Red Moscow

When he took Pokryshkin into the garrison headquarters compound, Sokov took a special look at the medals on his chest. There was only one Red Banner Medal, which meant that he had not yet received the Gold Star Medal and the honorary title of "Hero of the Soviet Union".

Before the two entered the building, the captain ran out in a hurry, grabbed Pokryshkin's hand, and said excitedly: "You must be Captain Pokryshkin, I am Captain Edip of the garrison headquarters. I just saw your car arrive at the door upstairs, so I came down to pick you up."

"Hello, Captain Edip." Pokryshkin shook hands with him and said with a smile: "You are so polite. Didn't you send Comrade Sokov to pick me up at the door? Why do you need to come here in person?"

"Oh, that's right, that's right." Edip quickly agreed: "This time you come to the garrison headquarters, he will bring people to protect your safety, but I feel uneasy, so I still have to come here in person to explain a few things."

While chatting and laughing, Captain Edip took Pokryshkin and Sokov into the building and came to the room arranged for them.

"Captain Pokryshkin," Edip said, "You came to Moscow this time. I arranged for you to live in the garrison headquarters for your safety. Comrade Sokov," he turned and said to Sokov, "You arrange two soldiers to guard the door of Captain Pokryshkin to ensure his safety."

"Okay, I'll arrange it right away." Sokov nodded, turned and walked out of the room, and went back to arrange for the protection of Pokryshkin. After all, the other party is one of the best pilots in the Soviet army, and he must not have any problems in the area he is responsible for, otherwise he will be in trouble.

When he came to the yard, he saw Andrei coming back with the patrol team, and Sokov went to meet him and asked, "Andrei, is the patrol going well?"

"Yes, it went very well."

"I have an important task for you." Sokov said, "Find two trustworthy soldiers and go with me."

Andrei quickly called two soldiers and followed Sokov into the building, while asking, "Sokof, what is the task?"

"Today, a very good pilot came and will stay at the garrison headquarters for a few days." Sokov said to Andrei, "Your task is to ensure his safety."

"Sokof, you are the best pilot in the world." Kov, who is the pilot you are talking about? "Andrei asked curiously, "Do I know him?"

"Captain Pokryshkin, have you heard of him?"

Sokov originally thought that many people must know about a famous pilot like Pokryshkin in later generations, but after saying his name, Andrei shook his head and asked in confusion, "Which front does he belong to? Why have I never heard of his name?"

Hearing Andrei's words, Sokov realized that he was taking things for granted. Victoria knew Pokryshkin because she came from later generations, so it was not surprising that she knew this future air marshal. And Andrei was just a soldier at the bottom of the group. It was good enough for him to recognize almost all the people in the regiment, not to mention people from different arms.

Several people came to Pokryshkin's room. Captain Edip had already left. Sokov introduced him and said, "Comrade Captain, this is Andrei. During the time you live in the garrison headquarters, Andrei and his two soldiers will be responsible for your safety."

"Comrade Sokov, thank you so much."

"You're welcome. This is my job."

After chatting for a while, Sokov was ready to go out to see if Dennis and the others had returned. Pokryshkin obviously didn't want to stay in the room. He wanted to get some fresh air outside, so he followed Sokov out.

When everyone came to the yard, they just caught up with Dennis leading the team back.

"Comrade company commander," Dennis raised his hand to salute Sokov and reported, "We have successfully completed the patrol mission and nothing happened on the way."

"Well," Sokov nodded slightly, and then said to Dennis, "You go and rest first."

Pokryshkin, who was standing not far away, couldn't help but widen his eyes in surprise when he saw Dennis saluting Sokov. When Dennis led the team away, he turned around and asked Andrei beside him: "Andrei, am I seeing this right? A second lieutenant actually saluted an ordinary soldier and reported to Comrade Sokov as if a subordinate reported to his superior?"

"Comrade Captain," Andrei replied with a smile: "Although Sokov has no military rank, he has already become our company commander due to his outstanding performance in recent battles."

"Why doesn't he have a military rank yet?" Pokryshkin asked puzzledly.

