In 1932, Vasily Emelyanenko, a student at the Moscow Conservatory, had no idea that his decision to leave the conservatory, join a flying club, and train as a pilot would lead him to the then-yet-to-be-established title of Hero of the Soviet Union. But to earn this title, he had to complete 92 combat sorties to attack the enemy in 1942-1943 – one of the most difficult periods for the country, when the enemy was pushing towards the Volga River and the oil fields of the Caucasus.