Heroes and feats

Valeshin Ivan Timofeevich_x000D_ _x000D_ Type of troops: Military-economic and administrative structure. Division: 337th rifle division (1st formation). Ivan Timofeyevich was born in 1913 in the village of Divnoye. The amazing fate of this man! First, his indomitable will, courage, boldness, and selfless love for his wife, Vera Mikhailovna, are striking. And, probably, only these qualities helped him to survive in that terrible war, not to break down, to remain a man with a capital letter. At the age of seventeen, he went to work at state farm No. 20, now the village of Aigursky. Peasant training helped to survive the hungry thirties, hard work. When he went to serve in 1935, the hardships and privations of military service did not seem to him as difficult as some others did. After serving his military service, he stayed on long-term, studied at the school of paramilitary fire protection at the NKO of Leningrad. After graduation, he received an officer's rank and was sent to Osipovichi (Belarus) as the chief of fire protection of military warehouses. Ivan Timofeyevich served in this position until 1940. The exemplary performance of military duty, high discipline, and dedication in work does not go unnoticed: is on the rise, fire chief military depots junction «Brest Hur» transferred him. Just on the second day of the war, June 23, 1941, he was appointed assistant chief of staff of the 1st Mogilev regiment, in which he fought until August 1941. August 6 is captured. Placed in a transit camp near Bobruisk, on August 14, he escapes. On the same day, the prisoner is recaptured and sent to a camp near g. Osipovichi. On April 24, 1942, he again escapes. Again failure. Hungry, exhausted, Ivan Timofeyevich could not run far, the Germans with dogs again overtake the prisoner. A series of camps, the last camp – in Germany, near the town of Nepargult, where he stayed until April 1945. In early April 1945, the allied forces (the Americans) released Ivan Timofeevich from captivity. Until September 1945, he was tested, and on September 3, 1945, he was enlisted in the 337th Rifle regiment, located in Kozelsk, Tula region, where he served until December 1945. After being discharged, he returned home to the village of Divnoye. For almost a year he worked as a freight forwarder for harvesting, then worked as the head of the separator Department (we called the dairy plant)in the village of Raguli, in the 107 state farm, and from September 1, 1950 - in Kyiv. About how his life developed, it is written in the section dedicated to his wife – Vera Mikhailovna. Ivan Timofeyevich was awarded the order of the Patriotic War second grade, medals: "For the VICTORY OVER GERMANY in the GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR of 1941-1945", "VETERAN of LABOR", many commemorative medals dedicated to the anniversaries of the Victory in the Great Patriotic war and the formation of the Soviet Army and Navy. Ivan Timofeyevich died in 1999.

Vylegzhanin Boris Fedorovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Junior Sergeant. Branch of service: army, air force (except marine aviation), the coast guard, the troops of the NKVD border troops. My uncle, Boris, the eldest of three brothers, was the first to go to the front. About its initial service: Military forwarding point of the SPP of the Moscow GVK. Arrived in part 30.09.1942 Military unit – 386 ZSP 10th company of the 3rd battalion. About its further fate from the words of my mother Goncharova (dev. f. Vylegzhanina) Valentina Fyodorovna was wounded, after the hospital again in the ranks-signalman of the 21st SD of the 116th SP. "When the siege of Leningrad was broken in 1943. He was seriously wounded" (from the text about the award of the medal "for Bravery" on the Karelian front). Upon further search of the documents it turned out – there award documents from the seventh army in the defence of Leningrad medal "For defence of Leningrad", where he was held as ml. Sergeant of com. otd. Fifth ORO 102nd OMG 1st page b, a radio operator with 12.01.1943 on 17.01.1943 G., who took part in the fighting – a certificate from the hospital 1489 from 09.03. 1943 subordinated to the Karelian front, where my uncle was determined. Later-Deputy com. Department with the rank of ml. Sergeant in the Perm 21st SD of the 116th Novorossiysk rifle regiment of the division headquarters. The battle path is known from the dry lines of award documents ("for Bravery") from 1944, where it is said: "14.04.1944 when repelling the enemy's counterattack, he acted boldly and decisively. At the departure of the squad leader, he took command of the squad. Fire repelled three counterattacks of the enemy platoon, destroying 12 Germans. In the battle of 11.09.1944, acting with his Department, during the exploration of minefields, he ensured the advance of the company, without having cases of personnel being blown up by mines." It is known about his 21st rifle division that, having been surrounded during the Budapest operation and coming out of it, there were heavy losses. And in the "funeral" (the original has been preserved) it is written simply: "died on February 4, 1945." According to the logs of military operations, on that day, the Sharviz water canal was forced and there were battles for the locality of Kaloz. In the book of irretrievable losses on that day, 18 people were killed in the division, 3 were missing, 47 were wounded. Enemy losses (dB magazine from 4.02.1945) killed and wounded about 146 hours, captured 1 prisoner. Uncle's awards are listed as non-handed, because in the magazine about irretrievable losses from 4 02.1945. He is registered as a Junior Sergeant Velegzhanin and not Vylegzhanin, so they answered his sister-my mother, despite the correct spelling in the award documents and in the"funeral". There is still interesting information about awarding him posthumously in 1985 with the order of the great Patriotic war, 2nd degree, but it is indicated in 1925, so here ... alas. But the memory is alive! My mother Goncharova (Vylegzhanina) Valentina Fyodorovna, a member of the Russian Union of Writers, dedicated to her older brother Boris the poem "The Last March", already published in the almanack "Poems 2016" and submitted for the contest "Heroes of the Great Victory". My mom is the youngest of Vylegzhanina, a family of 5 children Chepetsk forestry administration POS Chepetsky Zuyevsky district of the Kirov region of Fyodor Petrovich Vylegzhanin, awarded for world war 1 with 2 St. George crosses and then a Red commander, she is from the generation of "children of war", lives in Ruza, Moscow region. To another uncle, Anatoly Fyodorovich Vylegzhanin, a petty officer of the 1st class of the Pacific fleet, my brother dedicated the work "we did Victory together", also submitted for the contest «Heroes of the Great Victory».