"Because, because he has been in the army for too short a time." Andrei replied somewhat embarrassedly: "To be precise, he has only been in the army for a few days, and his superiors have not had time to award him a rank."

"Oh, that's how it is." After Pokryshkin figured out what was going on, although he was surprised, he also felt it was normal. Since the outbreak of the war, an ordinary soldier has occasionally heard of a squad leader becoming a platoon leader, a company commander, or even a battalion commander in battle because of the continuous sacrifice of his superior commanders. Sokov in front of him now should be such a person.

"Comrade Captain," Andrei said to Pokryshkin as he watched Sokov leave. "Sokov's lack of rank is only temporary. I believe it won't be long before his superiors will grant him the rank he deserves."

At noon, Edip came to Sokov in person: "Comrade Sokov, I just received a notice that you will attend a meeting with Captain Pokryshkin this afternoon."

"What meeting?"

"I don't know, it's not mentioned above." Edip shook his head and said, "But there is a car to pick you up." He raised his hand to check the time and continued, "The meeting will be held at 2:30 pm. You will go to the yard at 2 o'clock to get on the car."

Sokov followed Edip's instructions and waited in the yard before 2 o'clock. Unexpectedly, after standing in the yard for a short while, he saw Pokryshkin and Andrei and others coming out of the building, so he went over to greet them: "Comrade Captain, where are you going?"

"It's Comrade Sokov." Seeing that the person who greeted him was Sokov, Pokryshkin also behaved very politely: "Captain Edip just informed me that the superiors want me to attend a meeting and asked me to get on the bus here. Why aren't you resting in the house?"

"What a coincidence, Captain Edip also informed me that he wanted me to attend a meeting and asked me to get on the bus in the yard."

"That's a coincidence, it seems we are going to the meeting together."

The car came. The first to enter the yard were two sidecars, followed by a military bus, followed by a police car.

After the vehicles stopped, a lieutenant from the Ministry of Internal Affairs got off the bus and asked loudly: "Who are Captain Pokryshkin and Sokov?"

"We are!" Pokryshkin and Sokov hurried forward and reported their names to each other: "I am Captain Pokryshkin (Sokov)."

The lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs stared at the two for a while, then shook his head and said, "Get in the car."

Since the windows were curtained, Sokov could not see the situation in the car clearly. After he got on the bus, he saw that there were more than a dozen people sitting inside. Although he could not see the ranks on their collar badges for the time being, Sokov also understood that these people must be officers.

Seeing that both Sokov and Pokryshkin had boarded the bus, Andrei also wanted to take people to follow him, but was stopped by the lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs: "What are you doing?"

"Comrade Lieutenant," Andrei said to the lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, "We are ordered to protect the safety of Captain Pokryshkin."

"Don't worry, we are responsible for their safety, so you don't have to worry about it."

After the lieutenant got back on the bus, the driver closed the door of the bus and turned around to drive out of the yard.

"Comrade Lieutenant," After the car started, Pokryshkin saw that there was a lieutenant sitting next to him, so he asked curiously: "Do you know where we are going?"

The lieutenant smiled bitterly and shook his head, and replied: "I don't know either."

The lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs, who was sitting in the front row, heard the conversation between the lieutenant and Pokryshkin, turned his head and said in a stern tone: "Don't talk."

When the bus fell into silence again, Sokov's heart became uneasy. The tone of the lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs gave him an illusion that he was sitting in a prison van and was being sent to the execution ground in the suburbs.

Ten minutes later, the bus stopped and the lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs asked everyone to get off.

After getting off the bus and seeing the surrounding environment clearly, Sokov smiled. He found that the bus was parked next to the racecourse, which meant that the people in the bus were all here for a meeting.

After the lieutenant of the Ministry of Internal Affairs asked everyone to line up next to the bus, he called out the names one by one according to the list, and then led everyone into the racecourse.

When entering the door, the guard at the door took the order from the lieutenant and called out the names one by one. After ensuring that the people present were completely consistent with the names on the list, he let everyone enter the racecourse.

