Guliyev was drafted into the Red Army in May 1942. He became a machine gun commander in the 15th Guards Rifle Regiment of the 2nd Guards Rifle Division.[2] Guliyev fought in combat from August. In August and September, German troops reached the Baksan River, defended by the division, then part of the 37th Army. The division fought in battles to stop the German advance. Guliyev fought in the division's counterattack towards Zayukovo, during which German troops reportedly suffered heavy losses. On 25 October 1942, German troops advanced out of their bridgehead on the Terek River towards Nalchik. The German troops reportedly attacked the positions of the division with 100 tanks, supported by infantry. The tanks penetrated into the Soviet lines and the division retreated into the foothills of the Greater Caucasus. The German troops captured Nalchik and Ordzhonikidze. Before 1943, Guliyev helped defend the Urukh River with his division.[1]
In January 1943, the German troops began to retreat. The division fought in the recapture of Nalchik. Between February and May Soviet troops unsuccessfully attempted to break through the German Blue Line. Intense fighting took place near the villages of Kievskoye and Moldavanskoye in Krymsky District. On 27 May Guliyev fought in the battle to break through the Blue Line near the Gorishny farm. The unit captured the village. Guliyev reportedly repulsed nine counterattacks. His crew was reportedly killed during the fighting and Guliyev took over the gun. During the eighth counterattack Guliyev was reportedly wounded in the face, but he did not leave the front. After repulsing the ninth counterattack Guliyev lost consciousness. He had reportedly killed 187 German soldiers.[1][3]
The division advanced in September. On a new defensive line, the German troops stopped the advance on 15 September. The regiment was unable to dislodge the German troops, and the regiment had to seek cover amidst heavy machine gun fire. Guliyev reportedly spotted three camouflaged machine-gun positions. He moved closer to the pillboxes and killed the crew of one. Taking grenades, he reportedly destroyed the other two pillboxes. The regiment was able to advance after the destruction of the pillboxes. Guliyev received the Order of the Red Star for this engagement.[4] On 16 October Guliyev was awarded a second Order of the Red Star for his actions on 2 October.[5] The division fought in the Kerch-Eltigen Operation in November 1943. On 1 November, the unit landed on the Kerch Peninsula and captured Height 175. German troops made several counterattacks. Guliyev reportedly killed 25 German soldiers with his machine gun on the first day. He reportedly killed a total of about 100 German soldiers during the operation. On 17 November, Guliyev was awarded the title Hero of the Soviet Union and the Order of Lenin.[1][6][2]
In 1944, Guliyev graduated from the Krasnodar Small Arms and Mortar School with the rank of junior lieutenant. Guliyev was sent to a reserve regiment and graduated from the Tbilisi officers' improvement courses in 1945.[1][2]