Vysogorets Mikhail Amsovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Captain military Branch: Land forces, air force (except naval aviation), coast service, NKVD troops, border guards. Mikhail Amosovich was born on 02.12.1920 in d. Dukhovschina, now D. Strezevo Beshenkovichi district, Vitebsk region of the Republic of Belarus, in a peasant family, in addition to his family was brother Victor and sister Nina. In 1940, he graduated from the Vitebsk teachers ' Institute. In the red Army since 1941. In the same year, he graduated from the Moscow military engineering school. As part of the cadet companies, he had to take a baptism of fire, repelling the onslaught of the enemy on the outskirts of the capital. Cadets of the school fought near the cities of Yaroslavets, Yukhnov, Naro-Fominsk. He fought in the Primorye army, on the Voronezh, first Ukrainian, and first Belorussian fronts. Participated: - in performing special tasks to blow up important objects in the rear of enemy troops in the Kaluga region. In December 1941, he was sent as a commander of a sapper platoon to the first guards tank army. He had a chance to liberate the Northwestern cities of the Moscow region from the Nazis. At the front since 1942. The commander of the engineering company of the 13th guards separate motor engineering battalion (17th motor engineering brigade, 1st guards tank army, 1st Ukrainian front) of the guards, captain Vysogorets, in July-August 1944, when crossing the Western bug, San and Vistula rivers under enemy fire, supervised the construction of bridges, and by personal example inspired the soldiers to speed up all engineering work. The title of Hero of the Soviet Union was awarded on 23.09.1944. After the war, he was dismissed to the reserve. Left for g. Novokuznetsk, Kemerovo region, graduated from a construction College, worked as the head of the production and technical Department of the Mine construction Department No. 8 of the kuibyshevugol trust. Since 1974, he lived in the village of Shakhovskaya in the Shakhovsky district of the Moscow region. Before retiring, he worked as the head of the production and technical Department of PMK-287. Then, since 1982-Deputy chief physician of the Central district hospital. He died on 22.04.1996. Buried in d. Strezevo Beshenkovichi district, Vitebsk region of the Republic of Belarus.

