After watching the sailors carry the bodies of the two dead pilots and the wounded pilots onto the truck, I suddenly thought of another thing, and hurriedly shouted at Smurray, who was standing not far away: "Comrade Captain! ”

Hearing my shout, Smurray turned around, walked quickly in front of me, and asked politely: "Comrade General, do you have any instructions?" ”

I looked at the speedboats parked on the shore in the distance and asked, "Comrade Captain, are those speedboats under your command?" ”

Smurray turned his head to look at it, nodded, and said in surprise: "Comrade General, we have a truck to take you to the base, you don't have to take a speedboat." The reason why those speedboats were sent was that the superiors were worried that your plane would crash into the sea, so they specially prepared it to facilitate search and rescue. ”

At this time, Khrulev also came over and asked curiously: "Oshanina, you don't want to go to the base by speedboat, do you?" ”

I shook my head and replied with a serious expression: "No, Comrade Minister, I have no intention of taking a motorboat to the base. The reason why I ask this is because in the air battle just now, the pilot of the downed US fighter plane parachuted out, and it is believed that he is now soaking in the icy water. It's been so long, if he hadn't sent someone to rescue him in time, he would have been more than lucky. ”

Khrulev listened to what I said, and nodded in agreement, "You're right, he just saved all of our lives, but you can't watch him die in the cold sea." At this point, he immediately ordered Smurray: "Captain, immediately let those speedboats go to the surface of the sea to search for an American pilot who has parachuted, even if he dies." Bring back their bodies also. Do you understand? ”

"Understood. Comrade General. Smurray replied loudly: "I'll arrange this right away." "Finished. After raising his hand and saluting, he ran briskly towards the speedboat on the beach.

As I watched the speedboat parked on the beach heading towards the sea, I asked Khrulev worriedly: "Comrade Minister, do you think you can save the pilot who parachuted?" ”

After hesitating for a moment, Khrulev slowly shook his head and said: "I think there is little hope, after all, he has been parachuting for a long time." In such a cold season, running in the icy seawater. Half an hour at most, and the person can't hold it anymore. It would be nice if the sailors could get his body back, so that we can have an account for his family. ”

Smurray ran back to us, first reporting that the search boat had departed, and then respectfully inviting us to get into the jeep, and he would personally escort us back to base with his troops.

We sat in the jeep driven by Captain Smurray himself, and after twenty minutes of driving, we finally arrived at Vladivostok, where the Pacific Fleet was located, and which I habitually called Vladivostok.

The officer on duty at the gate of the base just gave us a casual glance after checking Captain Smulley's credentials. He raised his hand and saluted, then waved his hand and let him go.

Captain Smurray sent me outside a gray three-story building. He parked the car not far from the sentry, then turned to us and said, "Comrade General, it's here." The commander of the Pacific Fleet is on the second floor, and my rank can't enter here, so please go in by yourself, I won't accompany you. ”

"I see." Khrulev nodded, then extended his hand to Captain Smurey and said in a friendly voice: "Thank you, Comrade Captain. Wishing you good health! ”

As soon as Khrulev and I got out of the jeep, a major immediately appeared at the door of the building, he ran down the steps, stopped in front of us, raised his hand and saluted, and politely asked Khrulev: "Are you General Khrulev, please?" ”

"Yes, Major." Khrulev nodded, and after admitting his identity, he asked rhetorically: "Do you know me?" ”

When the major heard Khrulev ask this, he could not help but reply with some nervousness: "Comrade Chief, I have seen your portrait before, so as soon as we met, I recognized you. ”

Khrulev smiled at Major Chong and asked amiably: "Do you know where the commander of the fleet, General Yumashev, is?" ”

"Of course I do, Comrade Minister." Hearing Khrulev's question, the major immediately returned to normal, turned his body to the side and made a gesture in the direction of the building, and then said: "Please let me show you the way." ”

"And what are you still standing here for?" Khrulev smiled and patted the major on the back, and at the same time ordered him: "Lead the way for us in front." ”

As we walked into the building, through the halls, and up the wide, luxurious staircase, we would occasionally encounter some military personnel. When they saw us, they immediately raised their hands in salute and leaned against the wall or staircase to make way for us.

When we arrived at the office of the commander of the fleet, a burly middle-aged round-faced general greeted us and gave Khrulev a bear hug, saying: "Hello, dear Andrey. Vasilyevich, welcome to my command. ”

Khrulev also smiled and teased: "Dear Ivan. Stepanovich, do I have the meaning that in the near future you are going to ask me for another batch of supplies for the Pacific Fleet? ”

The two laughed for a while before parting, and Khrulev pointed to me and said to Yumashev: "Let me introduce you, this is General Oshanina, and she is returning from the United States with me. After speaking, he pointed to Yumashev and said to me, "This is Vice Admiral Yumashev, the commander of the Pacific Fleet. ”

Although the other party has the same rank as mine, his qualifications are much older than mine, and he has served in all the fleets of the Red Navy in turn, which makes him even more worthy of my admiration. So as soon as Khrulev finished his introduction, I raised my hand to salute him and said politely: "Hello, Comrade Commander!" ”

"Hello, General Oshanina." After he returned the salute, he offered to hold out his hand to shake my hand.

After we had finished shaking hands, Khrulev said to Yumashev: "General Yumashev, I hope that you will send me a telegram to the Supreme High Command as soon as possible to report to Comrade Stalin that we were ambushed by Japanese planes on the way back. ”

"No problem, I'll do it right away." Yumashev said as he walked over to the table and pressed a bell on it. Soon the door opened, and an officer stood straight in the doorway. Yumashev, having nodded at Khrulev, walked quickly to the officer's side and whispered orders to him. (To be continued.) )