Khirny Ivan Ivanovich was born on June 6, 1922 in the village of Elshanka, Orenburg region. 06/14/1941 he was drafted into the army. This is how he himself recalls this time. Recorded from the personal memoirs of I. I. Khirny "I was drafted into active service in the army on June 14, 1941. There were 75 of us from Saraktash, almost everyone knew each other, they saw us off merrily with accordions, guitars, songs and dances. I thought that we were parting with family and friends for a long time, and some forever. The war began unexpectedly for us, we did not reach our destination. On June 20, 1941, at dusk, we arrived in the city of Kiev. And on June 21, 1941, at 4 am, German planes began to bomb Kiev. All at this time from the road, tired asleep in the location of the military unit, we could not immediately figure out what was happening, all around explosions, roar, smoke and fire, people cry for help. After the bombing we were all barely gathered. the song says exactly at 4 o'clock, Kiev was bombed and we were told that the war had begun. From the first day we saw the horror of the war and the blood of comrades. I was enlisted in the 436th separate anti-aircraft artillery battalion of the air defense. I had to master military equipment in the field in eye groin and trenches. For a week, the young anti-aircraft gunners explained each number of duties to us, and soon we stood up as a barrier for the capital of Ukraine. For the first time we saw the Germans, what they were doing with our cities, villages, how much grief they brought to the inhabitants of Ukraine. Seeing all this, we quickly mastered military technology and hatred of the enemy, and began to defend the city from enemy air raids. The enemy was superior in strength, we suffered heavy losses, and we experienced the bitterness of retreat. At the end of 1941 we were sent to be re-formed and replenished with human reserves and military equipment. In March 1942, we were sent to the Northern Donets near Kharkov, where fierce battles were going on. The enemy was rushing to Voronezh, we were transferred to Voronezh, South-Western Front. The enemy was striving for the Volga. On June 4, 1942, I was wounded in both legs, I was in hospitals in the city of Engels on the Volga for 2 months and 2 months in the city of Orsk, Orenburg region. He was discharged from the hospital on October 9, 1942. to the reserve regiment. 1943 - Ufa, School of foremen. At the beginning of 1944. back to the front. Met the Victory Day in Romania, Bucharest. "Ivan Ivanovich was awarded: the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree; the Order of Glory; the Order of the Red Banner of Labor; the medal" For the Defense of Stalingrad "; the" Veteran of Labor "medal.