Vitushkin Nikolai Pamfolonovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Lieutenant military Branch: Engineering troops Division: 13th artillery Kyiv red banner order of Kutuzov breakthrough division. After finishing the 10th grade in 1938-1939, she worked as a teacher in an elementary school. In 1939, he was drafted into the army and sent to the Moscow military engineering school. Participant of the great Patriotic war. Participation in the second world war since 1941: The Stalingrad, don, South-West front, Voronezh and 1 Ukrainian 2 Ukrainian 1 Ukrainian front. As part of the active army, he liberated Poland, Romania, Germany, and Czechoslovakia. Awarded the order of the red Star order No. 0115/n of 10.09.1944 Sun 3 GW. A 1 of the Ukrainian front for the courage and bravery shown in organizing the equipment of the brigade's combat formations in engineering terms during the preparation of the operation to break through the enemy's defences in the area of Zvenyache-Gorokhov, despite the enemy's aerial reconnaissance and shelling of the areas of combat formations by the enemy. As a result, parts of the brigade during the operation did not have losses in the material part of artillery and vehicles. Being at the observation post of the brigade commander, he conducted reconnaissance of the front edge and found one BUNKER, two machine-gun points, which were destroyed on 13.07.1944 and destroyed by the fire of the 556 gap battery. After the end of the war, he continued to serve in the army as an officer. He graduated from The Kuibyshev Military Engineering Academy in 1956. He worked at ALTI (Arkhangelsk Technical Institute) from 1957 to 1961 and from 1964 to 1970 as a teacher, senior lecturer at the military Department. For military services and military service, he was awarded two orders of the "red Star", medals" for military merit"," for the defence of Stalingrad"," for the victory over Germany in the great Patriotic war of 1941-1945"," for service in the Soviet Army " of the 1st degree, as well as commemorative medals. From 1972-1989, he lived in the city of Obninsk, Kaluga region, where children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren now live and remember the hero.

Viktor Ivanovich Volkov_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Red army soldier Knight of the order of Glory Awards: Order of the red banner; order of the Patriotic war I degree; order of the Patriotic war II degree; Order of the red Star; Medal "for bravery"; Medal " for military merit» On the day of the beginning of the war, June 22, 1941, he served in the army in the Belarusian city of Mogilev. Young soldiers, all as one, began to fight for the defense of the Fatherland, but the armories were blown up, German planes plowed the ground with shells, the superior forces of the enemy took the unit in a ring, and the soldiers were surrounded. An endless chain, great-grandfather recalled, stretched the ranks of prisoners of war - blinded, wounded, exhausted soldiers. The tormenting Germans humiliated and shot them in the legs. My great-grandfather had a plan: I'd rather die than let a fascist mock the honor of a Soviet soldier. Several children understood the sign and as soon as the column began to pass near the river, the children jumped into the water. The shooting started. The Germans fired mercilessly at the water. How much was urine kept great-grandfather under water. He leaned out and saw corpses floating on the water. The enraged Germans began firing indiscriminately. Crowds of people rushed to dive into the water. In the General confusion, he managed to escape. He didn't notice his injury. He couldn't remember how long or where he'd crawled. I woke up on the territory of Lithuania. Local old men came out to the boy. As soon as I got back on my feet, I moved into the forest to join the partisans. Fearless and bold, he soon led a partisan detachment. Conducted intelligence operations. During one of the operations to capture the "language" was wounded by a German sniper in the arm. The shattered bone didn't stop the partisan. He was nursed by the orphan Solovey Verochka, who later became his wife, who had joined the partisans. In the national Museum of Kazakhstan (where my grandfather lived the last years of his life), there is a German leaflet that says that the Germans will give a helmet of gold to the person who gave them the elusive partisan wolf. In 1944, Lieutenant, platoon commander of the 274th separate motorized rifle battalion of special purpose Viktor Ivanovich Volkov is fighting in the first Belorussian front. Then, in his combat biography will be a meeting on the Elbe, fraternizing with the allies and an unforgettable assault on Berlin. The most vivid memory of my great-grandfather is an incomparable sense of victory. He remembered the ecstasy with which they wrote on the walls of the Reichstag: "I'm alive! We won!» After returning from the war, like thousands of other Belarusians, I came to my native village,where the Germans left only burnt embers at home. I cried, remembered my family and started building my life anew. He married the partisan Vera, his combat friend, and went to Kazakhstan to raise virgin land. When the grandfather's family moved to the Caucasus, the great-grandfather decided to stay there, next to the grave of his eldest son who died early. This wonderful man lived a long and wonderful life, and in 2007 he died. He had benefits and honors while living in Kazakhstan, far from his son. I never used any of them, repeating that I fought in the service of my human destiny.

