However, Chairman Mao looked at these energetic young people with a very solemn expression, and he remembered his son who had sacrificed in a foreign country, and his heart was full of sorrow.
At this time, a girl in the delegation suddenly threw herself into Chairman Mao's arms, hugged him and cried loudly, and everyone present lost their voices in an instant, dropped their jaws in shock, and could not slow down for half a day.
Chairman Mao gently patted the girl's back, comforting her, like a kind old father, and then when the girl's mood stabilized, Chairman Mao signed the girl's signature alone and awarded her the title of meritorious servant of the people.
Who is this girl?
Why did you get Chairman Mao's special attention?
This girl, named Xie Xiumei, was born in 1932 in Gaoyang County, Hebei Province, a poor peasant family, from a young age Xie Xiumei was very envious of her peers to be able to study in the school, because the family was poor, there was no extra money to supply Xie Xiumei to study, and she began to bear the burden of the family when she was very young.
She is a good girl who understands things, will help her parents to do farm work when she is busy in farming, and often cook for her parents to do housework, although there is no way to go to school, but Xie Xiumei is born with a good voice, and is also very enthusiastic about dancing and acting, and when she is a little older and has the ability to take care of herself, she joined the local amateur theater troupe.
There she met many friends, the people around her are also very kind, this cheerful and innocent little girl is also deeply liked by everyone, friends will teach her to read and recognize, during the time in the troupe, Xie Xiumei knew many words, but also opened the door of her knowledge.
Xie Xiumei
Through reading books and newspapers, Xie Xiumei learned about many revolutionary stories and heroes, which fascinated her deeply, and the heroine she most admired was Liu Hulan, and took her as her own example, hoping that one day she could become a heroine like Liu Hulan.
In 1950, shortly after the founding of New China, the Korean War began, the US military invaded Korea at the same time, constantly sent troops to harass China's border areas, in order to protect China's territory and sovereignty, the volunteer army crossed the Yalu River to the Korean battlefield to resist the invasion of foreign enemies.
18-year-old Xie Xiumei was inspired by the country, conscription into the army is bound to defend the country, her decision was strongly opposed by her parents, in the eyes of her parents, a girl's family to fight and kill is not a system, it is the right choice to find a husband to marry, Xie Xiumei ignored her parents' obstruction, secretly went to the recruitment office to sign up for the army.
Liu Hulan
At first, the person in charge of conscription saw that Xie Xiumei was a female doll who was unwilling to take her in, and felt that it was unrealistic for a woman to go to the battlefield to fight, Xie Xiumei did not spare, told the person in charge that she could sing and dance, or a female man, she was not afraid of suffering or tiredness, and said that she stretched out her hands to show the person in charge of conscription.
What people did not expect was that Xie Xiumei was only an 18-year-old girl, but there was a thick layer of calluses on her hands, and the hands that lacked moisture could clearly see the dry lines, and the roughness of those hands was no less than that of a man who often did rough work.
It just so happened that the cultural and labor corps in the army still needed people, so they agreed to learn about Xiumei's request and let her join the volunteer army as she wished, which made Xie Xiumei dance happily.
It didn't take long for Xie Xiumei to embark on a journey to North Korea with her troops, and the marching life was much more difficult than she imagined, Xie Xiumei had to carry heavy things every day to wade through the mountains and rivers, but such a life did not consume her enthusiasm for going to the battlefield to defend her homeland.
When she saw that Wang Xibin, a volunteer soldier next to her, was physically weak because of his weakness, she took the initiative to take the satchel and the 8-pound rice bag on his shoulder, and the beads of sweat dripped down Xie Xiumei's forehead.
She has never shouted bitterly tired, the smile on her face is still sunny, when she sees her comrades in arms who are depressed because of fatigue, Xie Xiumei will often cheer up her comrades-in-arms, and will sing to everyone to relax and relieve fatigue, in the 18-day hard march life because of knowing Xiumei, the atmosphere of the whole team is very pleasant, Xie Xiumei was also rated as a model march of the cultural and labor corps.
The cold winter moon in North Korea is particularly cold, the air is like a layer of frost, take a breath of cool air, the whole person can't help but fight a cold war, Xie Xiumei, as a member of the cultural and labor corps, often does the work of the logistics department, usually she in addition to the soldiers to do propaganda, cheering, but also assumed the responsibility of "team nanny".
Early in the morning, before dawn, Xie Xiumei had already gotten up, she braved the cold to go up the mountain to cut firewood, and when it was dawn, Xie Xiumei returned to the camp with firewood on her back, and she boiled hot water to cook non-stop, in order to warm up her comrades-in-arms with a mouthful of hot food.
Before going to sleep at night, she took the initiative to boil hot water to warm the soldiers' feet, when there was nothing to do, she took the initiative to take the soldiers' clothes to sew and mend, and also took the initiative to wash the soldiers' clothes, her hands were frozen red in the cold and bone-chilling cold water, Xie Xiumei did not complain at all, she could do what she could for the troops, Xie Xiumei had a full sense of accomplishment and satisfaction.
The volunteer army on the battlefield faced the United Nations army led by the United States, such an opponent is very powerful, also caused a lot of pressure on the volunteer army, the battlefield situation is extremely fierce, Xie Xiumei often risked her life, desperately crossing the enemy's fire blockade line, to the front of the battle to cheer the soldiers.
The soldiers heard Xie Xiumei singing enthusiastic military songs, and one by one they all raised their spirits and their morale was high.
