Tag #146708 - Interview #78109 (Naum Kravets)

My last flight was to the German town of Gartz early in the morning of 8th May. We headed towards Botanic bay, then to Elsa island in Estonia. We were allowed to take a rest after the flight. It was noon, so I decided to take a nap as I didn't have any other flights scheduled for the day. Hardly had I fallen asleep when I was woken by shooting and loud voices. I felt warm in the fur sleeping bag and wasn't willing to leave it. Suddenly one of the pilots rushed into the room and cried, 'Victory! Victory!', and shot a string of bursts in the ceiling. We always slept in underpants, so I hurriedly put my pants and jacket on and rushed outside. The pilots of our regiment were aligned. They were shooting in the air and crying, 'Victory, Victory, the war is over!' I took out my pistol and started shooting as well. I wasted all cartridges. That was the way I celebrated victory day. Then our squad commander came and took a picture of us. On the occasion of the victory I was awarded an Order of the Great Patriotic War [40] of the 2nd class and a Medal 'For Victory in the Great Patriotic War' [41].