Before dawn, a phone in the building rang. The soldier who answered the phone listened for a moment, then quickly covered the phone and reported to Sokov: "Comrade Brigade Commander, your call is from the brigade headquarters."
Hearing what the soldier said, Sokov guessed that the call must be from Sidorin. He quickly took the microphone from the soldier and asked directly: "Is it the chief of staff? I'm Sokov, am I out of trouble?" What happened?"
"No, Comrade Brigade Commander, everything is normal in the headquarters, nothing happened." Sidorin asked tentatively: "I want to ask, when will you return to the headquarters?"
Sokov raised his hand and looked at his watch and replied: "I think I can't go back until noon at the earliest. I want to see the power of those new rockets in the building where Vasily and the others are holding on."
"Ah, I won't be able to come back until noon." Sidorin said with some worry: "You won't be in any danger if you stay in that building, right?"
Sokov knew that Sidorin was concerned about his own safety, so he said in a grateful tone: "Comrade Chief of Staff, thank you for your concern. I will take care to protect myself. You don't have to worry about me."
Just before he was about to put down the phone, Sokov suddenly thought of an important question and quickly said into the phone: "Comrade Chief of Staff, don't hang up the phone yet. I have something to ask you."
"Comrade Brigadier, what's going on?"
"I would like to ask, how can we get in touch with the rocket launcher battalion staying by the river?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Sidorin asked in confusion: "Comrade Brigade Commander, what do you ask the rocket launcher battalion to do? You know, they are under the direct command of the group army headquarters, and we have no right to mobilize them."
"Comrade Chief of Staff, of course I know that they are under the direct command of the Army Group Headquarters." Seeing that Sidorin did not understand his intention, Sokov explained to him: "The building Vasily and the others are holding on to, The geographical location is very important, but their firepower configuration is a little poor. I think if they want to hold on here, they must get artillery support, and the rocket launcher battalion hidden in the river embankment cave is the best choice. Chief of Staff, you Do you understand me?"
After Sokov's explanation, Sidorin also felt that it was indeed possible to use the rocket launcher battalion hidden on the river embankment to provide fire support for Vasily and others who were holding on to the dormitory of the family members of the Federation of State Consumer Cooperatives. After thinking about this, Sokov took the initiative and said, "Comrade Brigade Commander, give me half an hour, and I will talk to the commander about this matter."
Sokov knew that Sidorin and Chuikov had a good personal relationship, so he readily agreed: "Okay, Comrade Chief of Staff, I will wait here for your good news."
When Sokov put down the phone, Yakov couldn't help but asked curiously: "Misha, since we already have this new type of rocket launcher, why do we need old rocket launchers to provide artillery support here?"
"Yakov, don't you remember how many rockets you brought?" Sokov looked at Yakov and said: "With less than a hundred rockets, I'm afraid they will all be used up in a day or two. If the rockets We’ve run out of ammunition, what do you want our soldiers to do in the remaining days?”
"That's true, the rockets I brought are indeed a little short." When Yakov said this, he glanced at the launch tubes and rockets piled in the corner with a guilty conscience, feeling that they were barely enough to repel the enemy's charge. , he murmured and explained to Sokov: "Didn't I already explain to you the reason for this situation? It's mainly because of insufficient production capacity..."
"Yakov, I have an idea of the current factory production situation, so you don't need to explain." After stopping Yakov from continuing, Sokov turned to Vasily and said: "There are artillery observations in the building. Member?"
Sokov originally asked this question just with the mentality of giving it a try. Unexpectedly, as soon as he finished speaking, Vasily nodded vigorously and said affirmatively: "Yes, there are several artillerymen in the building. I think there should be artillery observers among them."
"Where are they?" Sokov learned that there were artillerymen in the building, and quickly urged: "Hurry up and call them." Vasily did not dare to neglect, and quickly called a soldier and asked him to carry out the mortar attack. The commander of the artillery team called over.
