preface
In 1950, our country was disarmed, reducing the original 5 million troops to only 2.4 million people. Many people left the army and went into production, which was also a smooth transition from the war years to the peace years.
One of the soldiers, Zhang Wenkui, was laid off and returned home without any complaints, devoting all his energy to the construction of his hometown. When he won the honor of "dedicated and dedicated good person", it was the greatest affirmation of his silent dedication in this life.
A difficult childhood
Zhang Wenkui was born in 1928, in that era his family had many children, life was very difficult, his brother once died early because he did not have money to see a doctor, and his mother also died after giving birth to him for physical reasons.
Zhang Wenkui had a tragic childhood, but his personality was very strong, and from an early age he would help the family work and help his father reduce his burden.
After the Japanese invasion of China, his hometown also lost its tranquility, when the Japanese forced the villagers to dig coal, and Zhang Wenkui's father was disabled by the Japanese because he did not comply.
Seeing his father's situation and seeing the fact that the villagers were brutalized by the Japanese army, Zhang Wenkui planted the seeds of hatred in his heart. At the age of 17 he decided to join the army and joined the party two years later.
Zhang Wenkui's greatest wish is to defeat the Japanese Kou and save the country from danger. Although he was just an ordinary soldier, he had the most sincere feelings of home and country.
Zhang Wenkui was particularly brave in battle, and in the operation of leaping into Dabie Mountain, he captured many enemies regardless of safety and danger, and was also commended by the organization.
The organization was very optimistic about him, so they gave him a very rare opportunity, that is, to learn to use cannons.
At that time, many weapons were captured from the enemy, if these weapons were not used properly, it was likely to be scrapped, in order to be able to better maintain, the organization decided to send special personnel to learn.
Zhang Wenkui is bold and careful, and is most suitable for this task. Since then, Zhang Wenkui has become an artilleryman.
In the Liberation War, Zhang Wenkui was responsible for throwing smoke bombs on the river.
When the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea broke out in 1950, Zhang Wenkui followed the troop Hao hao tang tang across the Yalu River to the battlefield, where the Chinese soldiers were subjected to the most severe test, and Zhang Wenkui also experienced a lot to the end.
The heroes of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea took the lead in changing careers
Among Zhang Wenkui's comrades-in-arms were Huang Jiguang and Qiu Shaoyun, who were well-known heroes in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. As their comrades-in-arms, Zhang Wenkui's bravery and fearlessness were no worse, and at several critical moments that determined his fate, he played the spirit of seeing death as a homecoming.
Later, because of his outstanding performance, the state decided to send him to a military academy to study after the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and awarded him a commemorative medal for resisting US aggression and aiding Korea. This is the highest honor for a soldier, and all this is in exchange for his death.
Even though he had made so many contributions, he did not hesitate to stand up when he heard the news of the country's call for a career change.
Zhang Wenkui feels that the state's call for demobilization and disarmament must have its own considerations. As the best soldier ever, you should always take the national interest as the premise, and at this time you should stand up as an example of career change. So he didn't ask the state for any care, so he changed his profession and went home.
He wrapped up the medals of honor in the past and put them away properly, and no one knew that this ordinary person around him was once a hero who bravely killed the enemy on the battlefield.
And Zhang Wenkui also corrected his mentality, treating himself as an ordinary person, no matter what position he was in, he could shine.
Take root in the grassroots and give silently
The more arduous the work, the more people must do it, and in the period of national construction, we need everyone to contribute.
In 1959, a dam was built in Zhang Wenkui's area. Due to the low salary and long working hours, many people are reluctant to go, but Zhang Wenkui immediately signed up.
Once there was a sudden fire in the construction site, Zhang Wenkui did not think about it and went to fight the fire, but accidentally fell and injured his head. Since then, Zhang Wenkui's actions have become sluggish, leaving a deep impact on him. In order not to affect his work, he voluntarily resigned. The unit took care of him, or arranged a simple clerical job for him.
Since he had been discharged from the army for many years, everyone forgot that he was once a veteran. And Zhang Wenkui himself is reluctant to mention the credit he has done, he hopes to be able to keep a low profile.
Zhang Wenkui's son-in-law is the convener of the local writers' association, and he hopes to learn more about the old man's past. However, after asking several times, Zhang Wenkui refused to say anything, and finally the son-in-law had no way, so he tricked him into saying that now the organization should count the veterans, and everyone should explain the history of being a soldier.
The 91-year-old Zhang Wenkui believed it to be true, and only then did he come up with the proof that all his wife and daughter did not know.
In fact, his family understands him, and he does not want to enjoy the preferential treatment of the state as a veteran, because in his view, serving the country is the right thing to do.
After nine deaths on the battlefield and seeing so many comrades who left, it was already a blessing to be able to come back alive, and Zhang Wenkui did not expect much special treatment.
If it weren't for the son-in-law using this method, he wouldn't have said it anyway. The son-in-law saw that the old man took out a US parachute cloth that had been captured on the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and inside it were various military merit badges.
When each military merit medal was obtained, Zhang Wenkui still remembers it vividly. Even if the old man can't remember many things, he has never forgotten the scenes on the battlefield.
epilogue
The spirit of the country will not forget everyone who has made a contribution, whether it is sacrificing life and death on the battlefield or stepping forward at a moment when every country needs it.
Veterans like Zhang Wenkui, they seem ordinary, but they have a very lofty dream, that is, they hope that the country can become strong and shelter every citizen.
After leaving the army, Zhang Wenkui did not regard himself as a hero, but regarded himself as an ordinary citizen, doing ordinary work at the most basic level, which was admirable. It is precisely because there are many people like Zhang Wenkui that the country will get better and better.