Vernigerode Ivan Mikhailovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Sergeant. Type of troops: Armored and mechanized troops. Ivan Mikhailovich is from p. Tomarovka. Before the war, he graduated from 9 classes. "Baptism of fire" took at Belenikhino, there was a fierce battle. I remember well the first German I saw shooting from behind a destroyed building. I fired first and hit him right in the shoulder. Then I gained experience and fought famously. Until the end of the war Sergeant Wernigerode served in the tank troops with submachine. He was wounded eight times, four times seriously, but survived. When once again after the hospital I got to the transfer point, I said that I did not want to join the infantry! And he was sent to a tank unit. I could have been commissioned after being wounded - I was sent to study at a military school – I refused. After the battle of Kursk, he fought in Ukraine and Belarus. Participated in the Korsun-Shevchenko operation, Yassa – Kishinev operation. Liberated Poland and Romania. As part of the tank corps of the 1st Belorussian front, he approached the very lair of the Nazis-Berlin, but three kilometers from the city he was seriously wounded. I heard the news of the capitulation of Hitler's Germany in the hospital. Ivan Mikhailovich ended the war as a squad leader in the security company of the military commandant's office in Magdeburg. In the village of Tomarovka, there are not so many veterans left, but Ivan Mikhailovich does not meet with them for health reasons. Victory day is celebrated only with the family. In October 1945, the guard Sergeant returned to his native land with the order of the red star. He got a job at the Belgorod railway depot, and worked there as a locksmith, car inspector until his retirement. His work experience is 45 years. He was married, his wife Vera Stepanovna, a respected woman in the village, worked for several years at the school as a pioneer guide, and then as a medical Registrar in the Tomarovka polyclinic. They raised two sons, Vladimir and Pavel.

Stepan Stepanovich Velma_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Senior Lieutenant Type of Troops: Artillery._x000D_ _x000D_ My father, Stepan Stepanovich Velma, graduated from the Kharkov Chemical-Technological College of the People's Commissariat of the Defense Industry of the USSR as a technician-technologist-pyrotechnician in 1939. He was drafted into the army in July 1941 with the beginning of the Great Patriotic War. He was a Technician-Lieutenant of the military acceptance at plant number 12 of the USSR People's Commissariat of Ammunition at the Headquarters of the Supreme High Command._x000D_ _x000D_ The plant manufactured the “Katyushas” and other advanced weapons. The plant tested the equipment and immediately sent it to the defense of Moscow and other frontlines. Stepan Stepanovich was proud of the medals "For the Defense of Moscow" and "For Victory over Germany"._x000D_ _x000D_ He was sent to Germany in 1946 at the Nordhausen Institute in Bleicherod and Sommerd to study German V-2 missiles. Nordhausen is a Soviet institute established in February 1946 to study German V-2 missiles in the city of Nordhausen (Germany). The Nordhausen included three factories for assembling V-2 missiles, the Rabe Institute, the Montania plant, which was engaged in the manufacture of engines for the V-2, and a bench base in Leesthen, where fire tests were carried out, as well as a plant in Sonderhausen, which assembled control system equipment._x000D_ _x000D_ Director – L.M. Gaidukov, Chief Engineer – S.P. Korolyov. V.P. Glushko headed the department for the study of V-2 engines. The institute worked until 1947. In 1949 Stepan Stepanovich Velma was dismissed from the ranks of the Soviet Army due to illness.

Anna Mikhailovna Vorobyova_x000D_ _x000D_ Anna Mikhailovna Vorobyova, was born on August 10, 1923 in the village of Kopanovka, Enotaevsky District, Astrakhan Region. Anna Mikhailovna is a medical assistant by education, she graduated from the Astrakhan medical and obstetric school on July 15, 1941. _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ She was drafted into the army in March 1942 and until April 1942 she worked as a nurse in the hospital № 1582 in Stalingrad. From May 1942 to August 1942 he was a military assistant in the 227th Separate machine gun and artillerist battalion, Stalingrad. From August 1942 to November 1943, the Senior operating nurse of the 33rd Guards Division of the 37th Separate Medical Battalion of the Stalingrad Frontline (Liberation of Stalingrad, Don and the eastern regions of Ukraine). She had no injury, but she had a shell-shock without hospitalization. _x000D_ _x000D_ She has multiple awards. Medals: "FOR COMBAT SERVICES", "FOR VICTORY OVER GERMANY IN THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945" "50 years of the USSR ARMED FORCES" "XXX years of the GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945" "60 years of the USSR ARMED FORCES" "40 years THE GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945 "" 70 years of the USSR ARMED FORCES "" 60 YEARS OF VICTORY IN THE BATTLE OF STALINGRAD "" Zhukov's medal "" 50 years of the GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945 "" 60 years of the GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR "65-1945 1941 years of the GREAT PATRIOTIC WAR 1941-1945 "Order of the" PATRIOTIC WAR II grade ". _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ Certificate of marriage between A.M. Vorobyova and A.G Tatarinov No. 295 was dated by December 11, 1942 at the Registry office of the city of Tambov. _x000D_ _x000D_ Combat characteristics. The Guard military nurse Anna Mikhailovna Vorobyova worked in the 37th department from October 1942. During this time, she proved herself to be an exceptionally courageous, brave and persistent worker. _x000D_ _x000D_ She did her job well despite the difficult working conditions. She was the secretary of the Komsomol team, did an excellent job with this work. For good work, she was nominated for a government award. She was politically literate and disciplined (Deputy Commander of the 37th department, Guard Capitan Gostev, 8.11.43)_x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ According to the memoirs of both of my parents, the most difficult battles are for Stalingrad, the campaign from Stalingrad to Rostov (Kalmyk steppes), battles on the Mius River (Ukraine), battles in Germany, the capture of Berlin and the liberation Prague.

