Source: Jiefangjun Bao, PLA News and Communication Center Rong Media Author: Guo Hongbin, reporter of this newspaper, correspondent Zhang Liujing, Liu Liguo, Shen Na
With the Spring Festival approaching, a special group photo has become the focus of heated discussion, triggering a "salute for the whole people".
On January 13, 2022, a "reunion" image of 87 veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in Fuyang, Hangzhou, was published in China National Defense Daily, attracting major media platforms to rush to forward it.
In order to complete this unique "group photo", volunteers from the Volunteer Army Veterans Care Fund Project in Fuyang District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, spent a month running around, taking photos of each veteran individually, and then synthesizing them through post-technology.
87 elderly veterans wore volunteer uniforms and wore medals on their chests that read, "the 70th Anniversary of the Chinese Volunteers' War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and in this special way, they walked through the flames of the past war, crossed the long years, and "reunited" them again.
Despite the gray sideburns and vicissitudes of his face, every veteran still stands tall and his spirit is strong, showing the spirit of Chinese soldiers.
"This big group photo is so precious!" "Without the efforts of the veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in those years, where would we have the happiness we have today?" This is the warmest application of modern scientific and technological achievements, and the most vivid display of the atmosphere of social support!" ...... As soon as the photo was released, many netizens left messages to praise.
A heartfelt voice expresses the feeling of sacrifice and dedication of soldiers in the war years, expresses the admiration for the veteran group, and reminds us today: do not forget the dedication of the ancestors, pay tribute to the heroic veterans.
The mountains and rivers are now unharmed, and the prosperous world is reunited
-- Restoring the veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in Fuyang, Hangzhou
The story behind "Image Reunion"
A special "group photo" of 87 veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in Fuyang District, Hangzhou City, Zhejiang Province.
1
Warmth——
Today's prosperity is as you wish
The time sequence has reached the waxing moon, and Fuyang has finally drifted snowflakes.
The snow in Jiangnan is not like the north, but more like the fledgling feathers of the chicks, gently floating in the air. Xu Shunquan, a 91-year-old veteran, looked out the window at the flying snow and remembered the difficult winter days of decades ago.
"I thought I had to be buried there in the snow on the battlefield of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea." Xu Shunquan turned his gaze to the picture frame at the head of the bed, "Unexpectedly, I not only survived, but also survived to the present, and I can reunite with so many comrades in the group photo!" ”
Not long ago, Xu Shunquan and 7 comrades-in-arms gathered at the Fuchun Mountain Pavilion on the banks of the Fuchun River to watch this special group photo of 87 veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea.
The winter sun is warm, and the sun is shining on the surface of the river. In the exhibition hall, veterans stop in front of the magnified image, carefully identifying their former comrades-in-arms.
"You see, we sat together. The regret of not taking a group photo in the army at that time is now finally made up! Xu Shunquan patted his comrade-in-arms Yang Luchun's shoulder and said excitedly.
In the front row of the photo, there is a female warrior sitting in the middle position, her name is Mou Jingyao, who is 88 years old this year. At that time, she rushed to the battlefield as a medical soldier, and with her thin and weak body, she treated many wounded comrades in the smoke of the war.
In recent years, Mou Jingyao has successively won the commemorative medal of "Celebrating the 70th Anniversary of the Founding of the People's Republic of China" and the commemorative medal of "the 70th Anniversary of the Chinese People's Volunteer Army's War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea." "My biggest wish is to wear a medal and take a photo in a military uniform, and now that wish has finally come true." Mu Jingyao said movingly.
"We have carried out 8 operations: Visitation Action, Wish Action, Operation Light, Sponsorship Action, Winter Clothes Action, Veteran Story Meeting, Birthday Wishes and Farewell. 'Taking a group photo' for veterans is one of the contents of wish action. We hope that through our actions, we will remind more people to remember history, be grateful to heroes, and cherish the peaceful life of the present. According to Xue Yuhua, the initiator of the "Group Photo" activity and the project leader of the Fuyang District Volunteer Army Veteran Care Fund, since the establishment of the project in 2021, with the help of the District Charity Federation, they have received donations from caring people and enterprises from all walks of life, providing financial guarantee for the care action.
Volunteers help veteran Fu Shengmu put on the uniform of the volunteer army.
More than half a month ago, Lang Alai, a veteran of the Volunteer Army, celebrated his 95th birthday.
In the early morning, the morning frost in the mountains had not yet melted, and Lang Alai lay childishly in the warm bed and did not want to get up.
"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you..." A warm and melodious song came from outside the door, and volunteers carried cakes into the old people's house. Together, they want to celebrate Lang's birthday.
