At the end of November 1950, the Volunteer Command decided to concentrate superior forces to annihilate the enemy on the korean front lines of Sungheung-ri, Yoo-tan-ri, and Ha-ek-ri.
The 1st Battalion 3 of the 172nd Regiment of the 58th Division of the 20th Army was connected to a seemingly simple, but in fact extremely arduous and significant task: to hold on to the small high ridge southeast of the 1071 Heights, seal the enemy's route to the south, and ensure the victory of the entire battle.
It was precisely because of the arduous task that the commander of the regiment and battalion decided to take up this heavy burden by Yang Gensi, commander of the 3rd Company. The 28-year-old Yang Gensi is an excellent grassroots commander with 6 years of military experience, who has made outstanding achievements in the Liberation War and has been named a "National Combat Hero".
The commander of the regiment and battalion told Yang Gensi that it was not easy to hold the small high ridge, which was small in size and could only open 1 platoon of troops.
Yang Gensi decided to personally lead 1 platoon, equipped with 1 heavy machine gun, to support the 6th Company after capturing Xiaogaoling, and then take over the position after dawn to defend the enemy with all his might.
He understood the weight of the burden on his body: only by completing the task of holding out could the battle not be fought from a war of annihilation to a war of defeat, and the overall situation of the battle was at stake.
Therefore, before setting out, he solemnly stated to the commander of the regiment and battalion that after taking Xiaogaoling, he would definitely lead the whole company to block the enemy with all his might and break the enemy's breakthrough attempt.
On the night of November 28, when it snowed heavily, Yang Gensi set off with 3 rows of snow and cold.
After leading 3 platoons and 6 companies to take Xiao gaoling in one fell swoop, he quickly organized a defense. Place heavy firearms and main forces on the right flank of the main defensive direction that the enemy may attack, place a squad on the left flank of Little Ridge, and hurry to build fortifications.
At dawn on the 29th, the US military relied on its strong firepower superiority to carry out indiscriminate bombardment of Xiaogaoling and the 1071 Heights.
A few minutes later, the American infantry, under the cover of artillery fire, rushed densely towards the Little High Ridge.
Yang Gensi ordered the soldiers to calmly meet the battle, and when the enemy was more than 30 meters away, Yang Gensi gave an order, and the entire platoon of fighters suddenly opened fire, grenades and gunshots were projected at the enemy.
The enemy was hit by this fierce fire, and dozens of corpses were dropped in front of the positions on the hillside.
Before Yang Gensi could re-repair the fortifications, the enemy's shells rained down on the Xiaogaoling position.
As soon as the enemy's artillery fire extended, Yang Gensi immediately ordered the fighters to occupy the position.
This time the enemy attack became more intense, and the strength of the two companies, under the cover of 8 tanks, launched an attack on The Little High Ridge.
The enemy cat climbed up from the waist, and the tank machine guns fired violently at the position, so that Yang Gensi could not lift their heads.
Yang Gensi ordered the soldiers to pay attention to concealment and bring the enemy closer, so that the enemy's tank machine guns would not play much role.
The enemy approached, the light and heavy machine guns on the position opened fire together, the enemy fell one by one, and the enemy behind continued to attack upwards, and was hit by a row of grenades.
Yang Gensi seized the opportunity of the enemy's confusion and launched a front attack on the enemy.
Lin Dejiang, the commander of the 3rd Platoon, with his bayonet in his hand, rushed into the enemy position and stabbed down 3 enemies in a row. When the bayonet was bent, he smashed it with the butt of his rifle, and when he destroyed the 4th enemy, he was unfortunately shot and killed.
The enemy continued to rush upwards, and Yang Gensi resolutely ordered the 8th squad on the flank to insert itself from the mountainside to the enemy's side, and the enemy saw that he had copied the rear road and hurriedly turned around and retreated.
The enemy launched seven or eight consecutive charges, and Yang Gensi led only one platoon of troops to destroy the enemy with grenades, explosive packs, rifles, and machine guns.
A heroic soldier rushed to the tank with an explosive packet when the enemy tank rushed up, and with a bang, the enemy tank stopped moving, and the soldier also gave his young life.
The warriors rushed towards the enemy group, like a fierce tiger descending the mountain, frightening the enemy to climb with a rolling belt. They are relying on their brave and tenacious spirit to hold their positions.
The enemy's attack grew larger and larger, and after a morning of fighting, Yang Gensi was about to run out of bullets, and only he and the heavy machine gunner were left on the position.
He ordered the heavy machine gunners: "You quickly withdraw with your heavy machine guns and tell the battalion commander that as long as I am alive I will be able to hold my position resolutely!" ”
The position was filled with gun smoke, artillery fire blew up the branches, black smoke was blown by the cold wind to the peaks behind, the snow was blackened by black smoke, and the sky was shrouded in gun smoke, and it was dark.
In the smoke of this gunfire, in the smoke column of this rising shell, Yang Gensi searched everywhere for ammunition and made intense preparations for battle.
After being gathered, only 1 pack of explosives, 3 grenades, 1 pistol and a few rounds of ammunition remained on the position.
The enemy's 9th charge began, and groups of enemies saw that the gunfire on the position was sparse, and they howled and rushed upwards.
The enemy was getting closer and closer, and Yang Gensi's eyes widened in anger, hiding in the bunker.
When the enemy was almost in front of him, he jumped up and killed the enemy commander with one shot, and then killed the enemy's flag bearer.
At this time, Yang Gensi's bullets were exhausted, the grenades were dropped, and more than 40 enemies rushed up with strange screams.
Yang Gensi looked behind him, the reinforcements had not yet come up, and he made up his mind: He must not let the enemy attack the high ground!
At this critical moment, Yang Gensi made a decision that later deeply shocked countless Chinese people: to die with these more than 40 enemies!
When the enemy group approached, Yang Gensi did not hesitate to pick up the last explosive package, pull the fuse, and bravely rush to the enemy group!
With an earth-shattering noise, in the midst of the raging flames, the enemy fell down in a large piece.
This loud noise also created a hero who shocked the chinese people - Yang Gensi heroically sacrificed his precious life and became one with the mountains of North Korea!
Although many volunteers had already died heroically on the Korean battlefield before Yang Gensi's sacrifice, Yang Gensi's sacrifice was given greater significance and honor - creating three remarkable "firsts".
He was the first special meritorious hero of the Volunteer Army in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, the first special combat hero of the Volunteer Army, and the first volunteer soldier to be awarded the glorious title of "Hero of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea".
In particular,
Decades after the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, this volunteer hero who created three "firsts" in military history is still deeply remembered by the motherland and the people.
In 2009, it was jointly assessed by 11 central departments.
Since the founding of New China, 100 people have touched Chinese
and the 2019 winners"
The most beautiful strivers
In the list, Yang Gensi is impressively listed.
This is enough to illustrate:
Heroic spirit, never outdated; heroic light, never extinguished!