Not long after, a second lieutenant wearing a big-brimmed hat ran over with the soldier. Seeing Sokov standing next to Vasily, he quickly stood up to attention and said respectfully: "Hello, comrade brigade commander, artillery second lieutenant Chernushenko is reporting to you. I am at your command. Please give instructions." !”
"Hello, Second Lieutenant Chernushenko." After Sokov nodded to the other party, he asked directly: "I would like to ask, do you have artillery observers among your men?"
Hearing Sokov's question, Second Lieutenant Chernushenko showed a surprised expression on his face. He then asked: "Comrade Brigadier, what are you asking the artillery observer for? You know, we currently only have two With the 50mm mortar, our gunners can hit the target accurately even without artillery observers.”
"Comrade Second Lieutenant, you are mistaken." Sokov waved his hand towards Chernushenko and said: "I asked you if there are any artillery observers among you because I plan to let the rocket launcher battalion deployed in Hexi cooperate with you in the operation. , if there is no special person to guide me, I am worried that the rockets will fall on the heads of my own people."
After listening to Sokov's explanation, Chernushenko quickly replied: "Comrade Brigade Commander, I used to be an artillery observer. If I just indicate the target for the rocket artillery battalion, I think I should be qualified."
"Great, this is really great." Sokov couldn't help but be overjoyed when he learned that the second lieutenant Chernushenko in front of him was once an artillery observer. But not long after he was happy, he fell silent again. After a brief thought, he asked Vasily again: "How is the communication situation here?"
"Comrade Brigade Commander," Vasily replied quickly: "How can we not only communicate directly with the brigade headquarters through the phone line? At the same time, there is also a walkie-talkie that can continue to maintain communication with the superiors even if the phone line is blown up. the relationship between."
"That's great." Knowing that Vasily had enough communication equipment, Sokov suddenly felt more at ease. He continued: "The chief of staff is currently negotiating with the group army headquarters to see if it is possible to allow The rocket launcher battalion hidden on the river embankment cooperates with our operations. If the commander agrees, Chernushenko can direct the rocket launcher battalion on the river embankment to bombard the German offensive formation from this building."
Sidorin asked Sokov to wait for half an hour, but only ten minutes later, he called Sokov. He said excitedly into the microphone: "Comrade Brigade Commander, Comrade Commander has agreed to let us call in the artillery fire of the rocket artillery battalion to bombard the enemy's assembly points and attack formations when necessary."
"Great, this is really great." Sokov waited for Sidorin to finish speaking, and immediately asked impatiently: "Comrade Chief of Staff, I would like to ask how the commanders and soldiers who are sticking to the building can communicate with the rocket launcher battalion. connect?"
"Comrade Commander gave me a call code, please remember it..." After Sokov wrote down the contact code with the rocket launcher battalion, Sidorin continued: "Comrade Commander, I want to ask, who is in the building?" Are there any artillery observers? If not, I will send two over immediately from Mamaev Kurgan."
"No need, Comrade Chief of Staff." Sokov said into the microphone: "The artillery lieutenant Chernushenko in the building used to be an artillery observer, guiding the artillery's work. I think he will complete it. It’s perfect.”
Knowing that there was already an artillery observer in the Vasily Building, Sidorin did not make any further trouble, but once again said to Sokov: "Comrade Brigadier, the city is too dangerous, you should come to the headquarters as soon as possible. .”
"Don't worry, Comrade Chief of Staff." At this moment, Sokov was really unwilling to let Sokov go back. He risked his life and came here overnight. He didn't see anything, so he went back home in despair. It's so embarrassing. It was based on this consideration that he said resolutely: "Let's wait until Vasily and others defeat the attacking enemy."
After Sokov handed the contact code to Vasily, he ordered him: "Sergeant Vasily, this is the contact information of the rocket launcher battalion on the river embankment. You first let Chernushenko contact them and get familiar with each other. Only in this way can we form excellent coordination in battle."
Vasily nodded and handed the paper in his hand to the operator sitting on the ground: "Immediately follow this method to get in touch with the rocket launcher battalion."
