Heroes and feats

Cadet of the Grozny Military Aviation School from November 1944 to March 1946. Sergeant, air gunner-radio operator from March 1946 to August 1948. Commander of launch systems from August 1948 to July 1949. Cadet of the Chelyabinsk Red Banner Military School from July 1949 to December 1949. Petty Officer, Commander of launch systems from December 1949 to April 1949. Armament technician from April 1949 to April 1952. Lieutenant, Head of Air Fire Service of Aviation Squadron from January 1954 to August 1957. Captain from August 1957 to December 1961, Head of Air Fire Service of the airfield. Awards: Medal "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was awarded on May 1, 1947. Medal "30 Years of the Soviet Army and Navy" was awarded on October 14, 1949. Medal "For Combat Services" was awarded on January 1, 1956. Medal "40 Years of the USSR Armed Forces" was awarded on September 20, 1958. Medal "For Irreproachable Service in the USSR Armed Forces" was awarded on February 22, 1961. Medal "20 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was awarded on April 30, 1966. Medal "30 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was awarded on February 14, 1976. Medal "60 Years of the USSR Armed Forces" was awarded on November 12, 1979. Medal "40 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was awarded on August 21, 1985. Medal "70 Years of the USSR Armed Forces" was awarded on February 22, 1988. Medal "50 Years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945" was awarded on March 22, 1995.

Zimin Georgy Nikitovich was born in 1924 in Omsk region, Sargatsky district, the village of Andreevka. His father is Zimin Nikita Vasilyevich. His mother is Ulyana Putofeevna Zimina. He was the fifth child in the family. He was a very talented artist. He had an invitation to study at the Art Academy. In 1941 he was 17 years old. At the time of conscription, he had a reservation and did not have to take part in military operations. He left for the front voluntarily. According to the data bank "Memorial" – he was recruited at Sargatsky RVC, Omsk region. There are doubts here, though, because according to his sister, he was recruited at Kaganovich station of Chita region in March 1942. The last place of duty was the 10th Guards Airborne Division. He rank at that moment was a Sergeant. He took part in the battles in preparation for the Kiev offensive operation. He was killed during the battle on October 4, 1943. At the time of his death, he was 19 years old. On the website of the "Electronic Book of Memory of Ukraine" you can see one of the inscriptions on the plate of the mass grave, where Zilin G.N. (sergeant) is listed among others. Apparently, there is a mistake. We think that this is our Georgy Nikitovich Zimin. Unfortunately, we do not know anything else. During their lifetime, parents did not learn about his death, time of death, a place of death as they received the notice that he had disappeared. The last of the surviving sisters, younger Anna, with great excitement learned about the fate of her beloved brother. The data presented here are received on websites where the information on destinies of participants of the Great Patriotic War is placed. For this opportunity and the huge work done, we are very grateful to all the creators of databases.

I.A. Zinoviev - the Commander of the 198th Guards Rifle Regiment, 68th Guards Rifle Division, 40th Army, Voronezh Front, Guards Sergeant. He was in the Red Army since 1942. In the active army - since October 1942. He fought at the Don and Voronezh fronts. Participated in the Battles of Stalingrad and Kursk, the liberation of the Left Bank of Ukraine. From August 3, 1943, during the Belgorod-Kharkov Strategic Offensive Operation, the 68th Guards Rifle Division liberated many settlements in Kharkov, Poltava, and Kiev regions and by the end of September it reached the Dnieper. The division's units began to prepare for the crossing of the river. On September 24, Sergeant I. A. Zinoviev, at the head of his Guard Division, forced the Dnieper under enemy fire and immediately entered the battle. When the officers were out of action during the bridgehead expansion, I. Zinoviev took command of the platoon and then the company. Under his leadership, the company, repulsing the enemy's fierce counterattacks, moved forward, ensuring that the combat mission of the entire battalion was fulfilled. On October 9, 1943, he was killed in action. According to the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on November 13, 1943, for the successful crossing of the Dnieper River, a strong foothold on the western bank of the Dnieper River and the courage shown in this process, and the heroism of the Guards, Sergeant Zinoviev I. A. was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union posthumously. He was buried in a mass grave in the village of Balyk-Shuchinka, Kagarlyk district, Kiev region (Ukraine). He was awarded the Order of Lenin on November 13, 1943.

