Military branch: land forces, air force (except naval aviation), coastal service, NKVD troops, border guard. My father - Alexander Gerasimovich Kondakov - was born on 21 October 1921 in the village of Poelovo in the district Yuriev-Polsky. His mother died when he was 9 years old. With stepmother his childhood was not happy and carefree. He could hardly lift the shaft and reach the bow, but he already knew how to harness a horse, and together with his older brothers and sisters he worked in the fields and prepared firewood in the forest. At home he tended the younger children. After he finished 7th grade, he had to earn his living and help his family by working in the Yuriev factory. In March 1941 Alexander Gerasimovich was called up for service in the Red Army. The regiment's tank school, where he started his military service, was in Belarus. The unit was located 7 km from the border, so the school cadets from the first days of the war were in the front zone. They had to drink up the bitterness of the retreat. Men aged 20-21 formed the backbone of the army and were the first to take up the fight. During one of the fights Alexander Gerasimovich was seriously wounded and sent to hospital. Maybe that is why he survived, because it is no secret what huge losses our army suffered in the first months of the war. After he was released from the hospital, Alexander Gerasimovich continued his fighting career as an infantryman on the 3rd Ukrainian front. He fought in the south of Russia, in the Ukraine, took part in the crossing of the Dnieper and Danube and in the liberation of five European States: Bulgaria, Hungary, Yugoslavia, Romania and Austria. He met the day of Victory in Austria but at that time he was unconscious after a serious injury and did not know about the victory for a few days. Fate was kind to the soldier. Although he suffered three serious injuries, he remained alive. For the courage shown by the Guard, Senior Sergeant Alexander Gerasimovich Kondakov received military orders and medals - the Order of the Patriotic War II degrees, the Order of Glory III degrees, two medals "for bravery" and the medal "for victory over Nazi Germany". Alexander Gerasimovich was discharged from the army in December 1945. He got a job in a factory in the city Yuriev-Polsky, and in 1947 he moved to Kolchugino and was taken into the electric cable factory, where he worked until his retirement. He fought with dignity, worked with dignity, did active public relations as a member of the Factory Party Committee and was twice elected to the City Council. The brigade led by Alexander Gerasimovich carried the proud title of the Communist Work Brigade and his photo and the brigade's photo were repeatedly placed on the honorary committees of the factory, the city and the region. For his work, Alexander Gerasimovich was awarded the medals "for brave work" and "work veteran", as well as factory and ministerial certificates of honor. His name is listed in the Honorary Book of the Factory. After his retirement, he worked in the industry for another 7 years, where he also enjoyed great respect among the employees. Alexander Gerasimovich was an active participant and the soul of the choir of veterans of the Palace of Culture. He gave much warmth and attention to his loved ones - he was a caring father for three daughters, a kind grandfather for six grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Our father lived a glorious life and did many good deeds for the people and the motherland. He died on 24 February 2003 at the age of 81 years.