The operator turned on the walkie-talkie and shouted into the microphone: "Volga River! Volga River! I am Stalingrad, I am Stalingrad. Please answer if you hear me..."
After calling several times, a reply came from his earphone: "I am Volga, I am Volga. Please tell me something, please tell me something!"
The operator quickly handed the earphone and microphone to Sokov, but Sokov waved his hand, pointed at Chernushenko, and said: "Give the earphone and microphone to the second lieutenant."
Chernushenko took the microphone and earphone from the operator and began to reply: "Volga, this is Stalingrad. This is a communication test. Repeat, now is a communication test."
When Chernushenko and the rocket launcher battalion called each other, Yakov pulled Sokov aside and said to him: "Misha, since the troops here can get support from the rocket launcher battalion in the battle, we will not Stay here. I think we should return to the headquarters as soon as possible."
"Yakov," although Sokov wanted to spread his wings and fly back to Mamayev Heights at this moment, he still tried to stay calm in front of so many of his subordinates to prevent his emotions from bringing harm to the troops. Negative impact: "Even if this building can be supported by rocket launchers, I still want to see with my own eyes how the rockets I designed can destroy the enemy."
"Well, since you want to see the effect of rockets on the battlefield, then I will stay with you." After Yakov finished speaking, he stretched out his hand to Sokov and said politely: "Is there any smoke? Have one!"
Sokov took Yakov to another room, found a place to sit down, and then took out a cigarette that he had never smoked and handed it to Yakov. After Yakov tore open the package, he took out a cigarette, held it in his mouth, and threw the cigarette box back to Sokov. When he saw Sokov also taking out a cigarette, he quickly struck a match and lit it for him.
After taking two puffs, Sokov suddenly remembered that Stalin, whom he knew, never left his hand with a cigarette, and asked Yakov curiously: "Yakov, how many cigarettes does your father smoke every day?"
Regarding Sokov's question, Yakov thought for a long time before saying in an uncertain tone: "I guess there are at least two packs of cigarettes a day. He always puts the cut tobacco from the cigarettes in his pipe. smoke……"
Before Yakov could finish his words, a burst of machine gun fire suddenly came from outside the building, making him tremble. He stood up suddenly and looked around: "Are the enemies coming up?"
"Vasily," Sokov threw the unfinished cigarette butt on the ground, stood up and shouted outside: "What happened outside? Where is the shooting?"
"Please wait a moment, Comrade Brigadier." Vasily, who was on the phone, heard what Sokov was asking him, and quickly covered the phone with his hand and replied: "I am calling the observation post on the fourth floor to ask. What happened!"
The situation soon became clear. There was a machine gun on the fourth floor. The machine gunner just saw several German soldiers running past the square and couldn't help but open fire. As a result, one person was killed, another was injured, and the remaining enemies ran away.
Sokov originally thought that the soldiers were so nervous when they saw the enemy appearing that they fired their guns randomly. But when he heard that the shooting just now actually killed one German soldier, he was not prepared to hold the machine gunner responsible for firing without permission.
"Vasily," Sokov threw the unfinished cigarette butt on the ground, stood up and shouted outside: "What happened outside? Where is the shooting?"
"Please wait a moment, Comrade Brigadier." Vasily, who was on the phone, heard what Sokov was asking him, and quickly covered the phone with his hand and replied: "I am calling the observation post on the fourth floor to ask. What happened!"
The situation soon became clear. There was a machine gun on the fourth floor. The machine gunner just saw several German soldiers running past the square and couldn't help but open fire. As a result, one person was killed, another was injured, and the remaining enemies ran away.
Sokov originally thought that the soldiers were so nervous when they saw the enemy appearing that they fired their guns randomly. But when he heard that the shooting just now actually killed one German soldier, he was not prepared to hold the machine gunner responsible for firing without permission.
"Combat alert, issue a combat alert immediately." After Vasily reported to Sokov, he immediately told another soldier and immediately informed everyone to carry out their respective combat positions.