Sofia Sergeyevna Zimina. She is a participant of the Great Patriotic War. This is what she remembers: In August 1943, Sonia turned eighteen, and in September she received a summons to the military committee. She was enlisted in the forty-third female assault and machine gun regiment. And there she turned out to be the youngest. When the soldier's outfit was issued, the small fragile girl could not find the necessary size. So she appeared before the foreman: in boots, which seemed to be way too wide on her thin legs, and in long, almost to the ground overcoat. Having smiled sympathetically, the foreman joked: "Well, soldier, when you crawl, your knees will not get cold". There turned out to be some truth in his words. It was not necessary to crawl as their regiment stood far from the front, guarding the most important objects: bridges, stations - from the attacks of German planes. And the overcoat served her faithfully throughout the war. After graduation, Sonya was promoted to the rank of Junior Sergeant and was appointed senior in the rank. Of the three girls in the crew, she was again the youngest. Sonia was still the same fighting, restless girl. And so no one was surprised when the battalion members elected her their secretary. Life at the front for anti-aircraft gunners was not measured by usual days but by periods from one duty to the next. Duty, rest, heavy crossovers from one object to another, sometimes along swamps, and river crossings. One night, Sonya heard an alarm. Running out in total darkness, to her surprise, everything was calm: neither airplanes nor bombs could be heard. It turned out that the German landing party had been dropped. But the paratroopers did not go far. Sonya caught one with the help of her girls. It may seem that everything was going smoothly, without any casualties. But the enemy was the enemy. There were fierce short shootings, which killed three anti-aircraft gunners. In August 1945, Sonia was demobilized, she turned 20 then. Sonia welcomed the victory with tears in her eyes. After the war, Sophia Sergeyevna had a hard life. Everyone respected and appreciated her.

He was born on August 6, 1908 in the village of Nakhratovo, Voskresensky district, Gorky region. He graduated from the 3rd grade of Kuznetsovskaya Primary School in 1919, but was quite a literate person for his time, even had calligraphic handwriting. When the Great Patriotic War began, he was 32 years old. During the war, Pavel Yegorovich was summoned for mobilization by the Voskresensky District Military Committee on August 25, 1941, when he was 33 years old. He served in the 332nd Rifle Division, formed in Gorky in the harsh days of autumn 1941, took the oath of allegiance on September 13, went through the battlefield to East Prussia and finished the war in Koenigsberg ... 332nd Rifle Division went from Moscow to Prague, participated in the liberation of Auschwitz, Poland and Czechoslovakia. The division took part in heavy defensive battles, but most of the awards the division received were associated with the victorious battles of 1944 - the year of liberation of the country from Hitler's invaders. For the liberation of Zhytomyr, it was awarded the title of Zhytomyr Red Banner Order of Suvorov Rifle Division. The division took part in heavy battles on the Kursk Bulge. Pavel Yegorovich had the military rank of "Sergeant", served in the artillery regiment as a telephonist, a member of gunnery crew, a shooter. He was demobilized on the basis of the Decree of the Presidium of the Supreme Soviet of the USSR on September 25, 1945. He returned home on November 2, 1945. During the Great Patriotic War, he was seriously wounded in the arm in August 1943 and had two more wounds in the arm and leg in 1944. Moreover, fragments in his wounded leg got inflamed and came out only in 1965. For more than 20 years he had been carrying with him notched metal from enemy shells. Pavel Yegorovich Zimnyakov was awarded the Order "Red Star" in August 1944, two medals "For Courage" - in 1943 and 1944, a medal "For the Victory over Germany" in 1945

