Chapter 2358

When the 6th Guards Tank Army was bombed by Kwantung Army aircraft, Melekhov also called Sokov and reported to him the air attack by enemy planes: "Comrade Commander, Commander of the 116th Division Yushk Colonel Veitch reported that the division's bivouac was bombed by more than twenty enemy aircraft."

Sokov was shocked to learn that the 49th Army had been bombed by enemy planes. He quickly asked: "General Melekhov, was it only the 116th Division that was attacked by air, or were all the campsites of your army attacked by air?"

Melekhov on the other end of the phone was silent for a moment, and then replied: "So far, only the campsite of the 116th Division has been attacked by enemy planes. The other divisions have not found any trace of enemy planes for the time being."

After hearing what Melekhov said, Sokov felt relieved. As long as not all the troops were attacked by air attacks, there would be nothing to fear. He then asked: "Did the 116th Division take any measures?"

“Colonel Yushkevich told me on the phone that he had organized anti-aircraft shooting.” Melekhov said: “So far, one enemy aircraft has been shot down and damaged.”

“What a great job.” Sokov said approvingly, then continued to ask: “What are the casualties of the troops?”

“Due to the immediate emergency evacuation after discovering the enemy plane, the casualties of the troops so far have been within the tolerable range.”

Sokov did not blame Melekhov for being vague in his report, because no one knew the actual casualties of the troops until the air raid was over. He only said briefly: "General Melekhov, after the enemy air attack is over, count the losses of troops and technical equipment as soon as possible and report to me. Do you understand?"

"Understood." Melekhov said: "I will report to you as soon as the air raid is over."

 After Sokov ended the call with Melekhov, he asked the director of communications to help him get through to the 12th Air Force Group Headquarters. While waiting, Sokov said to Yakov, Lukin and others: "Judging from the progress of the battle in the past two days, the Kwantung Army is simply vulnerable. But it is because the troops are progressing so smoothly that the The commanders inevitably felt they underestimated the enemy, and as a result they were caught off guard by the enemy."

"Yes." Yakov agreed with Sokov's statement: "Judging from the progress of the past two days, we are not here to fight at all, but an armed march. Everywhere, the enemy is defeated like a mountain, and it is inevitable to have a feeling of underestimating the enemy. Tonight's air raid, I think, is very appropriate. It can sound the alarm to some of our commanders and let them understand that the enemy is the enemy, even if We can’t take it lightly even if we don’t have combat effectiveness, otherwise we may suffer big losses.”

As soon as Yakov finished speaking, the director of the communications corps called Sokov: "Comrade Commander, the phone has been connected. Marshal Hudyakov wants to talk to you."

Sokov took the microphone from the hands of the communications director, put it to his ear, and said enthusiastically: "Hello, Comrade Air Marshal, I am Sokov."

“General Sokov,” Hudyakov on the other end of the phone asked with a smile: “You called me at this time because the camp of your subordinate troops was attacked by enemy planes, right?”

When Sokov heard what Hudyakov said, he couldn't help but be stunned, and then asked: "Comrade Air Marshal, are other units also subject to air attacks by enemy planes?"

"That's right, General Sokov." Hudyakov said: "Not long ago, Kravchenko, commander of the 6th Guards Tank Army, called me and told me about the campsite of his 5th Guards Mechanized Army. , was bombed by the Kwantung Army and asked me to send aircraft for support."

After hearing this, Sokov was shocked. His troops were bombed by enemy planes and were able to evacuate in time. However, when the tank army was attacked by air, the huge number of tanks, armored vehicles and trucks would definitely suffer heavy losses. Thinking of this, he asked tentatively: "Comrade Air Marshal, I wonder what the losses of General Kravchenko's troops are? Is it big?"

"I don't know." Hudyakov replied simply: "But I have sent an aviation division to the area where they camp for reinforcements. But you also know that it is hundreds of kilometers from our airport to their camp. , by the time our plane arrived, the enemy planes had already completed the bombing and retreated under the cover of night, and we could not find any trace of them."