Raisa Nikolaevna Vetkalova_x000D_ _x000D_ Type of troops: military medical personnel. Raisa Nikolaevna Vetkalova was born on October 20, 1922. She studied at Elista secondary school number 2, and successfully finished 10 classes. _x000D_ _x000D_ Valentina Efremovna Kabakova, a former school friend of Raya, recalls: “In my memory Raya remained the same as it was during the years of our joint study. True, she studied a class older than me, there was no special friendship between us. But there was mutual sympathy. We often met before class, sometimes returned home from school together. And talked a lot, a lot, shared their impressions. Raya spoke more, and I listened. She was very sociable, cheerful, lively. And she was noticeably different from her classmates before. And now before my eyes her braid! Do you know what kind of braid she had? Long, thick ... Now you rarely see such! I remember that she will split her braid, loose it at the ends and casually throw it behind her back. And she walks, smiles. We, the younger ones, considered her very beautiful, even a little jealous of her. No, we were just in love with her ... ", – says Valentina Efremovna thoughtfully. _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ Raya studied well. Easy somehow. She was a very capable girl, greedy for everything in life. But she especially loved music, worked hard on it, played well the guitar and mandolin. Later she led the school music group. Her wards have repeatedly been honored to perform with a concert on Elista radio. Already, being the Senior pioneer leader of her school, Raya was carried away by foreign languages and, above all, German. She dreamed of becoming a teacher, but her knowledge of the language was useful to her for another ... _x000D_ _x000D_ The war began. Among the first fourteen female volunteers, Vetkalova went to the frontline. However, in Rostov, where the young elist women arrived, the doctors, during the next medical examination, seeing this short, fragile girl, thought that she would not stand the hardships of frontline life, and suggested that she return home. Raya, in despair, did not know what to do. Comrades helped out. In a short time, the girls became so friends that they did not think of parting for Raya, they stood up, as they say, a mountain and so ardently, persistently asked for their friend that the commanders retreated, agreed with their arguments. Raya was assigned to the unit. A few months later, this document appeared in her personal file: “From the presentation for the award of Vetkalova Raisa Nikolaevna. _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ March 2, 1942. The fearless daughter of the Soviet people, the loyal defender of the socialist Motherland, working as a female guard, was in battles all the time. In the battles from the city of Barvenkovo to the settlement of Mirnaya Dolina in the Aleksandrovsky District of the Stalin Region, I bandaged 156 wounded soldiers and commanders. Itself personally withdrew 43 wounded soldiers, including 32 people with rifles and 11 commanders. In the battles for the settlement of Sofiyivka, Bliznetsovsky district, Kharkov region, she was among the first to enter the settlement, repeatedly crawled to the wounded, at the same time dragging a box of cartridges with her to replenish the front line with ammunition. For the courage, valor and fearlessness shown in this battle, R.N. Vetkalova worthy of a government award. The command of the regiment petitions the command of the division for the submission of the female officer Vetkalova Raisa Nikolaevna to The Red Star Order. Commander of the 1157th Infantry Regiment Major Kaltygin, Commissar of the 1157th Infantry Regiment, Senior political instructor Samoilenko. Soon the first military order shone on the chest of a brave girl. Rai's mother received several letters of thanks from the command. This is what the unit commander wrote: “Dear Anna Andreevna! Don't worry about your daughter. She is a brave person, she does everything so decisively and quickly that no enemy bullet will catch up with her. Our soldiers called Raya the fearless." _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ Vetkalova was not only a volunteer sanitary worker, she went on reconnaissance more than once. That's where her knowledge of German came in handy. Disguised as a village boy or a refugee girl, she penetrated the location of enemy troops and, returning, reported valuable information to the command. And in one of these raids, Raya captured a Hitlerite officer. For courage and courage, she is awarded with the second award, the Order of the Red Banner. In 1944, in the battles for the liberation of Poland, Raya was wounded and sent to the hospital. Then a forty-day vacation home. This path was difficult, joyless along the land ravaged by the Nazis, but liberated. Raya traveled for twelve days to the beloved Kalmyk steppes. Anna Andreevna, swallowing bitter tears, told me: "Our Raichka has arrived from the frontline. We looked at her with pride. She matured, it seemed, she became different, unfamiliar. And the military uniform sat on her so well! As I remember now: a brand new tunic, skirt, boots. And on the chest of the order. That was only limping. The leg did not heal after the injury. It didn’t heal for a long time. I saw that my daughter was suffering, but I didn’t hear a single complaint from her. Then I found that the shard had not been removed. that after that it would be very bad with the leg ... So the leg with the splinter slowly healed. And Raya trained it. Every day – exercises, walking, running ... _x000D_ _x000D_ I adapted the old brothers bicycle, drove it with might and main. I stayed at home for half a month and – again to the frontline. I never saw Raichka again. "The girl returned to the front line and again began to take part in the battles. She fought the enemy fiercely, sparing no effort. Soon she presented herself for the third government award. But she did not have time to receive it. _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ _x000D_ Raisa Nikolaevna Vetkalova died on October 16, 1944, before she was four days old until she was twenty-two. In a letter to Anna Andreevna Vetkalova, the soldiers of the 1157th Infantry Regiment told about the death of the young heroine. There was a fierce battle. Crawling from wounded to wounded, she provided first aid, bandaging wounds. The enemy bullet overtook the fearless spring. Her comrades took her out of the battlefield, took her to the medical battalion. But because of the great loss of blood, Raya died. They buried her in a place near the city of Krakow. At school No. 2 in Elista, where Raya Vetkalova studied and worked, a stand dedicated to the brave volunteer sanitary worker.