Among the many units that participated in the Great Patriotic War (hereinafter - the GPW), there was 1180th regiment of the 350th rifle division of Zhytomyr-Sandomyr Red Banner Order of Bogdan Khmelnitsky division. In this division my grandfather fought - a Red Army soldier, a rifleman born in 1922, a native of the village Khramtsovo, Sverdlovsk region Slobodo-Turinsky district Trofim Zakharov - fought in it. He was recruited for the war in September 1941. He took a full military training course in the regiment. And on December 18, 1941, he was sent to the front line of the marching company to the Bryansk front. It would be appropriate to mention the heroic way of the 350th Infantry Division, equal to 7,120 km, 30 thousand soldiers of which were awarded orders and medals, and 22 soldiers were awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union. The division participated in the liberation of Ukraine, Poland, Prague and Czechoslovakia. It reached Berlin. My grandfather Trofim did not return to his native village immediately, but only on June 29, 1946. After the Victory over Germany, he spent a year and a half in the Transcarpathian Border District, as a member of 31st border detachment. Upon returning, Trofim married a beautiful countrywoman, Evdokia Yemelyanovna Khramtsova. Together, they raised five children. And in his working life, my grandfather achieved considerable success. All his life he worked as a veterinarian at a collective farm named after Kirov in Sl-Tura District. He was a Veteran of Labor. Three times he was awarded a bronze medal and one silver medal for labor valor and success in the development of national economy of the USSR. My grandfather is no longer with us, he died on October 30, 2002 at the age of 80. In memory of our heroic grandfather, our family (and today we have 10 grandchildren, 7 great-grandchildren and one great-grandson) keeps his photo cards, awards, diaries. Flipping through the pages, I read his reflections on the time of war. And I know for sure he was a strong, honest, courageous man. He rose many times to attack under the whistle of deadly metal. For services to his homeland, my grandfather was awarded the Order of Great Patriotic War I degree, the Order of Great Patriotic War II degree, the Order of the Red Star, the Medal "For Bravery" and many other awards in recognition of military and labor services. One of the streets in Kunyamsk, Kharkov region, is named after the 350th Infantry Division, in the ranks of which fought my Heroic grandfather, who liberated this city from the Nazis. By the way, the troops who participated in the liberation of Zhitomir, by order of the All-Russian Military Command on January 1, 1944, received commendations and a salute was ggiven in Moscow with 20 artillery volleys of 224 guns.

While carrying out research work on compiling the family lineage, I learned that my great-grandfather on my mother's lineage, Nikolai Zasorin, was a participant of the Great Patriotic War. I learned from my grandmother's stories that Nikolai Fyodorovich, like many fellow villagers, was drafted into the Red Army during the first days of the war at the age of 26 by the Kulebak RVC of Gorky region. My great-grandfather, Nikolai Fyodorovich Zasorin, had passed a glorious battle way, from an ordinary soldier to a Junior Lieutenant. The war separated him from his home and family for six long years. My great-grandfather went through the whole war, was twice wounded, welcomed the Victory Day, came home from the war with awards. But I wanted to know more about the heroic deeds of soldier Nikolai Fyodorovich Zasorin. Already in June 1941, Nikolai Fyodorovich was a member of 501 motorized rifle regiment of the Western Front, which was hastily formed to be sent to the front. In the second month of the war, the regiment was already on the front line of the battles near Smolensk. In fierce battles near the walls of the ancient city began one of the largest battles of the war, which lasted two months. In one of the battles on August 16, 1941, my great-grandfather was seriously wounded in the left foot in hand-to-hand combat. In autumn 1941, the division stood west of town Ostashkov, where it held the defense between Lake Seliger and the Volga. After being wounded, my great-grandfather got back into formation and already on January 11, 1942 in the battles near Ostashkovo,taking part in the breakthrough of the heavily fortified enemy defense, he destroyed 8 German soldiers with grenades. In 1942, three fronts were formed: Belarusian, Ukrainian and Stalingrad. My great-grandfather was sent to the Ukrainian front, to the 78th Infantry Division. On July 5, the division withdrew by echelons to the front, unloaded at Staritsa station near Kalinin and headed in camping columns to the border Ostashkov-Selizharovo. In one of the battles Nikolai Fedorovich was seriously wounded in the back and skull. I read this record in his military ticket. In February 1943, the 458th rifle regiment, in cooperation with units of the 33rd rifle corps (commander - General I.I. Semenov), captured the city of Lisichansk. Nikolai Fyodorovich walked thousands of miles along the military roads: Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Germany. From 16-20 April 1944, in battles near the village of Berliesti (Hungary), leading a platoon of 78tth rifle division of Zaporozhye Division, repulsed the enemy counterattack. According to the documents, our great-grandfather was awarded the Order of the Red Star for his courage. In the award sheet I read a brief statement of his personal combat feat: "For exemplary performance of combat missions and command at the front in the fight against the German invaders.” November 21, 1944 in the offensive battle for the village of Chaba (Hungary), he skillfully led a company, not only repulsed three counterattacks of the enemy, but also killed more than 20 fascists and captured five. The homeland praised the heroic deed of the soldier, awarding him the Order of Patriotic War of the second degree. Soon the 78th Division entered Czechoslovakia, liberating cities and villages. In the battle for the capture of Miskolc (Czechoslovakia) my grandfather was wounded in the left leg. After the hospital, he returned to the front line, freeing Europe from fascist invaders. He welcomed the Victory Day in Germany, in Dresden. However, the military service did not end for him. As an experienced officer, he was sent to Barnaul by a military instructor to train young recruits. Nikolai Fedorovich returned home only in 1947, where his family was waiting for him. In 1985, in honor of the 40th anniversary of theVictory, he was awarded the Order of Patriotic War, 1st degree. My great-grandfather was also awarded jubilee awards.

