However, Sokov did not immediately send someone to call Lyudmila and Vasily, not only because he did not want to disturb their sleep, but also because the 3rd Guards Airborne Division and friendly troops were still on the right bank of the lower reaches of the Dniester River.
area, fighting for position with the Germans, Sokov felt that it would not be too late to call the two of them after the battle was over.
The fighting lasted until 3:30 in the morning. The Soviet army finally occupied all the positions on the right bank and drove the German army away from the Dniester River.
When Sokov called Korodeyev and learned that the troops of the 52nd Army had established a foothold in the right bank area, he finally put down the huge stone in his heart. After he put down the phone, he said to Samyko: "Comrade Chief of Staff
, I want to sleep for a while, if anything happens, you and General Trofimenko will be responsible for handling it."
When Sokov was lying on the camp bed, he wanted to have a good sleep, but the various noises in the headquarters made it difficult for him to fall asleep. In this way, he slept for three hours in a half-awake and half-asleep state.
When he heard Trofimenko's voice, he immediately sat up from the bed and asked curiously: "Comrade Deputy Commander, what can I do?"
"Comrade Commander, I just received a telegram from Moscow saying that Comrade Morozov has boarded the plane and will reach us in about two and a half hours."
Hearing that Morozov would arrive in two and a half hours, Sokov could still sleep. While bending down to put on his boots, he ordered Smirnov: "Comrade Smirnov, please inform Lyud
Mira and Vasily, ask them to report to the headquarters immediately."
Although Lyudmila and Vasily did not have any combat missions at all now, they still got up at six o'clock. When they heard that Sokov wanted to see them, they immediately tidied up their military appearance and came
Arrive at Sokov's headquarters.
After Sokov introduced Lyudmila to Trofimenko and Samyko, he asked Vasily: "Comrade Vasily, how is your sniper training course going?"
"The effect is not bad, Comrade Commander." Vasily heard Sokov ask himself, straightened his body quickly and replied: "Among the more than 80 people who trained with us, there are more than a dozen good seedlings. After this period of time,
After training, they have mastered the knowledge of snipers proficiently and can go out to perform missions alone."
"Comrade Vasily, when a sniper will go on a mission, it is decided by his superiors. The task of the two of you is to train more qualified snipers." Sokov said a few words briefly and then got back to business.
: "I called you two here today because a very famous person will be coming later, and he happens to be an excellent sniper. You three can get closer and closer."
After Lyudmila and Vasily looked at each other, they looked at Sokov and asked sincerely: "Comrade Commander, can you tell me who the outstanding sniper is coming?"
"Okay." Thinking that Morozov would arrive in more than two hours, there was no need to hide anything from Lyudmila and Vasily, so he said truthfully: "His name is Nikolai Alexander.
Lovich Morozov, I wonder if you have heard of it..."
Before he finished speaking, Lyudmila exclaimed excitedly: "Oh my God, Mr. Morozov is also coming to the front. This is really surprising."
Sokov was stunned, and then asked: "Lyudmila, do you know Morozov?"
"Yes, yes, Comrade Commander." Lyudmila nodded vigorously and replied in a positive tone: "I have heard of his name since I was very young. Shortly after returning from the United States, I was in Moscow.
I met the old man once, and he actually gave me some pointers on how to improve my sniper skills."
"Comrade Commander," Vasily suddenly said at this time: "If the old man is also an excellent sniper, I wonder if you can let him train snipers with us. I believe that with his joining, we can train snipers
Hand speed can be greatly enhanced."
"Vasily, I can't make the decision in this matter." Sokov laughed and said, "The final decision can only be made after Morozov arrives."
"That's okay." Vasily nodded and said: "As far as I know, in the past two years, whenever he had time, the old man would go to the recruitment office and force the recruiting officers to
We can agree to let him return to the army. But how dare the army want someone as old as him? If something goes wrong, who can bear the responsibility?"
