The national flag flew at an island communication station of the "outpost company" of a certain air force communication brigade in the Eastern Theater. Photo by Kong Fanxing and Gu Shixin
Wang Xiao, the instructor of the "Outpost Company," caught up with the fishing boat on the last outlying island.
Officers and men stationed at a communications station on an island. Photo by Kong Fanxing and Gu Shixin
Years ago, there was a snow on the island, the weather was colder than usual, and there were fewer fishing boats coming and going every day.
Speaking of Wang Xiaohe and even changkong stars, the ship's family is no stranger.
During the Spring Festival, they are special passengers on board. Every year, when most people rush home, they take a ferry back and forth between the islands.
The vast sea, a fishing boat, connects the island to the land.
Fog enveloped the fishing boats. Wang Xiao stood at the bow of the ship, and many times, he was like a bridge connecting the various island communication stations.
"Like a parent who doesn't feel at ease with their child at home alone." Kong Fanxing and Wang Xiao knew that trekking between land and sea would not shorten the distance between these islands.
But in their view, this can bring the hearts of officers and soldiers closer together.
There is the most beautiful scenery of the island
How small is the island?
Before coming to the communication station, the instructor Wang Xiao never thought about this problem.
In the bumpy tide, Wang Xiao landed on this remote island on the coast of the East China Sea. The small island where the station is located is only 0.5 square kilometers, which is roughly the size of four football fields.
That summer, a certain communications brigade of the Eastern Theater Air Force opened a communication station on this small island. After receiving the order, the officers and men arrived by boat with communication equipment and some daily necessities.
When the station is built, the summer is also nearing its end. This was followed by increasingly wet and cold weather and a howling sea breeze.
The sea breeze is a "regular visitor" to the island. When the wind is strong, it can reach 10 or more. On weekdays, in addition to overhauling the equipment in the flat room, the officers and men on the island also maintain the equipment on the communication tower.
The communication tower is more than ten meters high, and the human body must maintain balance at a high place, and the difficulty coefficient is very large. Climbing the tower requires courage and experience. "Often the higher you go, the more you can feel the power of the wind." Station director Yang Guang said.
During a test, the officers and men found that the antenna on the tower was corroded and needed to be repaired urgently. Yang Guang climbed the tower first, oiled the components, tightened the screws, and detected the signal... Working at height for 4 consecutive days against the sea breeze, the hidden dangers were finally eliminated.
After the maintenance was completed, Yang Guang looked out from the communication tower. The bedrock is bare, the headlands are everywhere, the shoreline is twisting, the waves are crashing on the shore, and the rays of the setting sun are staining the sky red... "That's the most beautiful sea view I've ever seen." Yang Guang said.
From the station where officers and soldiers are on duty, the island is like a pearl in the vast East China Sea. On the communication tower, there are the most beautiful scenery of the island, and there are also the most beautiful scenery of the military life of the officers and men guarding the island.
Trace the coastline of the motherland with footprints
Bidding farewell to the island where Yang Guang was located, instructor Wang Xiao turned and looked at the sea. He also had to go to another island communications station of the company.
The company has multiple stations on different islands. On the road, it is the norm for Wang Xiao's work.
After the adjustment and reform, Wang Xiao came to this "outpost company" and served as the first instructor. Ferry tickets, bus tickets, train tickets... In Wang Xiao's wallet, you can always find a thick stack of bills.
"If our station is a pearl at the top of the island, I'm going to string them together." Wang Xiao smiled and made an analogy, "The station is far away, I have to walk more and see more to be assured." ”
This time, the island communication station that Wang Xiao was going to was located at the highest peak of the island and the highest peak of the mountains in the area.
Standing at the top of the peak, the sea breeze blew Wang Xiao shiver, and also awakened the scene that was difficult to forget in the depths of his memory——
Late that night, a rare thunderstorm struck the communication station, and lightning printed silver wires on the ceiling of the duty room, constantly changing the lines, reflecting the dark night into day.
After the thunderstorm passed, the warning lights of the communication equipment kept flashing. The officers and men put on their kits and raincoats and immediately set off for maintenance.
The sea breeze swept through the heavy rain in an instant. The officers and men who overhauled the mountain along the way carried dozens of pounds of heavy loads on their backs. During that overhaul, they fought until dawn the next day, and the communication signal was restored to smooth at the first time.
"I still remember them fighting in the wind and rain." Wang Xiao said, "Whenever I think of them, I am proud of them. ”
Day after day, officers and men on the island guarded the communication station. Year after year, Wang Xiao traced the coastline of the motherland with his footprints.
Dry the tears from the corners of your eyes for you
"Two years in one night, two years in five." At this special moment of the Spring Festival, the officers and men of the "outpost company" will think of the same person.
"This year I don't know who can receive the instructor's exclusive red envelope." Every year Chinese New Year's Eve night, instructor Wang Xiao would quietly stuff a New Year red envelope under the hat of his comrades-in-arms. In the red envelope, he wrote his message to his comrades-in-arms.
This year, what worries Wang Xiao the most is Cheng Yukai, the station chief of an island communication station.
Last year, Cheng Yukai harvested the joy of life: he met and fell in love with jing Xiaonan, a dance teacher, and entered the palace of marriage. This year is the first year of their new marriage, according to the custom of Cheng Yukai's hometown, the couple must keep the age with their relatives Chinese New Year's Eve.
At the dinner table, Cheng Yukai was very worried. After eating Chinese New Year's Eve meal, he hurriedly wrapped up his army coat and walked out the door. Leaning against the large rock in front of the barracks door, he dialed his wife's video phone.
On one side is the wife who is far away from home in the video, and on the other side is the cloud in front of her eyes that obscures the line of sight. Looking at the contented smile of his wife in the video, the things that he had wanted to discuss with her these days reached Cheng Yukai's mouth and swallowed again.
"I know what you want to say to me... You want to stay on the island, don't you? At the end of the video, his wife saw his heart.
Cheng Yukai was stunned. Without waiting for him to answer, his wife said slowly, "I want you to come back early, but if you love someone, you must respect his choice." I support you! ”
At the last moment of hanging up the phone, the video footage was frozen on the natural reef behind Cheng Yukai. The front of the reef is engraved with the word "loyalty", and the back of the "glorious page" is engraved with the names of the officers and men stationed there.
Tiptoeing up, Cheng Yukai looked at the lights under the mountain. Turning around, a smile of relief blossomed on the veteran's face.
Source: People's Liberation Army Daily