Alexander Leontievich Zverkov was born in 1917 in the village of Telyatnikovo, Barguzinsky district of Buryat-Mongol ASSR in the family of Leontiy Tikhonovich Zverkov and Akulina Kuzminichna (maiden name Zarubina). On July 03, 1941, he was conscripted to the war by the Nenets HVAC of Arkhangelsk region in Naryan-Mar. The troops of the Leningrad Front were fighting under extremely difficult blockade conditions. Later, by stubborn defense combined with offensive actions, with the help of the Volkhov Front and the Baltic Fleet, they exhausted and exsanguinated the enemy, forcing him to move to the defense, finally frustrating the plans of Hitler's command to seize Leningrad. The chief of the medical department of the 100th branch of the infirmary of the 224th rifle division of the Leningrad front, Senior Lieutenant Alexander Zverkov, participated in the defense of Leningrad since December 26, 1942. The 224th rifle division (2nd formation) was formed in June 1942 on the basis of the 116th rifle brigade. At the beginning of December 1942 the division was ferried on ships under fire of Germans along Ladoga lake from Kobon pier to Osinovka. On January 12, 1943, the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts began Operation "Iskra" with the aim to unblock Leningrad. The 67th Army's attack on Mustalovo did not have serious success, so it welcomed fresh units from the Leningrad Front's reserve, including 224th Infantry Division. In January 1943, the troops of the Leningrad and Volkhov Fronts conducted an operation to break through the blockade of Leningrad south of Shlisselburg (Petrokrepost). The land link between the city and the country was re-established. From 19.03.1943 to 04.04.1943, the 224th Rifle Division of the 55th Army participated in the battles to break through the blockade of Leningrad. From 22.07.1943 to 22.08.1943 - as a part of the 55th Army participated in the Mghin operation. From 14.01.1944 to 30.01.1944 - as a part of the 42nd Army took part in the Krasnoselsko-Ropshinskaya operation, during which it participated in the liberation of the cities of Gatchina and Red Village. In January 1944, the division was given the name "Gatchina Division" for the liberation of Gatchina. In January-February 1944, the Leningrad Front, in cooperation with the Volkhov, 2nd Baltic Front and Baltic Fleet, defeated a group of German armies "North" near Leningrad and Novgorod, liberated Leningrad from the enemy blockade, Leningrad region and part of Kalinin region, entered Estonia. At the end of June 1944, the division was included from the reserve of the Leningrad Front in the 59th Army, which was given the task of capturing the islands of the Vyborg Bay and creating a starting point for the front to move on to the Finnish coast. In the award sheet, the comrades-in-arms gave a high characterization of Alexander Leontievich Zverkov's medical and human qualities: "The chief of the medical department of the 100th sickbay of 224th Gatchina Rifle Division of the Leningrad Front's 224 Senior Leutenant Zverkov A.L. is a serious, hard-working, persistent doctor who knows how to organize medical work in any conditions. During the combat operations, with the massive influx of seriously wounded horses, he demonstrated the maximum organizational ability to provide comprehensive, conscientious and qualified medical care. Thanks to this, the seriously wounded horses were evacuated to the rear of the Army in a timely manner, and most of the wounded horses recovered and returned to service.” School # 346 of St. Petersburg has a museum of the 224th Red Banner Gatchina Rifle Division. Alexander Leontyevich Zverkov was awarded the Order of the Great Patriotic War of the II degree, the Medal "For Combat Services" and the Medal "For the Defense of Leningrad". After the war, he lived and worked in Shuya city.

