Immortal Regiment KRSU. Artillerymen – gods of war (Ivan Kornienko)
I don’t know much about my grandfather (not my grandfather, but my grandfather) – Ivan Danilovich Kornienko. When I was one year old, he moved to the North Caucasus. Since then I have only seen him five times. During our meetings we talked about many things, but when I asked questions about the war, he either fell silent or said that it hurt him to remember that time, and that he still dreams about the war. And I tried not to hurt him.
What can I tell you about my grandfather today?
Ivan Danilovich Kornienko was born in 1908 in the village. Vorontsovo-Alexandrovskoe, Ordzhonikidze Territory (now Zelenokumsk, Stavropol Territory).
In the early 30s, my grandfather moved to Central Asia. In 1932 he joined the Communist Party, and in 1935 he graduated from the Samarkand School of Middle Commanders of Central Asia. At school, he met the only woman who studied there – Maria Pavlovna Slepneva, whom he later married. So it was a family of NKVD – People's Commissariat of Internal Affairs employees. Before and after the war, my grandfather was the head of the police department in Frunze.
He was mobilized into the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army (RKKA) in 1941.
From 4 November 1941 to 23 August 1943 he served in the 923rd Rifle Regiment, which had the 75th Separate Artillery Battalion (1941), commanded a gun crew and rose to the position of temporary deputy battery commander (1943).
With his regiment, my grandfather went through the most terrible years of the war – 1941-1943. He took part in the Battle of Stalingrad.
He was wounded, from December 25, 1943 he was treated in evacuation hospital (EG) 4074, declared unfit for military service and on February 17, 1944 he left his place of residence in Frunze.
Ivan Danilovich Kornienko was awarded the Order of the Red Star, Red Banner, Patriotic War, 1st degree; medals «For military merits», «For courage», «For the defense of Stalingrad», «For victory over Germany in the Great Patriotic War of 1941-1945», and the badge «Guard» was awarded «for special courage and fortitude in military battles».
After the war, my grandfather was awarded anniversary medals «20 years», «25 years», «30 years», «40 years» of Victory in the Great Patriotic War; anniversary medals «50 years», «60 years», «70 years» of the USSR Armed Forces; anniversary medal «50 years of Soviet police».
Ivan Danilovich lived a long working life and was awarded a medal «Veteran of Labor». Died at the age of 82. He was a very kind and sympathetic person.
Of his war photographs, only this – one has survived, which is located above. What happened to others – unknown.
My son Ivan is named after his beloved grandfather. The life of our victorious ancestors continues in their descendants, isn’t this the best memory of the exploits of the heroes!
Elena Nosova,
associate Professor of History and cultural studies
