 Following the death of squadron commander Lyubov Olkhovskaya during the mission, Smirnova took her place.After eight months of combat missions, the regiment was honored with the Guards designation and renamed to 46th Guards Night Bomber Aviation Regiment.Smirnova was dedicated to the regiment, one time absconding from a recreation center she had been sent to in order to improve her health, so that she could return to the front.