Naum Kravets

Naum Kravets

I was given this collage by my front-line fellows, for my 75th anniversary.

My army photo is to the right, made in 1944, to the left is my picture at the age of 70 in 1995, taken during the celebration of Victory Day in Moscow.

My awards from top to bottom, from left to right. On the left lapel: Order of the Red Star, Medal for Military Merits and Order of the Great Patriotic War of the second class. The 2nd row: Medals for the Defense of Leningrad and for the Capture of Konigsberg, for the Victory over Germany. To the right are the jubilee medals devoted to the memorial Victory dates, Soviet Army and Soviet Aviation dates.

After demobilization in 1950 I decided to look for a job. I got lucky. By chance I read the announcement in the street about a job opening in a design bureau for radar experts. I was offered a job immediately and was determined in flight test laboratory.

In the 1970s the bureau was turned into the corporation Phasotron-NIIR, scientific research radio institute. The corporation still exists, and I am still working there.

We didn't mark Jewish holidays after the war. Our family marked Soviet holidays such as 1st May, 7th November, New Year's Day, Soviet Army Day, Victory Day. I spent Victory Day with my family only in the morning, when we went to the Grave of the Unknown Soldier to lay down flowers.

Then I met with my front-line soldiers. Some of them lived in Moscow; others came here on the holiday. We remembered the past, drank to the victory, commemorated our comrades who didn't make it, and sang military songs.

Open this page