Sokov and Pokryshkin were both sitting in the eighth row. Since they were sitting next to each other, they couldn't help but whisper to each other: "Comrade Sokov, what do you think we are here for?"

Sokov knew very well that the people who came here to attend the meeting were basically grassroots officers from different fronts. The content of the meeting would definitely not discuss the next stage of combat deployment, but to commend and award medals to those who had made meritorious contributions on the battlefield.

He smiled and said to Pokryshkin: "Comrade Captain, I think the superiors sent someone to bring us here for the awarding of medals."

"Awarding medals?" Hearing Sokov say this, Pokryshkin showed a surprised expression on his face: "Really?"

"Of course." Sokov nodded and said: "Comrade Captain, I think your recent combat mission must be very tight. At this time, you were called back to Moscow from the front line and asked to come to the racecourse to attend the meeting. I think there is really no other reason except awarding medals."

After all the people arrived, the meeting officially began.

Sokov originally thought that the person in charge of the award ceremony should be a general, if not a marshal. Even after the person in charge came out, Sokov was surprised to find that it was Kalinin.

Kalinin, who had a goatee, made a simple opening speech and then began the award ceremony.

The first person to receive the medal was Pokryshkin next to Sokov.

"In view of the courage and heroism shown in the struggle against the German occupation forces, the Supreme Command decided to award Alexander Ivanovich Pokryshkin the Air Force Captain Gold Star Medal and the honorary title of 'Hero of the Soviet Union'."

When Pokryshkin heard Sokov said that today was a medal ceremony, he already guessed that he would definitely receive a medal, but he did not expect that what he would receive was the Gold Star Medal and the honorary title of "Hero of the Soviet Union". For a moment, everyone was stunned.

"Comrade Captain," Sokov saw Pokryshkin sitting in a daze, and quickly pushed him: "Don't be stunned, hurry up and get on the stage to receive the award."

Pokryshkin came to his senses, stood up hurriedly, pulled the hem of his military uniform, and then walked towards the stage with firm steps.

After Kalinin personally pinned the Gold Star Medal on Pokryshkin, he took out a certificate of honor, handed it to him, and said with a smile: "Comrade Captain, I congratulate you on winning the military award." The highest-level medal in the world, I hope you can achieve more meritorious deeds in the following battles.”

After thanking Kalinin, Pokryshkin walked off the stage.

As he took his seat, Sokov extended his hand to him, smiled and said: "Comrade Captain, I congratulate you."

When Pokryshkin shook hands with Sokov, he glanced quickly toward the stage, and then asked: "Comrade Sokov, I wonder what level of medal you can get today?"

"I don't know." Sokov shook his head and said, "But I think if you are lucky, you should be able to get a Order of the Red Banner."

After Kalinin awarded several more officers, he directly read out Sokov's name: "Mikhail Mikhailovich Sokov, received the Order of Lenin."

When he first heard his name, Sokov was a little indifferent. The last time he traveled through time, he had received several Red Banner Medals. But when Kalinin announced that he had received the Order of Lenin, everyone was stunned. You know, this kind of medal is the highest level, second only to the Gold Star Medal. When the war broke out, Rokossovsky had four medals on his chest, three of which were the Order of the Red Banner, and the remaining one. The Order of Lenin, this shows how difficult it is to obtain this kind of medal.

Seeing that Sokov was just like him, Pokryshkin quickly pushed his shoulder and reminded him: "Comrade Sokov, don't be stunned. Come on stage quickly. Comrade Kalinin is still waiting for you." , don’t let him wait too long.”

When Sokov appeared on the stage, the officers participating in the meeting began to whisper, because the person who received the Order of Lenin was actually just an ordinary soldier, which made them puzzled.

After Kalinin awarded Sokov the medal, a general walked up next to him, holding a set of military uniforms on a tray, and said: "Comrade Sokov, in view of your outstanding performance on the battlefield, after the approval of the Supreme Commander, The ministry has decided to promote you to the rank of captain as an exception."

After expressing his gratitude to the other party, Sokov left the stage holding the new military uniform. He didn't expect that he would be promoted to military rank under such circumstances, and he felt like he was in a dream.