From 1962 to 1971, served as the assistant commander of the Baltic fleet. From 1971 to 1972, he was placed under the command of the State Committee of the Navy. Since March 1972, he had been in the reserve due to illness. He lived in Tallinn. He was buried in 1977 at the Alexander Nevsky cemetery in Tallinn. The award list (1944) states: “Took part in the aquatic operation near the Tuloksa river as the commander of the “Sea Hunter” boat division. During the first landing, Lieutenant Commander P.S. Kolesnik, under a wall of enemy fire, shot the Finns with direct fire, suppressing their firing points. He competently covered the landing vehicles with smoke screens when they were approaching the shore, while being himself under mortar fire. Thanks to the selfless actions of the “Sea Hunter” boats, none of the ships involved in the operation were lost. Under the attack of enemy aircrafts, while conducting intense fire, he covered for vehicles with weaker anti-aircraft weapons. For his courage, initiative, and competent use of his weapons, Lieutenant Commander Kolesnik deserves to be awarded the order of Alexander Nevsky.” Rewards: Order of the Red Banner (1942); Order of the Red Banner (1956); Order of the Red Banner (1968); order of Alexander Nevsky (1944); order of the Patriotic War of the II degree (1945); Order of the Red Star (1951); Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945"; Medal "For Military Merit"; Medal "For the Defense of Leningrad"; Medal " Twenty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War 1941-1945»; Medal "Thirty Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945". He was married to Natalia Vladimirovna Kolesnik (Nornevskaya), had 6 children. His sons - George Pavlovich Kolesnik (1943), Vladimir Pavlovich Kolesnik (1947), Alexander Pavlovich Kolesnik (1954), Andrey Pavlovich Kolesnik (1955) - were officers of the Navy. His brother Igor Stepanovich Kolesnik served as a sailor in the Black sea fleet during the war. He died in 1942.