The purpose of Sokov's call to Hudyakov was to request the other party to send out air force to support him and drive away or destroy the enemy planes that attacked the 116th Division. But after listening to what the other party said, he changed his mind. He knew that even if he requested the Air Force to attack, by the time the fighter planes arrived at the 116th Division's camp, the enemy planes that carried out the air attack would have long since fled, and the Air Force fighter planes would have nothing to do. One trip.

Hearing that Sokov suddenly stopped talking, Hudyakov took the initiative and said: "General Sokov, you called me, do you want me to send planes to drive away the enemy planes that bombed you? I have a word first, even if If I dispatch a fighter formation to support them, I'm afraid it will be in vain."

"You are right, Comrade Air Marshal." Sokov agreed with Hudyakov's statement: "Now even if you send fighter planes to our army's campsite, you are just doing your best. A few hundred kilometers away, at least It took nearly an hour to arrive, and by the time our fighter planes arrived, the enemy planes had already disappeared without a trace."

 “As long as you understand this.”

“Comrade Air Marshal, I have a suggestion, I don’t know whether I should say it or not?”

"If you have any suggestions, just say it." Hudyakov said: "If it is a reasonable suggestion, I will definitely adopt it."

"We captured a Kwantung Army field airport today. The runway is intact and can take off and land fighter planes." Sokov said cautiously: "I wonder if you can station an aviation unit to provide us with air support nearby?"

Hudyakov couldn't help but feel moved after hearing this, and then asked: "I wonder how big the airport is and how many planes can take off and land?"

"Please wait a moment, let me ask my chief of staff." Sokov covered the phone with his hand and turned to ask Yakov: "Yasha, how many planes can the airport in Solon take off and land?" Yakov's eyes widened. Looking at Sokov, he asked in surprise: "You won't let the air force move forward to Solon, will you?"

"What's not possible?" Sokov said: "The plane takes off from Solon's airport, and it only takes a few minutes to reach the front line to provide air support for our ground forces. Even if an air attack like tonight occurs, They can also rush to the combat area to expel or destroy incoming enemy aircraft in the shortest possible time.”

"I have visited Solon's airport." Before Yakov could speak, Lujin spoke first: "The Kwantung Army may have a limited number of aircraft, so Solon's airport is not large and can only accommodate four or five people at best. Ten planes taking off and landing.”

“Only forty or fifty planes can take off and land?” Sokov looked at Lukin and asked, “Comrade Deputy Commander, are you sure?”

"I'm sure." Lu Jin nodded and said in a positive tone: "It can only take off and land forty or fifty planes."

After Sokov confirmed the airport information, he released his hand covering the microphone and said: "Comrade Air Marshal, I have already asked, Solon's airport can only take off and land forty or fifty aircraft."

When Hudyakov learned that there was an airport outside the city of Solon occupied by Sokov, he once thought about deploying two or three aviation divisions in the area. After all, he can now command as many as 13 aviation divisions of the air force. But after listening to Sokov's next words, he changed his mind. If the airport is only of this size, at best, only two or three aviation regiments can be deployed there.

"General Sokov," Hudyakov said into the microphone after thinking for a while: "I will send a transport plane to Solon tonight. Please order people to light bonfires on both sides of the runway to indicate the landing direction for our plane. .”

“Send a transport plane over?” Sokov was a little surprised when he heard what Hudyakov said, “What are you doing here?”

Hudyakov said with some laughter and tears: "General Sokov, didn't you suggest that I deploy fighter planes in the Solon area? You know, even if there are forty or fifty planes taking off and landing, if there is no dedicated person to dispatch them, it is still easy to have an accident. Those who will take the transport plane tonight are the dispatchers and corresponding equipment on the airport ground. After they arrive on the ground and install the equipment in place, by noon tomorrow at the latest, the aircraft of the aviation group I sent will be able to land in Solon one after another. airport to provide you with air support more conveniently."