Lavrentiy was drafted to The Red Army on February 20, 1942. The service took place in the 134th Verdinsk Red Banner Order Suvorov Rifle Division, which since April 1944 as part of the 69th Army of the 1st Belorussian Front took part in the Lublin-Brest, Warsaw-Poznan and other offensive operations of the Soviet troops. Since February 13, 1945, the Red Army 4th Rifle Company of the 515th Brandenburg Rifle Regiment L.M. Zelensky was on the front line. Taking part in the Vistula-Oder operation, the 515th rifle regiment in 18 days walked with fights over 500 kilometers, and with minimal losses, liberating dozens of Polish settlements, crossing the rivers that were on the way. Having overcome the powerful Mezeritsky fortification, the regiment entered the territory of fascist Germany, meeting fierce resistance of the enemy when approaching the river Oder. During February-March 1945 the 515 th Regiment held the defense in the eastern part of the German city of Frankfurt on Oder. At this time, the Berlin offensive operation was being prepared by the supreme stakes. Soldiers and commanders of the Soviet Army were waiting for the moment to deliver a crushing blow to the fierce enemy. And this moment came ... On April 16, 1945 our troops, after a powerful artillery training and crushing bombardment, rushed to the lair of fascism - Berlin. The Red Army soldier LM Zelensky distinguished himself in the battles to expand the bridgehead on the western (left) bank of the river Oder. Among the first, he broke into the trenches of the enemy, and in hand-to-hand combat killed eight German soldiers, and then threw grenades at the enemy dugout, eliminating four other fascists. On May 2, 1945 the 515th rifle regiment received an order to reach the Elbe river, destroying the enemy on its way. The soldiers fulfilled the task, having met with allied American troops near Magdeburg. There was no limit to rejoicing. My great-great-grandfather Lavrentiy was also among the victorious soldiers. The 515th Brandenburg Rifle Regiment was then stationed on the eastern bank of the Elbe on the temporary demarcation line. The soldiers welcomed the Victory Day in the forest near the town of Burg. There was no limit to their joy. The soldiers were saluting from all kinds of weapons, hoping that these shots would be the last...The Commander of the 515th Guards Regiment Lieutenant Colonel K.I. Ponomarchuk presented his subordinate to the high soldier award - the Order of Glory, III degree. On May 18, 1945, the Commander of the 134th Infantry Division of the Guard, Major General V.F. Stepin, signed the award documents of Lavrentiy Maximovich.

