It’s not a funny story, but I want to tell you a story like this.
I will tell you about my grandfather.
First about one and then about the other I was small and loved to dig into his medallions.
(Glory, Two Red Stars, and seems to be the Great Patriotic War)
Only he never wore them for any parades... just sometimes wearing a plank, he didn’t like to brag with iron like he told his grandmother.
I remember the lessons of courage in schools, veterans came with a bunch of medals... they told about all kinds of cases... but I remember somehow they were all staff rats, for some reason I didn’t believe them very much. They loved to talk.
And I did not ask my grandfather how much... he told me nothing about the war... He kept silent and all... he treated his rewards with disrespect... If not my grandmother, everyone would have grown up. But here is the prize of his front friend (this nobody left alive when he died) guarded like a pupil of the eye.. and when I some order of his friend took to play - he greatly punished me and forbade any time to approach them.
Even though he allowed him to play as much as he could.
I grew up and already when my grandfather disappeared... I still learned a few stories... from my father Grandfather Bory was an ordinary soldier.
At the airport service battalion. In 1941, when they retreated, the pilots, like everyone else, had a very tough time. They were flying day and night, almost without rest. The same goes for all the airport staff.
One day, the squadron went on a mission. All returned – except for one pilot with whom my grandfather was friends... At that time the German infantry and tanks came out to the airport. Everyone hurried away - the aircraft lifted up the people on the cars and hurried back to the rear border (as often happened in the first year of the war).
There was only one grandfather with his half-tooth. Why is? He decided not to abandon his car and wait until the end of his combat companion. He drove a truck into some woods and sat alone with a rifle. The Germans were in control of the airport.
And at that moment, my grandfather saw his plane going to the airport to land. Grandfather on full gases wandered through the airfield and in the field, meeting the plane, moving his hand out of the cabin. The pilot realized that things were bad and went further east through the forest and further to the fields. Grandfather turned his column and followed his footsteps. It came to pass that the Germans at the time were naughty and were not especially stressed. They opened fire from machine guns - the car is all in the roof but by some miracle on the move and the grandfather is alive.
The Germans did not catch up. An hour later, my grandfather found the plane and the pilot in a field on the outskirts of a forest. The plane was damaged by gasoline zero. The pilot refused to drop the plane, and the grandfather refused to leave his companion.
For a week they wheeled in the rear... with the plane attached to the tail to the truck (the wings were removed and placed in the body). It was a miracle to find gasoline. encountered the Germans. We left at night. There was an infantry surrounded.
I will not list all the details. They chose their own. rescued the plane.
No one was waiting for them in their hometown.
He was later awarded the Order of the Red Star. The pilot was awarded.
There were several other moves. I will tell you about it if the story is supported.
Grandfather was a healthy and strong man... and very desperate... and the character was tough and he did not like staffs. And when he was presented to the arena of fame after another feat (I understand the order of the highest distinction for the ordinary staff) - the papers of the staff were safely lost.
Then he was presented to the same order for the second time... for another heroism... and again something failed with the headquarters. A couple of decades later, they were rewarded.

Grandfather Bora, you often mocked me because I was a fool... I didn’t listen to you.

But I always remember you... and I remember your simple rule – do not abandon comrades.