"You are right." Sokov said casually: "He will be 90 years old this year. Think about it, as he gets older, the response from all aspects will be slow. If he is allowed to go back to the battlefield, it will be like letting him go.
Death. I think no recruiting officer is willing to bear such a responsibility."
Sokov specifically told Lyudmila and Vasily: "I remind you two that even if the old man is willing to train snipers with you, you must be responsible for taking care of his body and make sure nothing goes wrong."
"Don't worry, Comrade Commander." Lyudmila expressed her attitude to Sokov: "As long as I am here, I will definitely take care of his life and never let him have the slightest problem."
"Comrade Commander, I wonder when he will arrive?" Vasily asked.
Sokov raised his hand and looked at the time, and then said: "If everything goes well, he will arrive at our place in two hours, and you two will come with me to greet him."
More than two hours later, Sokov and others arrived at the airport. At this moment, there was a plane taxiing on the runway. According to Sokov's experience, Morozov was on this plane.
The plane taxied for a while and then stopped. After waiting for a while, the cabin door was opened from the inside, and an officer wearing a flight suit appeared at the cabin door. After taking a look around, he lowered the gangway and took the lead.
After getting off the plane, I stood next to the plane with my hands behind my back.
At this time, an old man wearing a round cotton hat, a military coat, a goatee, and round eyes appeared at the entrance of the plane. Seeing that he was about to get off the plane, the pilot who got off first quickly
Reach out to help him.
The old man refused the pilot's kindness and insisted on getting off the plane by himself. After getting off the plane, he looked around and then walked straight towards Sokov.
Sokov originally thought that a ninety-year-old man, no matter how good his health was, would be shaky when he walked. But he didn't expect that the old man's back was straight and his steps were steady. Before he could recover, the old man had already walked.
When I got in front of him, I asked tentatively: "Is this General Sokov?"
"Yes, I am Sokov." Sokov stretched out his hand to the other party in a panic and said in a friendly tone: "Old man, on behalf of all the commanders and fighters of the combat group, I welcome you!"
"General Sokov," the old man said straight to the point without beating around the bush: "I came to the front line not as a guest, but to fight with the Germans. I beg you to send me to the most dangerous front line as soon as possible.
I will strike hard at the German invaders there."
"No, old man, this is absolutely not possible." When I heard that the old man got off the plane, he thought of going forward to fight the Germans. How could Sokov agree to his request? Instead, he said euphemistically: "You are our precious asset.
, none of us have the right to let you take risks. If you really have any problem in my defense area, even if the superiors don't pursue it, I will shoot myself in the head with a gun."
The old man never dreamed that Sokov, a commander commanding hundreds of thousands of people, would act helpless in front of him like a child. He could only say helplessly: "Okay, I promise you not to go to the front line, but
You have to find some time for me to do it, and you can't let me sit idle like this."
Sokov looked behind the old man to see if Runev was coming, but unfortunately, except for the pilot, he did not see Runev at all.
"Old man," Sokov couldn't help but ask the old man: "Why didn't General Lunev come with you?"
"General Lunev was originally on the plane." The old man heard Sokov ask about Lunev and explained to him: "But before the plane took off, someone suddenly entered the cabin to look for him and said that he had something important.
You can only say sorry to me, but you can’t accompany me here.”
"By the way," the old man took out an envelope from the satchel he was carrying and handed it to Sokov: "This is the letter Lunev asked me to forward to you."
Sokov took the letter, but did not open it immediately. Instead, he stuffed it into his pocket and said to the old man: "Old man, let me introduce two people to you..."
Just when Sokov was about to introduce Lyudmila and Vasily to the old man, the old man waved his hand and said: "Comrade General, you don't need to introduce them, I know them all."
After saying that, the old man opened his arms to Lyudmila: "Dear little Lyuda, it is such a pleasure to see you here."
When the old man hugged Lyudmila, he asked with concern: "How's it going? Does your wound still hurt when it's windy or rainy?"
"It doesn't hurt anymore, old man." Lyudmila said happily: "The folk remedy you gave me is really effective. After I used it, the wound never hurt again except for the occasional itching when it was windy or rainy.