I was born when my great grandfather was no longer alive. But I was told a lot about him by my grandmother and father. And I know that he lived a hard, but decent life. His portrait is hanging in my room, and I often look at him. My grandfather's name was Alexander Vasilyevich Zaitsev. When the war started, he was 34 years old. He immediately went to the front. By profession, he was a chauffeur. And during the war, such soldiers were very much needed. He was transporting soldiers, weapons, grenades, food and medicine. The fate of the battle depended on whether ammunition was delivered on time to the front line during the war. He was under the German fire many times, but never let his comrades down. The combat vehicle was helping him out. But my great-grandfather did not make it to Berlin. One day, he was badly wounded: a shell fragment broke through his leg. My great-grandfather spent a long time in hospital in Moscow. His leg was treated, but the shot leg became much shorter than the other one, and he had to always walk with a cane and limp. My great-grandfather had many combat awards, but according to his father and grandmother, he did not like to brag about them and talk about them. At the front three of his brothers also fought with the Germans: Konstantin Zaitsev, Peter Zaitsev and Dmitry Zaitsev. Peter Vasilyevich reached Berlin. All brothers were wounded in battles with the Germans, but returned home alive. Not sparing their strength, their youth, they defended their homeland from enemies. And when they returned home, they took up peaceful labor, restoring their homeland, destroyed by the enemy. After the war, my great-grandfather worked as a mechanic in the automobile shop of the “Free Falcon” steel factory and "treated" cars. He was respected by everyone. He was wise and fair. He had three daughters. The youngest, my grandmother, was born after the war. My great-grandfather built a house, in which we live as a family even now. He planted apples and pears. Their harvest pleases us every year. So the memory of our great-grandfather still lives in his children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren.

When the Great Patriotic War broke out, Irina Zaitseva was studying at the 3rd year of the Kharkiv Medical Institute, at the faculty of "therapeutic business". She was 21 years old at that time. German invaders were quickly conquering our territories and advancing inland. Soon after the outbreak of war, Kharkov Medical Institute was evacuated to the Urals, in the city of Chkalov, now Orenburg. All students were transferred to an accelerated course of study, including Irina Zaitseva. In the summer of 1942 she received the diploma of doctor. She went to the Urals, to the city of Irbit, Sverdlovsk region, where her husband Yevdwniy Matsyra was evacuated with the plant "Sickle and Hammer". Both wrote an application with a request to send them to the front. Yevgeny Matsyura received a reservation and was left to work at the Irbit motorcycle plant as a highly qualified engineer. The plant produced the necessary equipment for the front - motorcycles "Irbit". Irina Zaitseva was mobilized to the Red Army in 1943 and joined the Voronezh Front, later the 1st Ukrainian Front, as a resident of the sorting evacuation hospital No. 398, No. 1094, Northern Group of Forces. She had to escort and treat the wounded and sick in sanitary trains and sorting evacuation hospitals. It was not easy for the medical service workers at the front. They performed surgeries on the wounded and bandaged their wounds in difficult field conditions, often under enemy fire, using candles, kerosene lamps and flashlights instead of light. There was a lack of medication and dressing materials. The human forces were running out. But doctors, nurses, orderlies and sanitation workers worked selflessly. The Red Army was advancing on all fronts, and our entire country, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, was already liberated. Our troops entered Europe and reached Berlin, the capital of Germany. Irina Zaitseva welcomed the long-awaited Victory in Berlin. And just like many frontline soldiers, in these unforgettable days she left her inscription on the Reichstag: "Ira Zaitseva from Kharkov". Even more than a year after the end of the war, Irina stayed in Germany, treated both our fighters and the German population in the hospital. Irina returned to her homeland only in the middle of 1946 with the rank of Senior Lieutenant of medical service. In peacetime, she worked as a doctor, Head of the Surgical Department in the hospital of the city Irbit, Sverdlovsk region and Melitopol, Zaporozhye region, Ukraine. Irina Vladimirovna completed her almost half-century medical activity in Ukraine in Melitopol at the age of 70.

