A missing team flag was found, which was a great event, so Sokov discussed with Belkin and said: "Comrade Deputy Battalion Commander, do you see if we report this matter to our superiors immediately?"
"Comrade Battalion Commander, please wait a little longer." Belkin, who calmed down, said solemnly: "This matter is of great importance. I need to learn some details from Maria. After I figure out everything, it is not too late to report to my superiors."
Sokov understood very well that for the Soviet army that valued honor, the loss of this team flag meant self-evident. Therefore, he did not speak anymore, but sat aside and listened quietly to Belkin interrogating Maria.
After figuring out what should be clarified, Berkin contacted Lobachev, a military committee member of the group army through a telephone and gave him a detailed report on the matter.
After listening to Belkin's report, Lobachev did not immediately express his opinion. Instead, he remained silent for a long time before asking solemnly: "Comrade Belkin, do you confirm that the flag you found belongs to the team of the 24th Infantry Division?"
"That's right, comrade of the military committee." Berkin said in a positive tone: "You also know that I was the political commissar of the 70th Infantry Regiment, and I was familiar with the several flags in the division, and I have repeatedly identified this flag, absolutely right."
"Comrade Military Commissioner, what happened?" Rokosovsky's voice suddenly came from his headphones: "Is it the phone number from Istria Camp?"
"Yes, Comrade Commander, it was the phone call from Istria Battalion." Lobachev quickly reported to Rokosovsky: "Political Deputy Battalion Commander Berkin reported that a missing team flag was found. After his repeated identification, it can be confirmed that it was the flag of the 71st Regiment of the 24th Infantry Division. What should you do about it?"
Seeing that Lobachev had handed over the decision to himself, Rokosovsky frowned and thought. After weighing the strong relationship, he said to Lobachev: "Comrade Military Commissioner, please tell me goodbye to Erkin and let them keep the flag. I will send people from the Political Department of the Army and the Special Service Department to get the flag back tomorrow."
After Sokov waited for Belkin to finish his call with his superiors, he specifically solicited Maria's opinions: "Maria, people from the Political Department and the Secret Service Department will come to us to take the military flag tomorrow. I want to ask you, what are you thinking about, do you need me to send someone to escort you to Moscow?"
"I won't go to Moscow." Maria shook her head and said, "My parents were killed in the bombing of the Germans shortly after the war broke out. I want to avenge them. Comrade Commander, please let me join the army. I can do anything. Please, please leave me behind!"
Sokov didn't expect that Maria wanted to stay in the army. She felt very embarrassed for a moment. Her troops were all male soldiers, and a female soldier suddenly appeared. What's going on? When he was in a dilemma, Berkin said, "Comrade Battalion Commander, isn't the female anti-aircraft machine gun company in our defense zone now? I think, why don't Maria be an anti-aircraft machine gunner?"
"Two battalion commanders," Before Sokov could make a statement, Asia interrupted, "I think it's better to let Maria stay in the camp and be a health officer. What's wrong with her? I can teach her."
"Okay, let Maria be a hygienist." Sokov thought that Maria was just an ordinary person and now she was asked to be an anti-aircraft machine gunner. She probably wouldn't get used to it for a while, so he agreed to Asia's proposal: "Asia, you must teach him basic nursing knowledge as soon as possible."
…………
The next morning, a jeep came from Sushinic. In addition to the driver, there were three passengers. One was the deputy director of the political department, Vladimir, deputy battalion-level political commissar, and the other two were members of the Secret Service Section.
Vladimir brought two members of the Secret Service to Sokov's battalion command post. After revealing his identity, he asked directly: "Where is that flag?"
Belkin stood up, walked to the wall, took out the square flag from a bag hanging on the wall, grabbed two corners, shook it hard, and spread it out. He faced Vladimir and said, "Comrade Deputy Director, this is the missing flag of the 71st Infantry Regiment."
Vladimir walked over, lifted a corner of the flag, and carefully looked at such a bright flag with the help of the lights in the house. After observing for a long time, he let go of the flag in his hand and said with a smile: "Yes, the deputy political battalion commander is indeed the team flag of the 71st infantry regiment."
He turned to face Sokov and asked, "Comrade Battalion Commander, I don't know where the girl who sent the flag back is now? I want to see her, okay?"
"Of course, comrade Deputy Director." Sokov said quickly: "I'll call him now, please wait here!"
Sokov left the command post and walked along the traffic trench towards the shelter where Asia and Maria lived. When he walked to the door, he was about to lift the curtain at the door and went in, but when he heard Asia's voice coming from inside, he stopped and wanted to hear what she was saying.
Asia inside said: "... When treating the wounded on the battlefield, because our medicines are limited, when treating the wounded, we must decide who should be given priority in the shortest time. For example, if a minor injured person is unconscious, he should give up first; and a serious injured person, even if he is awake and even begs you to save him, he should give up decisively..."
Sokov, who was standing outside the cover, was a little surprised when he heard Asia's theory. He did not expect that there was such profound knowledge to rescue the wounded. Maria, who was confused, also asked curiously: "Asia, I want to ask, why should we give priority to the rescue of the lightly injured?"
"It's very simple," Asia explained to Maria: "As long as they are treated with a simple injury, they can re-enter the battle. Even if you treat the seriously injured, they will not be able to recover their combat effectiveness in a short period of time. On the contrary, you may also consume the drugs that can treat more of the mildly injured by rescuing the seriously injured..."
Sokov originally wanted to stand at the door and listen to the common sense of battlefield rescue as Athia talked about for a while, but he was worried that Vladimir had been waiting in the camp command post for too long, so he coughed heavily. Asia, who was talking inside, heard the coughing sound from outside, quickly stopped teaching Maria experience and asked loudly at the door: "Who is outside?"
"It's me!" Sokov said, lifting the curtain and walking in, saying to Asia, who was surprised, "A leader came from the Political Department of the Group Army to see Maria. I came to find Maria specifically."
When Sokov said that he was here to find Maria, Asia showed a disappointed expression on her face. However, she still tried to calmly say, "Since the leader wants to see Maria, you can take her over quickly."
After Maria followed Sokov to the battalion commander, Vladimir immediately interrogated her repeatedly: How did she get the flag? How did she hide the flag under the enemy's nose for two months? Why did she send this flag to the army?...
Facing Vladimir's series of questions, Maria seemed particularly nervous, but she still answered these questions stutteringly. After receiving a satisfactory answer, Vladimir smiled on his face. He specifically asked Maria for her opinion: "Girl, in order to thank you for all this for us, the Army Command specifically asked me to ask for your opinion. I wonder what your next plan is? Should I go back to the village or go to Moscow, and let us arrange a satisfactory job for you?"
"My family is dead, and it doesn't make any sense to go back." Maria said with a wry smile: "As for Moscow, I don't want to go."
Maria's answer surprised Vladimir, and he asked, "What are your plans?"
Maria pointed at Sokov next to her and said to Vladimir with a red face: "This commander has agreed to me stay in his troops, and I am now working hard to learn how to be a good health worker."
Chapter completed!