Putting on his birthday hat and lighting a candle, Lang Alai made a wish to learn from his grandson's birthday - he hoped that his family would be happy and healthy, and that the motherland would prosper. The flickering candlelight reflected the old man's pious expression, and after making a wish, Lang Alai ate the birthday cake with a happy smile.
"This group of young volunteers is just as close as my children. During the New Year's Festival, they always send greetings. Veteran Zhu Yinqiao said, "Seeing that it is going to be the New Year, they gave me a new dress." Putting on the camouflage winter jacket just sent by the volunteers, Zhu Yinqiao's joy overflowed into words.
"Veterans are witnesses of history and the founders of a happy life, and respecting veterans is respecting history." We will spare no effort to do a good job in caring for veterans, pass on the warmth of the party and the government to the hearts of veterans, and lead the whole society to form a new trend of supporting the army and respecting the army. Ding Yi, director of the Fuyang District Veterans Affairs Bureau, introduced that today, Fuyang District has built a three-level veterans service guarantee system, and the "veteran code" covers many industries such as medical treatment, service, and catering, and the veteran group can enjoy physical examination and recuperation services, and the family guarantee of the difficult veterans is implemented.
"Let the veterans live a happy and peaceful old age." Ding Yi said.
2
Looking back ————
Yesterday's sacrifice will never be forgotten
If we go back in time to 1950, we may be able to see the 87 veterans in the "group photo" shedding their sideburns and returning to their youth.
It was the best years of a veteran's life.
At that time, they were prosperous and put on their military uniforms and rushed to the battlefield; now, they have entered their twilight years and witnessed the prosperity and development of the motherland. More than 70 years later, veterans can still hear it from time to time, and the loud volunteer army song and high-pitched charge trumpet sound in their ears. The memories of that year are unforgettable and unforgettable.
When the movie "Chosin Lake" was released, veteran Cheng Jinshang insisted on dragging the sick body to the theater and watched the movie for nearly 3 hours.
On that day, Cheng Jinshang put on his volunteer uniform and wore a commemorative medal on his chest that read, "The 70th Anniversary of the Chinese Volunteer Army's War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea." No one knows how many times the old man wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes in the dimly lit theater.
In the battlefield of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea that year, Cheng Jinshang and his comrades-in-arms hid in the tunnels. The sky was full of snowflakes, and Cheng Jinshang's body had reached its limit, and he felt extremely sleepy. But he didn't dare close his eyes, because he was afraid he would never wake up again.
When he saw the footage of the "Ice Sculpture Company" in the movie, Cheng Jinshang suddenly appeared in front of his eyes with the young face of his comrade-in-arms Shen Guangrong. More than 70 years ago, Shen Guangrong died in battle in Chuncheon County, Gangwon Province, North Korea, and until the last moment of his life, his hands were still clutching the anti-aircraft machine gun.
"The days you haven't had, I've helped you through." In the current era, you must not imagine. Back at home, Cheng Jinshang took out Shen Guangrong's black-and-white photo and murmured.
"Victory is spelled out, peace is fought." During the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Ye Yuxian, a veteran who served as a pilot, trained for only a short time before flying a fighter plane from Dandong to the Korean battlefield.
He is the wingman of the first-class combat hero Wang Hai. Under the leadership of Wang Hai, Ye Yuxian's flying brigade relied on the fighting spirit of "fighting bayonets in the air" to fight fiercely with the US Air Force, which is known as the "world ace", more than 80 times, shooting down and injuring 29 enemy planes, and was honored with the first class of collective merit, and was praised as the "heroic Wang Hai Brigade".
Half of the U.S. military pilots who fought them fought in World War II, flying for hundreds of hours or more. In order to cover the long plane, Ye Yuxian rushed forward again and again to fight with the enemy plane.
"Aren't you afraid?" "What are you afraid of?" It's a big sacrifice, and that's glorious too! In the face of the reporter's questions, the elderly Ye Yuxian said firmly and proudly, "Mei Sheng, the instructor in "Chosin Lake", said well - 'If we don't fight this battle, it will be fought by our next generation.' We are born into death so that they will no longer fight. ’ ”
To this day, Zhang Hengben, a veteran who served as a hygienist on the battlefield of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, still remembers the wounded man named Zhao Wanma.
At that time, Zhao Wanma was carried to the field hospital for treatment, and his body was covered with blood. Due to tetanus, his legs had to be sawn off. But in the end, the medical staff still could not save his life.
On his deathbed, Zhao Wanma made a request—he wanted to listen to the volunteer army song again.
"Majestic and exuberant, across the Yalu River. To safeguard peace and defend the motherland is to protect the hometown..." The melody of the mighty mountains and rivers echoed in the air raid shelter, and Zhao Wanma slowly closed his eyes.