Zoya Ivanovna Zyubina (Byl'eva) graduated from a nursing school in Izhevsk in 1938 and worked in the town Mozhga in the Udmurt Republic. In 1940, she entered the preparatory courses at the Izhevsk Medical Institute, but on June 23, 1941, she was summoned to the Mozhga District Military Commissariat and was mobilized into the active army along with the other 600 medical workers. Since July 1941, she took part in combat operations in such settlements as: Staraya Toropa, Novaya Toropa, Kushinovo, Rzhev and Kalinin in the Kalinin (Tver) region. The battlefield was led by the chief surgeon of the military hospital Boris Nikolaevich Muitanovsky. After the normalization of the situation on the Kalinin front, she was transferred to Leningrad. And in 1943 she was moved to the Kursk Bulge. Then, she continued her combat way in Belarus, Poland, Eastern Prussia and Germany. For the capture of Berlin was awarded the Medal "For Merit in Combat". After Germany signed an unconditional surrender agreement, Zoya worked in a hospital with Russian, British and American prisoners of war. In summer 1945 she was sent to the Far East, where in the legendary Port Arthur on September 23, 1945 she welcomed the final Victory. The senior operating sister Z.I. Zyubina (Byleva) was awarded: the Order of the Great Patriotic War II degree, the Red Star, Medals "For the Victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945", "For the capture of Berlin", "For military services", Medals of Zhukov and "Veteran of Labor.” Jubilee Medals: "20, 25, 30, 40, 50 years of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945", "50, 60, 70 years of the Armed Forces of the USSR", for active participation in humane activities and in connection with the 50th anniversary of the Order of Lenin of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies of the USSR, two signs of excellence in sanitary service. Resolution of Presidium of Regional Committee of the Red Cross Society. She was awarded many certificates of honor: for honest work and highly humane attitude to her duties: 1961-1972: By the order of the Supreme Commander-in-Chief of the Marshal of the Soviet Union, Comrade Stalin she received commendations for the excellent action in battles to surround and destroy Bobruisk group of German troops and for the liberation of the city of Bobruisk. A letter of commendation from the Society "Znanie" of the RSFSR, Voronezh regional organization. Gratitude in connection with the 40th anniversary of Victory in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945.

The combat way of Private Guard Zakharov began in March 1942 at the Kalinin Front. In the Warsaw-Poznań offensive operation of 1945, the corps compounds and units, introduced into the breakthrough from the Magnuszewski bridgehead in the strip of the 8th Guard Army, for 14 days with battles went about 650 km. They participated in the liberation of the cities of Kolo (January 20), Konin ( January 21), Kebnitz (January 27) and others. By February 1, the forward units of the Corps had reached the Oder River (Odra) southeast of Frankfurt. For exemplary performance of command tasks during the defeat of the Nazi invaders in Poland and the valor and courage shown by the personnel, the corps was awarded the Order of the Red Banner (Decree of the PVS USSR from 19.02.1945). Its 19th Guard Mechanic brigade was awarded the honorary name of Łódź (February 19) and the Order of Lenin (April 5, 1945). In the East Pomeranian Operation (February - early April 1945), the Corps participated in the liberation of East Pomerania. For distinction in battles during the liberation on March 12 of the city Neustadt (Weicherovo), the Corps was awarded the Order of Suvorov of the 2nd degree (Decree of the USSR Supreme Soviet of 26.04.1945). In Berlin offensive operation the corps was brought into the battle from Kyustrin bridgehead in the strip of 8th Guard Army. In the course of persistent and intense battles in cooperation with the units of the 8th Guards and 1st Guards Tank Army broke through a deeply echelonized enemy defenses in the Zeeland Heights, on April 25 he crossed the Teltow Canal and started fighting in the streets of Berlin. On May 2 in the center of the capital of fascist Germany in the area of Zoo railway station its advanced units joined the units of 2nd Guard Tank Army. For distinction in battles during taking the city of Berlin, the corps was given the honorary name "Berlin" (June 11, 1945). During the years of the Great Patriotic War, the fighter M.N. Zakharov was wounded three times, but each time he returned to the ranks and, together with his fellow soldiers, with heavy battles, reached Berlin.

