One day Anna was ordered to fly to the first Cavalry Corps--they needed a radio. But when she landed in the designated village, she didn't see them anywhere. Leaving the plane running, she ran to a nearby hut, tapping on the window to ask for information. An old man opened the door.
"Grandfather," Anna asked politely, "have our troops been through here?"
"Run away from here, Sonny," urged the old man, mistaking Anna for a man. "The Germans are here! They got here late last night!"
Anna turned around. There were Germans standing near the tent hut, their backs to her. But she couldn't seem to move her legs. The old man gave her a push, which did the trick. Anna ran to her plane and took off. Below her, she heard the crackle of machine gunfire. She looked down. The old man was lying facedown in the snow. And the Germans were now taking aim at her.
Excerpt from "Anna Yegorova: Soviet Pilot" from Women Heroes of World War II: 32 Stories of Espionage, Sabotage, Resistance, and Rescue.
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