.”
When Sokov heard the conversation between the two, he remembered that when Runev introduced Morozov, he had heard that there was almost nothing the other party didn't know, and his medical skills were naturally no longer a problem.
"Old man," he asked with a smile after the old man and Lyudmila had finished hugging each other: "My injury on my leg has just recovered not long ago. Not only is I walking with a slight limp, but also when it is windy or rainy, I will...
The pain is unbearable. Do you think you can give me a home remedy to help me relieve these troubles?"
"No problem, Comrade General." The old man readily agreed to Sokov's request: "When I go back later, I will check it for you, and then prepare a folk remedy for you based on your situation."
The old man was still feeling depressed because he could not participate in the battle. Now when he heard that Sokov was asking for help from him, a new thought suddenly appeared in his heart: "Comrade General, I am treating you, shouldn't you do something?"
Where’s the consultation fee?”
"The consultation fee is no problem." Sokov agreed readily. As long as he can get in touch with his pain, no matter how much he pays, it is still worth it to him: "I wonder how much consultation fee you plan to ask for?"
"Comrade General, you misunderstood. The medical fee I want is not the cash you think." The old man said to Sokov: "I hope you can give me a chance to go to the battlefield."
"Old man, it is absolutely impossible for you to go to the battlefield." Sokov said seriously: "If I really agree to let you go to the battlefield, then the commanders of other troops will definitely point at my rear after knowing this.
Backbone scolded: 'Look, this is the general who actually allowed our country's most precious asset to risk on the battlefield.' Old man, I don't want to be scolded so hard that I can't hold my head up."
Seeing the old man's frustrated look, Sokov comforted him and said, "Although you can't go to the front line, I have arranged an important job for you."
Hearing that Sokov had arranged an important job for himself, the old man suddenly became energetic: "Comrade General, I wonder what job you plan to arrange for me?"
"That's it." Sokov pointed at Lyudmila and Vasily and said to the old man: "They are two of the best snipers in our army, so I specially applied to my superiors to let them
Come and help us train snipers. As far as I know, you are also a very good sniper. You have killed many German soldiers on the Volkhov front. Together with the two of them, you can help us train snipers. I don’t know.
Are you interested?"
Seeing Sokov being so polite to him, the old man felt much more at ease. He thought for a moment, then nodded and answered truthfully: "No problem, I will definitely assist Lyuda and Vasily in their work and train you."
More snipers."
The old man agreed to Sokov's request so readily that he couldn't help but be overjoyed. He grabbed the old man's hand and said excitedly: "Old man, with your help, I believe that the training class will be able to cultivate more outstanding students."
Sniper."
"Comrade Commander," Trofimenko stepped forward and said to Sokov: "The old man is very old. I'm afraid it's inappropriate to stand here all the time blowing the cold wind. I think it's better to go back to the headquarters first."
"Yes, yes," Trofimenko's words reminded Sokov. He felt that he should bring the old man back to the headquarters as soon as possible and let him join Lyudmila's team as soon as possible to speed up the training of the soldiers in the training class.
"Old man, let's continue our conversation in a different place. Now please get in the car. Once you get to the headquarters, you can get familiar with the sniper training class and then you can start business again."
The old man was very satisfied with Sokov's arrangement. Although he could not go to the battlefield in person, as long as the students he trained could master sniper skills proficiently, it would be a great achievement for him.
In the car, Sokov opened the letter from Lunev to himself. The content was very simple, saying that he had something to do recently and he might not be able to go to the front line for the time being. At the same time, he told Sokov to take care of him.
Good old man, you must not let him make any mistakes.
After collecting the letter, Sokov said to Koshkin, who was sitting in the co-pilot's seat: "Comrade Lieutenant, arrange a place for the old man to live and send two soldiers to follow him. In addition to taking care of his daily life, they are also responsible for his
Personal safety. If something goes wrong with him, the person responsible for taking care of him will wait for a military court."