Volkodav Ivan Nikolaevich_x000D_ Rank: Petty Officer_x000D_ Branch of service: Army, Air Force, the Coast Guard, thе Soviet NKVD, the Border Guard._x000D_ _x000D_ ‘I know that our country experienced the most terrible war of the 20th century. My grandfather Volkodav Ivan Nikolaevich, born in 1910 in Kuban region, came through the entire WWII, starting as a soldier and ending the Sergeant. Being heavily wounded and injured during the War, he died in 1985. _x000D_ Only miraculously survived photo proves his military youth along with some awards such the Medal of Honor, the Victory Medal and the Order of the Patriotic War of the 1st degree. _x000D_ My grandfather was a real hard worker. He never thought of writing a memoir, but when someone started talking about the War he always sighed heavily, and never ever wanted to talk about it. It seems to me the WWII lasted so long, and the Victory came at a very high price. _x000D_ Later he served for two more years, and after an honorable discharge he worked as a mechanic. _x000D_ There is an interesting fact that my grandfather had 4 sisters and 5 brothers. All of the brothers fought till the end of the War and survived. _x000D_ In my family’s photo album, grandfather's photo occupies a Special place. _x000D_ When I grow up and become a mother myself, I promise to show this photo to my children for them to know and remember about the War and the People who gave us the chance to live._x000D_ _x000D_ Marina Gerasimova, g. Bataysk.

Vatolin Alexey Vasilyevich_x000D_ Rank: Senior sergeant. _x000D_ Branch of service: Army, Air Force, the Coast Guard, thе Soviet NKVD, the Border Guard._x000D_ _x000D_ My father, Alexey Vasilyevich Vatolin, had been served on August 23, 1942 by the Shakhunsky Air Forces of the Gorky region and later he was sent to the military unit No. 7404, known as ‘Belpolk’. Until the end of the war, my father was an armor-piercing officer of the 226th convoy regiment of the 37th rifle division of the NKVD convoy troops. _x000D_ Until July 1944, he took part in performing operational tasks in the liberated areas of the Moscow region, protecting important objects and fighting enemy sabotage groups. On July 3, 1944, by order of the chief of the NKVD troops, the 226th convoy regiment was departed as a special echelon to a new location in the liberated city Minsk, Belarus._x000D_ July 17, 1944, the 226th regiment of convoy troops under the command of Lieutenant K.A. Seleznev took part in escorting 57,000 German prisoners of war through the streets and squares of Moscow._x000D_ In 1945, the tense in the Western regions of Belarus required the involvement of internal troops of the NKVD to fight nationalist gangs. My father, A.V. Vatolin, served in the 226th convoy regiment in Minsk until March, 1950. The regiment performed tasks for operational work, for the protection of important objects, for the fight against sabotage groups of the nationalist gangs, for the escort of prisoners of war, for the protection of pow camps. Along the way, the military provided assistance to the local police: a lot of theft of state property and personal property of citizens was prevented, hundreds of criminals who committed robberies and vandalism were detained. _x000D_ Until November 1945, my father served as an armored car driver. From November 1945 to March 1949 – he was a clerk in the regiment, and from March 1949 to March 1950 – became the commander of the rifle Department. On March 20, 1950, Alexey Vasilyevich Vatolin was dismissed to the reserve with the rank of senior Sergeant.