Where is he from? What kind of battle have you been through? Do you still have parents, wives and children at home?
It wasn't until Zhao Wanma's death that Zhang Hengben suddenly realized that he knew nothing about him except his name.
Such a similar scene, the field hospital is staged every day. Those heroes who had fought with the enemy to the death were deeply hidden in the hearts of Zhang Hengben one by one.
Every time the cold plum is open, the veteran Xiang Yunzhong always thinks of a person.
"Her name is Ma Meijun, and everyone likes to call her Xiaomei." Xiang Yunzhong remembered that when the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea broke out, Ma Meijun wrote five or six blood letters before he was approved to go to the front.
"That day, Xiaomei was delivering supplies with the car, and when she met me, she shyly said that she was 'a victim, a veteran of the War of Resistance, and she was going to get married when she returned to China,' and she took out a bag of sugar from her satchel and gave it to me." Xiang Yunzhong said, "Unexpectedly, it was the last time we met." ”
While on a mission, Ma Meijun found a wounded comrade-in-arms. When preparing to drag him to the hillside of the roadside for concealment, he suddenly encountered enemy bombing strafing, and Ma Meijun was unfortunately shot and killed.
The company still had to carry out the mission, and the comrades could only tearfully bury her on the hillside by the side of the road. When the troops returned, the hillside was bombed beyond recognition by enemy aircraft. The comrades had to remove her body and bury it in a deep valley of trees.
"Maybe now, she's still lying there, still looking like she was when she was young." Xiang Yunzhong wiped the tears from the corners of his eyes and said, "It's just that I don't have the opportunity to worship her again in my life." ”
In the days of Fuyang's interview, the reporter was touched by such heroic deeds every day. According to statistics from the Party History Research Office of the Fuyang District CPC Committee of Hangzhou City, there were 1,959 veterans of fuyang district who participated in the war in korea, of which 66 died on the battlefield. Like all the officers and men of the Volunteer Army, they braved the strong enemy and fought with blood for the sake of the motherland and the people, won the great victory in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and composed a heroic epic poem with great vigor and might.
The photographer showed veteran Zhou Rongfu the good photos taken.
3
Heritage——
Tomorrow's happiness is guarded by me
"Grandpa, you're as mighty as you were in your military uniform."
"No, I'm old and can't pull the bolt."
"Give me the gun and you'll rest assured!"
This is a conversation between Wang Tiannan, a soldier of the Xuancheng warship of the East China Sea Fleet, and his grandfather Yu Liyan on New Year's Day this year.
When he was a child, Wang Tiannan always liked to ask his grandfather: "Are you afraid when you fight?" The old man's answer was always firm: "The volunteers have never been afraid!" ”
In March 2021, Wang Tiannan joined the army, and more than half a year of military camp training allowed him to understand his grandfather's firmness that year.
"Are you afraid?" When his father asked this question again, Wang Tiannan replied: "Our weapons and equipment now are much more advanced than Grandpa's then, and Grandpa was not afraid back then, so how could I be afraid?" If the enemy dares to come, we will certainly let him come and go! ”
Wang Tiannan plans to apply for a military academy, and he hopes that in the future, like his grandfather, he can be loyal to the country and guard peace.
Gazing at this special group photo, when seeing Grandpa Yuan Shuihua, Yuan Xiaoqun, a female captain of a certain department in Zhejiang Province, was particularly proud.
In his childhood, Yuan Xiaoqun liked to dance with guns and sticks, and was a "tomboy" in the eyes of his peers. Growing up listening to her grandfather's story of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, she silently planted the dream of joining the army in her heart. "I want to be the 'cutest person' like Grandpa." Yuan Xiaoqun said.
From enlisting in the army to being admitted to a military academy, and now growing into a captain and officer, along the way, no matter how the job position changes, Yuan Xiaoqun's strength of not accepting defeat has never changed.
In 2008, she participated in the first "Warrior Literary Star" competition. The competition requires the preparation of 3 types of programs. Yuan Xiaoqun was only good at singing at that time, and there were still 2 months before the competition, so he had to learn and prepare 2 kinds of opera programs, and Yuan Xiaoqun's pressure was very great.
"Think of grandpa when he returned from nine deaths on the battlefield of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, there is nothing in this life that he can't carry!" When she was worried, Her grandfather Yuan Shuihua called to encourage her.
Grandpa's words made Yuan Xiaoqun regain his spirit. For the next 2 months, she practiced from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day, and finally successfully won the "Warrior Literary and Art Star" trophy, and was also sent to the former People's Liberation Army Academy of Arts for further study.