Xie Xiumei touched many soldiers, and even the leaders of the organization could not help but praise her, because Xie Xiumei was positive and enthusiastic, and usually took good care of the soldiers, and the organization also looked in the eyes, so the organization decided to transfer Xie Xiumei to the hospital in the rear area to take care of the wounded and stabilize their emotions.
At that time, the hospital would send a lot of wounded soldiers every day, there was also a shortage of manpower, Xie Xiumei did not know anything about the medical team, the first time to the hospital, Xie Xiumei looked at the steady stream of wounded people sent over, a burst of hands and feet, nothing she would follow the nurses and doctors next to, has been laying hands on them, as long as the doctors and nurses have ordered her to do it immediately, every day Xie Xiumei is busy dizzy, but she is happy to do it.
Over time, Xie Xiumei followed the doctors and nurses, and also learned the basic medical nursing work, she often gave medicine to the soldiers to bandage the wounds when the nurses were too busy, and the movements became more and more skillful, and when the war was at its tightest, Xie Xiumei did not rest all night.
She was waiting in the hospital to send the wounded at any time, she could help at the first time, in the cold winter she froze her lips purple and still insisted, the soldiers were often sent over with cold hands and feet, unconscious, Xie Xiumei would put the feet of the wounded soldiers in the palm of her hands to cover the heat.
The temperature of the palms of the hands was not enough, they would put them into the cuffs to warm the feet of the warriors, and once, when a wounded man was sent over, the shoes and socks on the feet were frozen firmly on the feet and stuck together, and Xie Xiumei put the soldier's feet into his arms to warm up.
The warrior's feet only then regained consciousness, Xie Xiumei's actions touched the warrior, he said to Xie Xiumei with tears in his eyes: "You are my savior, without you my feet are ruined, thank you." ”
Xie Xiumei wiped away the soldier's tears and comforted: "Don't thank me, this is what I should do, you risked your life to Chinese people, it is worth it." ”
On the afternoon of November 30, 1951, on the way back from cutting firewood, Xie Xiumei saw the enemy plane circling over the hospital, and then several petrol bombs landed on the roof of the hospital, instantly burning with gas, and the medical staff saw the enemy plane and urgently evacuated all the wounded.
However, after all the people were moved to a safe place, li Yonghua, the platoon leader of the 605 regiment, was still trapped in the hospital, Xie Xiumei helped carry the wounded, the hospital was already in flames, seeing that Li Yonghua, who was seriously injured, was about to be buried in the fire, Xie Xiumei wet her clothes and rushed into the hospital in spite of herself.
She involuntarily picked up Li Yonghua and went outside the hospital, the hospital was originally very simple, the things inside the house were burned and crackled, the entire structure of the hospital was at risk of collapsing at any time, Li Yonghua saw the situation and persuaded Xie Xiumei: "You put me down, hurry up, I am already like this, it is not a pity to die, you don't want to die for me in vain!" ”
Xie Xiumei said: "The life of the wounded is also my life, it is my responsibility to save you, you don't talk to save your physical strength, I will take you to escape together." ”
In this way, Xie Xiumei escaped from the hospital with Li Yonghua on his back and braved the fire, and they just came out of the hospital collapsed, thanks to the timely up, just in Xie Xiumei's breathing space, the enemy's plane flew back and dropped bombs from the plane, and one of them landed next to Xie Xiumei and Li Yonghua.
Xie Xiumei quickly picked up Li Yonghua and rolled into the safe trench, until the bomber above her head left, Xie Xiumei let go of Li Yonghua, seeing that Li Yonghua was okay, she took a long breath and opened her mouth and smiled, and at this time, Xie Xiumei's body was full of injuries, and the cotton clothes on her body were also punched out one by one, revealing cotton wool.
Her face was also blown up by the stones and the blue and purple pieces, and the blood on her hands was also direct, Xie Xiumei was pulled aside by the nurse to the temporary hospital for examination, although the body was blown up and the green piece was purple, but there was no major trouble, the nurse relaxed her heart and treated the wound for Xie Xiumei.
Soon, Xie Xiumei's application was actually spread, and her 68th Army also gave her the first class merit of the Volunteer Army.
In January 1952, Xie Xiumei was elected as a representative of the cultural and labor troupe and was received by Chairman Mao and many other leaders, Xie Xiumei was emotional, and after seeing Chairman Mao, she couldn't help but hug Chairman Mao and weep bitterly.
Subsequently, Chairman Mao left Xie Xiumei with an autograph, and after she returned to her hometown, she was called a hero of the people.
In 1956, Xie Xiumei changed careers, held a leadership position in the Huaxing Printing Factory in her hometown, and with a stable job, Xie Xiumei found a lover who stayed together for a lifetime, and after marriage, the two also raised several children together, and the small life was also happy and happy.
Since then, Xie Xiumei has never mentioned to anyone that she went to the battlefield, and even her children do not know that her mother was once a heroine.
In 1996, the 64-year-old Xie Xiumei was admitted to the hospital due to illness, Xie Xiumei had a life of two sleeves and a clean wind, there was no savings, the children's lives were also very poor, the high medical expenses crushed a family, the hospital also gave the children an ultimatum, and then could not get the medical expenses Xie Xiumei was going to be stopped from taking medication.
This can make the children sad, they suddenly remembered that in the mother's collection of goods have seen the red book and some similar documents, the children decided to sort out these things as soon as they discussed, to the government department to ask if they can apply for subsidies.
Because Xie Xiumei's condition has been delayed to an advanced stage, on January 30, 1996, Xie Xiumei died in the hospital.
Her life is ordinary and great, and she is a well-deserved heroine.
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