Velikotsky Porfiry Fedorovich_x000D_ Rank: senior Lieutenant. _x000D_ Branch of service: Army, Air Force, the Coast Guard, thе Soviet NKVD, the Border Guard._x000D_ _x000D_ My father, Porfiry Fedorovich Velikotsky, was born on February 24, 1912 in the village of Velikotsk in the Lugansk region of Ukraine. There were six children in the family, my parents died very early. The whole family was raised by my grandmother, and the family of my older brother Ivan too. After the age of 16, my father went to work in the geological exploration party at the Kursk magnetic anomaly, from where he was brought to the Soviet army in 1934. He served as a border guardian in the Sestroretsk border guard unit. Later, he decided to stay long-term service. In 1939, he married my mother. June 22, 1941, my father took over the daily duty of the unit. My mother was pregnant. _x000D_ When Molotov made an official statement about the attack of the Soviet Union by fascist troops, the families of border guardians were evacuated first to Leningrad, and then – further to Volga river, to Stalingrad. _x000D_ My father fought all the way from the Soviet-Finnish border to Berlin. He was wounded twice. The first time after being wounded in Leningrad, he was so exhausted that he was taken to the morgue by a mistake... Quite accidentally a nurse found him, realized he was alive and carried him back to the ward. This was the period of the Siege of Leningrad. In 1944, during the defense of the Karelian isthmus, he was awarded the Order of the Red Star and the Order of the Great Patriotic War of the 2nd degree for his documented exploits. _x000D_ From February 1942 to December 1944, he fought on the Leningrad front, first in the ranks of the 176th rifle regiment, and then in the 340th rifle regiment as part of the 46th Luzhskaya red banner order of Suvorov 2nd class division._x000D_ From December 1944 to may 1945, he was on the 2nd Belorussian front. Dad ended the war in Germany, with the rank of first Lieutenant. Together with the group of Soviet troops he stayed in Schwerin, where in 1945 he brought his wife, who in October, 1941 gave birth to a son later died in Stalingrad from exhaustion. _x000D_ In 1946, my parents returned to Sestroretsk. At first, in order to get housing, dad worked as the head of the housing Office, and since 1951, the district party Committee of Sestroretsk sent him to serve the police. At first, he worked as a criminal investigator in the Sestroretsky police Department. Health problems affected him hard caused by the difficulties suffered during the war. He was appointed a district police Commissioner. And until November 1970, my father was a district inspector in the village. _x000D_ He retired as a police captain in November 1970, and in April 1971 we got an apartment in Leningrad. Since 1973, my father became seriously ill and in 1984, September 1st, he died of a heart attack.

Wenzel Waldemar Karlovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Lieutenant military _x000D_ Branch of service: Army, Air Force, the Coast Guard, thе Soviet NKVD, the Border Guard._x000D_ _x000D_ Vladimir Kirillovich Ventsov (Wenzel Waldemar Karlovich) was born on September 13, 1924 in the village of Orlovsky in the Marxstadt Canton of the Volga German ASSR (now Marksovsky district of the Saratov region) in a working-class family ethnically German. _x000D_ He came from a family of German colonists of the Volga region, his real name is Waldemar Karlovich Wenzel. Waldemar's mother, nee Rhein Hermine, died in childbirth. Her father, Karl Karlovich Wenzel, moved to Saratov with his son after her death and worked as a hotel doorman. The Wenzels lived in the house No. 4 on Moskovskaya street. In 1939, he graduated eight classes of secondary school No. 9 in Saratov, the same year he was accepted into the Komsomol at school No. 25. Saratov (now Russian classical gymnasium). From 1939 to July 1941, he worked in the dining room of the Saratov law Institute named after D.I. Kursky (adopted by order No. 2 of 27.08.1939) as an assistant cook._x000D_ In 1941, he retired from the SSU (order No. 145 of 02.07.1941) due to the departure of a volunteer of the Red Army. From October 1941, after completing two-month Junior Lieutenant courses, he fought on the Western, South-Western, Bryansk and Central fronts. In 1942, he was re-admitted to the Komsomol under the name of Vladimir Kirillovich Ventsov. In July 1942, he participated in an offensive operation in the Volkhov direction.In 1943, he participated in the battles for the liberation of Oryol. He was killed on September 25, 1943 in the battle for the bridgehead when crossing the Dnieper river near the village of Lyubech in Ukraine. He was buried in a mass grave in the village of Vishnevoe, repkinsky district, Chernihiv region (Ukraine).October 7, 1943, commander of the regiment I.F. Samarkin was presented to the title of Hero of the Soviet Union (posthumously); the award list described the exploits and heroism of V. K. Wenzel during the fighting since July 1942: in the battles for Anino (July 1942), at the capture of Yazyk (1.1.1943), in the battles for Chegodaev (20.2.1943), Krivchee (July-August 1943), at the crossing of the Dnieper.