"Great, this is really great." Seeing that Hudyakov had considered the problem so thoughtfully, Sokov couldn't help but be overjoyed. He said repeatedly: "I immediately sent people to Solon's airport and lit bonfires on both sides of the runway. , guiding the transport plane to land."

After Sokov put down the phone, he told Yakov, Lukin and others the contents of the call between himself and Hudyakov. Everyone was very excited. If the Air Force really establishes a forward airfield in the Solon area, not only can it provide air support to ground troops at any time, but even if the Kwantung Army wants to launch an air raid like tonight, it will be defeated by the Soviet aviation that quickly rushes to the battlefield. Shit.

“Major Bezikov,” Yakov picked up the phone on the table, dialed a number and said, “Come to the headquarters immediately. I have an important task for you.”

Bezikov heard that he had an important task to be entrusted to him, and he didn't dare to neglect it. He appeared in front of Sokov and others in less than three minutes.

“Comrade commanders,” Bezikov raised his hand to salute Sokov and others, and then asked respectfully, “What instructions do you have?”

"That's it, Major Bezikov." Sokov walked up to Bezikov and said in a kind tone: "In up to an hour, an Air Force transport plane will arrive over Solon Airport. I The task given to you is to lead people to set up bonfires on both sides of the airport, light the bonfires when the transport plane arrives over Solon, and guide it to the landing position."

Bezikov said with some confusion: "Comrade Commander, I don't understand why the Air Force's transport planes arrive at Solon Airport at night. Aren't they afraid of a flight accident?" According to his idea, even if the Air Force has any aircraft, To Solon's airport, they should arrive during the day, when the visibility is high, and they can land safely even without ground guidance.

"Comrade Major," Sokov knew that Bezikov didn't know about the air attack on the 116th Division, so he had such a question, so he explained to him: "You may not know that just half an hour ago , the camping ground of the 116th Division of the 49th Infantry Corps was attacked by the Kwantung Army, causing certain losses to the troops and weapons and equipment."

"Ah, is it true that the camp of the 116th Division was attacked by an enemy air attack?" Bezikov said this casually, and then he realized how absurd his idea was. Sokov was a dignified army commander. , do you deserve to talk nonsense to yourself? The fact that the troops suffered an air raid is definitely true. He calmed down and continued: "But is there any connection between the air attack on the troops and the landing of the transport plane at night?"

"Of course." Sokov thought of Bezikov's special identity, so he did not intend to hide these things from him, so he answered truthfully: "After dawn tomorrow, Air Marshal Hudyakov will send air forces to Sokov. London Airport. The transport plane arriving tonight will carry ground dispatchers and related equipment, so it is your responsibility to ensure their safe landing. Do you understand?"

"I understand, Comrade Commander." Bezikov nodded vigorously and said in a positive tone: "Please rest assured, I will ensure the safe landing of the transport plane."

Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch. Although the transport plane dispatched by Hudyakov had not yet taken off, he still waved to Bezikov and said: "Comrade Major, now that you understand, hurry up and deploy." Let’s do it. Don’t wait until the planes arrive over Solon. The bonfires on both sides of the runway haven’t been properly arranged yet, and the business may be delayed by then.”

After Bezikov turned around and left, Lukin smiled and said to Sokov: "Misha, it seems that you are very good at using Major Bezikov. If my superiors let me command a unit alone in the future, , I wonder if you can part with me and let him follow me to the new army?"

Before Sokov could react, Yakov's eyes widened in surprise: "Comrade Deputy Commander, have you heard something? Your superiors will transfer you to another unit to assume an important command in the near future. Position?"

"Comrade Chief of Staff," Lu Jin waved his hand quickly and said to Yakov with a smile: "Where is the rumor? I was just joking. You must not take it seriously. According to Misha's analysis, this battle It won't even last a month. Even if my superiors are ready to make a new appointment for me, I'm afraid the campaign will be over before they can make arrangements. What's the point of sending me to be the commander of a certain unit then?"

 (End of this chapter)