"I remember quite well my first May Day during the war. I celebrated it on board of a jet flying over the territory occupied by the enemy. I saw burned down towns and villages, bombed out trains, the destroyed dam of a power plant.

I held the wheel of the plane tight and thought to myself that the victory would surely be ours.

In 1943 I met May Day not far from Moscow. Our division was awarded the Guards Banner. I was decorated with my first order. We walked many front roads of the Patriotic War and remained true to our combat Red Banner.

And here comes the joyous May Day of 1945. I have been waiting for it for four years. I have been bringing closer the spring of Victory together with my comrades-in-arms, millions of men and women, soldiers, officers, oil workers, cotton growers. I will always remember this May Day as a day of the brightest celebration."