In 1944, at the age of 21, Stepan Mikhailovich Kraynuk was enlisted in the 561st Rifle Regiment of the 91st Red Banner Melitopol Rifle Division of the 51st Army.
As part of the 4th Ukrainian Front, he participated in the liberation of Sevastopol, the assault on Mount Sapun.
After the battles in Crimea, the 51st Army was relocated to the Baltic States as part of the 1st Baltic Front, and then to the 2nd Baltic Front, where Stepan Mikhailovich fought until the end of the war.
He was twice contused in the battles. During the second contusion, he stayed alive only thanks to the helmet, but for about ten days he remained deaf and mute. He did not go to the field hospital, because there was a catastrophic shortage of people on the battlefield.
Awards: Order of the Patriotic War of the 2nd class, medal "For Courage", medal "For the Victory over Germany" and others. He received a letter of commendation from the Supreme Commander-in-Chief I. V. Stalin: "For the liberation of the city of Sevastopol, the capture of the city of Mitava, for the breakthrough of the enemy's defense southwest of the city of Šiauliai"