"Can't embarrass Grandpa! Grandpa was not afraid to die, and I had no reason to back down. Yuan Xiaoqun said that it is precisely by inheriting the strength of her grandfather who does not accept defeat that she has been running in the front line of serving the soldiers for many years, going up the mountains and down the islands to perform condolences for the comrades in the army.
While visiting the "Exhibition of Pictures on the Theme of Commemorating the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea," Li Yang, instructor of the "Yantai Peak Hero Company" of a certain unit of the Army stationed in Hangzhou, was pleasantly surprised to find this "group photo" of veterans.
"It turns out that there are so many veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in the garrison, and this is a rare educational resource for party history." He immediately took out his mobile phone and remade it. After returning to the camp, Li Yang immediately took a group photo around this group and organized a revolutionary traditional education for the officers and men of the company --
"At the beginning of the founding of the country, when everything was in ruins and waiting to be revived, in the face of the war of aggression that was directly approaching the border, the sons and daughters of China, who had just returned to a peaceful life, resolutely went out to fight for peace and happiness."
In 2 years and 9 months, 2.9 million volunteer soldiers participated in the battle, and more than 197,000 officers and soldiers died...
Looking at the determined gaze of the veterans on the group photo, the officers and men saw a string of cold numbers in front of them, turning into a figure charging into the battlefield, which triggered every officer and soldier to think about peace and mission.
In times of peace, far from the flames and smoke of war, the danger of war still exists; peace and development are the trend of the times, but the risks and threats have not decreased. Facing the battlefield and facing the future, today's people's army vows to inherit the great spirit of resisting US aggression and aiding Korea, and let the heroic, fearless, tenacious, and indomitable will to fight be passed on from generation to generation.
(In the interview, we received strong support from Xue Yuhua, Ke Wencai and Sheng Yangdi, and hereby thank you)
Journalist's Note
Reunited in the spring breeze of the new era
Reporter of this newspaper | Guo Hongbin
The "image reunion" of veterans has become the focus of heated discussion, highlighting the fashion of respecting military personnel in the new era, and also continuing to write a new chapter of the era of "the people's army loves the people, and the people's army loves the people".
The Nineteenth National Congress of the Communist Party of China clearly proposed, "Let the military become a respected profession in the whole society", sounding the clarion call of the times to respect the military. From the establishment of veterans' affairs institutions to the promulgation of the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of Veterans" and the "Law of the People's Republic of China on the Protection of the Status and Rights and Interests of Military Personnel"; from the unified renewal of honor cards throughout the country to the unified formulation and issuance of preferential treatment certificates, a series of measures to love the army and favor the soldiers have been introduced in advance, the honor system and guarantee system for military personnel have been improved day by day, the social atmosphere of patriotic support for the army has continued to ferment, and the public welfare action of caring for veterans has become a common practice.
The smoke of war dissipated to enjoy the peace, do not forget the people who defended the country. Today, veterans who have experienced war are old, but in them, the noble spirit of defending the country still shines. We approached the veterans, listened to them tell the story of each medal on their chests, and felt their enthusiasm and bold loyalty in serving the motherland, which is a memory of history, a tribute to the times, and a watch for the future.
This group photo of the veterans of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea "assembling in the same frame" is not only a "reunion" of comrades-in-arms, but also a reunion with a great era. Standing at the time node where the two hundred years intersect, looking at the land of Shenzhou, the "August 1st Medal" gives the meritorious soldiers a national "praise", and the "Glorious Home" plaque shines with thousands of lintels. This is a happy era of peaceful development, but also a warm era of reverence for the army and soldiers.
Caring for veterans is to advocate heroes and revere history; to be grateful to veterans is to cherish today's happy life. Wei Wei once wrote in "Who is the Cutest Person": When you take the first tram in the morning to the factory, when you carry the plough rake to the field, when you finish drinking a cup of soy milk and carrying a school bag to school, when you sit at your desk to start the day's work, when you stuff apples into the mouths of children... Friend, do you realize that you are in happiness?
Once the hero spilled his blood in exchange for my generation to enjoy peace. More than 70 years later, the happiness we enjoy today has far exceeded Wei Wei's description and imagination.
Today, in the new era, when we sit in the office blowing air conditioning and drinking coffee, when we drive our families on an outing, when we take a plane to see the great rivers and mountains of the motherland... Have we ever savored the taste of happiness and thought about the origin of happiness?
We are not living in a peaceful world, but in a peaceful China. This prosperous world, this peace, this happiness, did not fall from the sky, but the heroic ancestors fought down with their blood and lives!
Today's happy life stems from yesterday's arduous trek. Let us be thankful for the times, salute the heroes, and guard peace.