In 2008, two rural men in Beizhu Village, Shijiazhuang, Hebei Province, knelt in front of their father's grave and cried: "Daddy, if you want to live for a few more years, the answer will be waiting." The task is complete, you can see..."
The owner of the tomb is named Chang Menglan, a veteran who participated in the Liberation War. Because he was separated from the troops after a blockade war, the old man had no choice but to return to his hometown, but for an answer, he searched hard for 48 years!
What is it that makes the old man remember and finally regret his death? This also starts with a "life and death attack":
During the Battle of Pingjin, the 30th Regiment of the 10th Brigade of the 4th Column of the North China Field Army encountered the Kuomintang Provisional 3rd Army near Yanqing County. The Provisional 3rd Army is Fu Zuoyi's concubine, and its combat effectiveness is not weak, and it is all US weapons and equipment.
The 30 regiments totaled less than 1,500 men, while the Nationalist army was five times as numerous. The strength of the two armies was very different, and the regimental commander Song Xuancai decided to fight and retreat.
In order to facilitate the rapid breakthrough of the main force, the regimental commander left a sharp knife behind the 8th company hall. The 8th Company was the main company of the 30th Regiment, and in the past, whether it was to attack the stronghold or to block the attack, the 8th Company was able to complete the task well.
However, this task was too arduous, and in order to leave a "spark" for the company, company commander He Youhai arranged for each platoon and squad to resolutely block the attack while carrying out the orders of their superiors, and at the same time carrying out echelon transfer in accordance with tactics.
Seeing that the entire company was about to run out of ammunition, He Youhai handed over the final task of blocking to 2 platoons, and ordered the platoon commander Chang Menglan to hold out until dark or retreat immediately after hearing the rallying cry!
Before the separation, the 8th Company would leave all the few ammunition for 2 platoons. At that time, the 2nd Platoon was reduced due to combat, and there were still 7 people left to continue fighting.
Chang Menglan, who has experienced dozens of battles, knows that he is about to face a fierce battle! He immediately arranged for the soldiers to set up a blocking position on a small hill, and conveyed the order of the company commander: hearing the trumpet, indicating that the main force had escaped the enemy's pursuit, we could retreat!
On the other hand, if you can't hear the trumpet, you will have to crush the enemy. Even if the 2 platoons are completely destroyed, they must resolutely carry out the orders of their superiors!
With the determination to die, Chang Menglan and the soldiers lay on the front line and waited for them. A few minutes later, the enemy's vanguard attacked with great pressure.
When the enemy passed halfway up the mountainside, Chang Menglan gave an order, and the warriors opened fire fiercely, and the enemy fell down in an instant.
Seeing that the casualties were too great, the enemy commander gave the order to retreat. The enemy was beaten and fled, and the warriors could not help but cheer. However, the enemy shelling caused 2 platoons to fall down 2 more fighters.
The frontal attack was suppressed, and the enemy divided into several lines in an attempt to attack the hill from both sides. Chang Menglan reacted spontaneously, leaving only two men to hold the main position, while the other fighters defended on both sides of the position.
After several rounds of attack and defense, it was about to get dark, but the rallying number was never heard.
A small soldier cried and shouted, "We have been fighting for so long, why don't the superiors blow the assembly number?" ”
"The sound of the trumpet did not sound, indicating that the main force has not yet escaped from the pursuit, and we must hold our position!" Chang Menglan shot and killed the enemy while gritting his teeth and shouting.
"The assembly trumpet blew, just now the cannon sound is too loud, we didn't hear what to do?" Platoon leader, ammunition is running out, let's withdraw. ”
Chang Menglan roared angrily, "Do you dare to be a deserter?" If you don't hear the trumpet, if you dare to retreat, I will shoot you! ”
"Comrades, hold on a little longer. When it gets dark, we'll evacuate. Looking at the eager eyes of others, Chang Menglan added another sentence.
Time passed minute by minute, and the enemy's attack became more and more fierce... The enemy rushed to the position, and the surviving warriors fought their own battles and were soon scattered.
At that time, Chang Menglan rushed all the way with a light machine gun, and under the cover of night, he miraculously broke through the siege.
After the breakthrough, Chang Menglan lost contact with the original troops. Because of the frequent wars and the uncertainty of the whereabouts of the troops, he searched for a long time, but there was no definite news at all.
Chang Menglan, who had no choice but to return to the countryside of Zanhuang County, remembered this battle and was always full of guilt. The other comrades-in-arms were sacrificed, but they survived, and they did not kill themselves, and they had more worries when they lived.
We must find the answer, has the rallying cry sounded at all? This may be his greatest wish for the rest of his life, and it has become a veteran's eternal knot!
What he did not expect was that the original 4th Column 30th Regiment was reorganized into the 570th Regiment of the 64th Army. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, this heroic unit went to the Korean battlefield, and most of the comrades who knew him were sacrificed, and Chang Menglan's "number hunting" trip became more difficult.
Although Chang Menglan became a family, had a son, and lived a very poor life, as long as he heard a little clue, he had to make up the travel expenses to inquire.
1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years... More than 40 years have passed, Chang Menglan has been to the northeast, Shanxi, Hebei, Beijing, looking for military regions, troops, old comrades-in-arms, but every time he disappointed and returned...
In the late 1980s, the Shijiazhuang Army Academy built a training ground near Chang Menglan's home. Chang Menglan was very happy to see it, so he offered to help the base boil water for free.
After more contact, the warriors knew the story of Chang Menglan and had great respect for this old senior. One day, the story of the veteran reached the ears of Vice President Major General Wang Dingqing.
Deeply touched by the old man's firm belief, the general found Chang Menglan and solemnly promised to find the whereabouts of his old comrades and the 4th Column 30 regiment for him.
In 1996, Chang Menglan finally found the old troops. In the North China Martyrs' Cemetery, he knelt in front of the tomb of the old regimental commander Song Xuancai and choked: "Regiment leader, the task of that year was completed... The fight was bitter, the bullets were gone, the people were gone... I would like to ask, did the rally number blow in the end? ”
In 2005, Chang Menglan died of illness, wearing the uniform of the last battle decades ago.
A few years later, the movie "Gathering Number" based on Chang Menglan was released, and the story of "Guzidi" was widely circulated. He Youhai, the old company commander at that time, watched the movie and said in an interview with the media: "Lao Chang is a good soldier, and although the rallying trumpet was not sounded, he did an excellent job of fulfilling the orders of his superiors. ”