Vorobyov Yegor Stepanovich_x000D_ Rank: Sergeant _x000D_ Branch of service: Army, Air Force, the Coast Guard, thе Soviet NKVD, the Border Guard._x000D_ _x000D_ Yegor Stepanovich Vorobyov (Georgy Stefanovich), was born on 04.04.1912 in the village of Levaya Rossosh, Korotoyaksky region, Voronezh._x000D_ He served as a Sergeant, squad leader in the 25 separate company (battalion) of the 80th rifle division of the 54th army. Sergeant Vorobyov has been serving in the company as the commander of the telephone Department since April 1942. He took part in the battles of Smerdynya, Gaitolovo, Sinyavino, as well as in the Dobroye district and outside the city of Lyuban. He especially distinguished himself in the battles on the bridgehead on April 6, 1944. The command post of the division was subjected to repeated art. raids, as a result of which all communication at the node was destroyed. Sergeant Vorobyov, despite the shelling, went out to fix the communication line and worked all day without leaving the line, despite the fact that during this work his fellow corporal bent was wounded and red army soldier Radunev was killed. Thanks to the selfless work of Sergeant Vorobyov, communication at the node worked smoothly. _x000D_ Vorobyov also worked as a line supervisor at 1st Ukranian division. Working in combat operations, he proved to be a brave and courageous commander who knows his business. In the area of village Rosen, served a 15-km line of communication to the 13th rifle division. In the area of Turpitz (Czech Republic), he was ordered to provide uninterrupted communication to the section that ran from the observation post of the division commander to the observation post of the commander of the 218th regiment. The communication line that ran along the mountain slopes was shelled by machine-gun fire. Sergeant Vorobyov, despite the enemy's fire, quickly repaired the damage. _x000D_ In 1985, he was awarded the order of the Patriotic war II degree (no. of award document: 74; date of award document: 06.04.1985).

Voevodskiy Peter Gerasimovich_x000D_ _x000D_ Rank: Lieutenant Colonel branch of service: Artillery commander Peter gerasimovitch was drafted into the Red Army from Moscow in 1939, served in the Western Ukraine. At dawn on June 22, 1941, their artillery unit stationed near the city of Rivne was bombed by German aircraft. The troops retreated, firing hard and occasionally getting surrounded. But they kept their howitzer until it was fully released near Kiev. My father hurt his back and it hurt him for the rest of his life. Then forces for the defense of the city were hastily formed near Kiev. For almost two months, my father, voivodsky P. G., participated in these battles and only in September 1945, by the decision of the commander-in-Chief, the city was abandoned. My father came from near Kiev in a group of troops led by General I. H. Bogramyan, for whom my father had a great respect all his life. Later, the Pope was awarded the medal "for the defense of Kiev". After the relocation, my father took part in many military operations, one of the most terrible, according to his memories, was the Oryol – Kursk operation, in which more than a million people took part on both sides. He clearly remembered how the ground trembled under his feet. For participation in those and subsequent battles, he was awarded the order of the red Star and the order of the Patriotic war of the second degree. At the end of the Great Patriotic War, voivodsky P. G. took part in the East Prussian operation in 1945. For many years, he recalled the high fortress walls of Konigsberg, the desperate resistance of the fascists, how hard it was to go into battle and how terrible it was to die in the last days of the war. In 1945 my father provincial Peter Gerasimovich, was awarded the order of the great Patriotic War of the first degree, medals for a capture of Konigsberg, and "For victory over Germany in the great Patriotic War of 1941-1945". After the war dad continued to serve in the armed forces, has been awarded several national awards and in 1961 he retired. In 1962, he returned to Moscow.