Ivan Kuzmich Zakharchenko, fought in the rank of Senior Sergeant in the 192nd regiment of heavy howitzer artillery from February to September 1945 in Western Ukraine, then served in Germany after the war. He was awarded with the Order of "Patriotic War 2 degree". My grandfather was born on August 14, 1927 in the village of Tverdokhlebovo, Bogucharsky district, Voronezh region. His mther was named Marfa, his father - Kuzma (listed as missing on the battlefield). Fleeing from hunger, the family moved to Kuban, to the village of Kamyshevatskaya, Yeysky district, Krasnodar region, where young Vanya met Katya Kuznetsova, my grandmother, his future wife Ekaterina Ivanovna. Presumably, that's where he was called to defend the Motherland from the 9th grade of school, when on October 25, 1944, the mobilization of draft age in the Soviet Army was announced. It was the last military mobilization. And it also was the longest and the hardest period of service of 9 years! There were no mass conscriptions into the army until 1953. Seventeen-year-old boys had the hardest time of settling post-war conflicts with opponents of the Soviet Power after the liberation of the occupied territories from fascist invaders. Grandfather fought in Western Ukraine with gangs of Ukrainian nationalists, the so-called UUNovtsy or, in othe words, the Banderavians. According to my grandfather's stories, this enemy was worse than Germans, much more dangerous and cunning. The Banderavians were particularly cruel not only to the Soviet soldiers, but also to the Ukrainian civilians who supported the Soviet Power. They brutalized, burned, cut everything and everyone. It was very difficult to determine who was a friend and who was an enemy. The Soviet soldiers were invited to the hut for a stand, treated like welcomed guests, and everyone was cut out at night...Of course, grandfather did not tell us all the details of the horrible, terrible atrocities committed by the Bandera people. Only later I found out from the historical reports what his words meant...The facts of murders; dismembering parents in front of their children, pulling out and sawing off limbs, cutting out eyes, removing scalps, and so on. Neither children, nor old people, nor women were spared...The heart freezes with horror and pain, and a full, real picture of the events my grandfather had the opportunity to participate in emerges in fron of my eyes. The war that crippled his youth, however, did not break his soul. He was very kind, loved music and literature. After the war, he received a higher education, having graduated from the Voronezh Forestry Institute. He lived in the town of Povorino. In 1956, his daughter Olga, my mother, was born, and in 1958, his son Sergey. As an example to his descendants, my grandfather kept cheerful disposition and love of life. Only a small but deep dimple on the chin, the scar, which was the result of a blow to the face by a whip of one of Bandera people, always reminded about this terrible war ... Grandfather died and was buried in the town of Povorino on October 17, 1991.

Lev Davydovich Zorko (28.07.1924 - went missing after September 25, 1941 / officially - in December 1942) was born in Moscow, the only child of David Leontievich Zorko (a Belarusian peasant from under the city of Grodno, since 1918 - a Red Army soldier, party and Soviet worker, "twenty-five thousander") and his wife Lidia Gavrilovna (maidens name Tarakanova, from a family of Moscow shopkeepers). He lived his short life in B. Gnezdnikovsky Lane, in the house of Nirnsee. Having buried his father in his adolescence, Lev finished 8 (or 9) classes and dreamed of entering a military school. In early July 1941, at the age of 17, he volunteered for the People's Militia from the plant ATE-1 (he was listed as one of the workers). He said nothing to his mother, only to his uncle, V.G. Tarakanov, with whom he signed up for the militia. He got into the 2nd division, together with all of the rest he began training in the Moscow region and soon was noted in the factory newspaper "Electric", as setting an example in mastering knowledge. At the end of July, during a long hike of the 2nd Division, he scrubbed his feet and fell behind his part. From the outpost at Novoduginskaya station he was sent to the assembly point, where, having added two years of age, he signed up for the 4th company of the 16th Border Guard Regiment (postal address: VPS No. 871, item 78/4) and started shooting training near the town of Gzhatsk. On August 10, he took the military oath. On September 25, 1941 he wrote to his mother: "We have finished our training, we are on our way to perform a combat mission". There was no more news from him, and all the letters addressed to him and, later, to the commander of his company, were returned with the note "the addressee left unknown where to". Lev Davydovich Zorko was officially declared "missing” in December 1942. His mother (see photo in the Photo Album) searched for him all the remaining 35 years of his life, but she could not find any information about the comrades, the circumstances of his death and the place of burial. Zorko's parents rest in the Donskoy cemetery and in the lobby of the Nirnsee house on B. Gnezdnikovsky Lane, str. 10, where Lev Zorko was born and from where he left to go to the front, there is a memorial plaque with the names of the inhabitants of the house who have not returned from the Great Patriotic War. Lev Zorko is among them.