▁promoted ▁to ▁major ▁general ▁ 4 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 0 , ▁lieutenant - general ▁ 1 3 ▁June ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁and ▁colon el - general ▁ 1 3 ▁September ▁ 1 9 4 4 . ▁ ▁Early ▁life ▁Tro f imen ko ▁was ▁born ▁ 1 0 ▁( 2 2 ) ▁in ▁September ▁ 1 8 9 9 ▁in ▁Ry ov ny ▁( now ▁in ▁Bry ansk ▁O blast ) ▁to ▁a ▁working - class ▁family . ▁He ▁graduated ▁from ▁high ▁school ▁and ▁two - year ▁railway ▁school . ▁With ▁the ▁death ▁of ▁his ▁father , ▁he ▁was ▁head ▁of ▁a ▁family ▁with ▁six ▁brothers ▁and ▁sister s . ▁At ▁age ▁ 1 0 ▁began ▁working ▁in ▁the ▁railway ▁dep ot ▁Bry ansk - 2 ▁as ▁a ▁mess enger . ▁ ▁Military ▁career ▁ ▁Russian ▁Civil ▁War ▁He ▁took ▁an ▁active ▁part ▁in ▁the ▁revolution ary ▁events ▁of ▁ 1 9 1 7 ▁in ▁Bry ansk , ▁where ▁the ▁dep ot ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁organiz ers ▁of ▁the ▁K oms om ol . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 8 ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁ ▁Commun ist ▁Party ▁( b ), ▁and ▁when ▁Den ik in ' s ▁army ▁approached ▁the ▁city , ▁he ▁joined ▁the ▁Red ▁Army . ▁ ▁During ▁the ▁Civil ▁War ▁he ▁served ▁as ▁a ▁private , ▁squad ▁leader , ▁pl ato on ▁leader , ▁and ▁assistant ▁chief ▁of ▁the ▁machine - gun ▁pl ato on ▁inf antry ▁regiment ▁in ▁the ▁ 4 1