On the afternoon of December 9, 1950, the 173rd Regiment of the 58th Division of the Volunteer Army was ordered to attack an unnamed height on the Jiangxian Highway.
Although the highland is nameless, the tactical position is very important, and the 1st Marine Division that escaped from the Chosin Lake area has occupied the highland first.
The 173rd Regiment was the main attack regiment of the 58th Division in attacking Shimogaru-ri, and by this time, after 12 days of fierce fighting, the casualties had reached two-thirds.
Regiment commander Li Bin asked staff officer Zhu Wenbin: "Now, which company has the strongest offensive power in the regiment?" ”
"Reserve 2 Battalions 5 Companies."
Li Bin ordered Zhu Wenbin: "Immediately go to the 5th Company." ”
Not long after, Li Bin and Xiang Yuan, political commissar of the regiment, came to the garrison of the 2nd Battalion and 5th Company and mobilized the officers and men who were about to leave before the war.
Li Bin's words were very simple: "If we do not take this nameless highland, we will not only be unable to block the enemy, but the casualties of the troops will be even greater." ”
Li Bin, an old Red Army veteran who did not know how many vicious battles he had fought, looked painfully at the soldiers who were about to be born and die: "Comrades, we have fought this battle very hard!" Not only are our weapons backward, but we also have to endure hunger and frost, but as long as we are brave and tenacious and are not afraid of sacrifice, we will certainly be able to take down this nameless! ”
As soon as Li Bin's voice fell, a soldier of the 5th Company said, "Commander, we are not afraid of death!" There's no problem in taking down the Nameless Heights, it's just..."
Li Bin's eyes also moistened: "If you have any questions, just mention it." ”
The soldier plucked up the courage and said, "Please send us a few potatoes, everyone is so hungry, pad the belly, we have the strength to fight the enemy, there are no potatoes, sweet potatoes are also ah..."
Before the warrior could finish speaking, Li Bin burst into tears.
Li Bin squatted on the ground and cried for a while, then stood up and choked up and said, "Comrades, to tell the truth, I can't satisfy everyone with this potato." As you can see, the US military blockades the Yalu River, and our supplies cannot be supplied..."
Speaking of this, Li Binchang couldn't stop shedding tears.
Xiang Yuan, the political commissar on the side, also suppressed tears and said: "Like everyone else, the regimental commander has not eaten a full meal for two days and two nights. ”
Li Bin finally said: "As the regimental commander, I can only transfer all the heavy machine guns and mortars in the regiment to support, and the rest depends on everyone to fight heroically." ”
As soon as the soldiers listened, no one spoke again, and followed the company commander and instructor to the nameless attack.
The commanders and fighters of the 5th Company of the 2nd Battalion did not renege on their promises and launched a charge of the "three-three system" on their empty stomachs, not only taking the nameless heights, but also sending captured food to the regiment.
Looking at the soldiers delivering food with gray heads and dirty faces and cotton exposed in the bullet holes of their cotton clothes, Political Commissar Xiang Yuan could not control his feelings, and tears could not help but burst out of his eyes: "Canned, I and the regiment commander do not want one, all to the wounded." ”
Seeing that he had taken the nameless heights and temporarily blocked the fleeing vanguard of the 1st Marine Division, Li Bin was relieved.
Pulling out a half-cut paper cigarette, Li Bin thought while smoking, although there were only more than 1 company of people in the 173rd Regiment who could fight at the moment, as long as they did not fight to the death and fight a clever battle, the firepower of the 1st Marine Division was strong, and if it wanted to slip away from under his own eyes, he would have to pay a heavy price.
Suddenly, the telephone sounded, and the order of the division commander Huang Chaotian came: let Xiang Yuan run to the division finger.
Li Bin also thought that the new task was coming, so he said to Xiang Yuan: "You go to the task first, and I will take it back to fight." ”
Xiang Yuan didn't care what to say, and took the correspondent and hurriedly ran in the direction of the division.
Xiang Yuan trotted all the way to the division point of Gaolong Village, and saw that Tan Youming, deputy political commissar of the 20th Army, was also there, and the division commander Huang Chaotian also locked his brows, guessing that more important tasks were coming.
Tan Youming glanced at Xiang Yuan and said to Zhu Qixiang, deputy political commissar of the 58th Division, who was beside him: "You come! ”
Zhu Qixiang pondered for a while before he spoke: "Comrade Hu Qianxiu, chief of staff of the division, and Comrade Hao Liang, political commissar of the 174 regiment, are glorious, you go to the 174 regiment and take the helm!" ”
After Xiang Yuan listened, he was stunned there.
Li Bin was waiting for Xiang Yuan, but he didn't see anyone for half a day, so he called and asked the master.
Huang Chaotian took the phone, said "Tiger (Hu Qianxiu's elegant number) and Hao Liang were sacrificed, pay attention to secrecy, Xiang yuan went to the 174 regiment", and then hung up the phone.
Hu Qianxiu during the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression
Hu Qianxiu, a native of Zaoyuan Village, Mugang Town, Yangxin County, Hubei Province, joined the Red Army at the age of 13, and when the War of Resistance Broke Out, he transferred a detachment of the New Fourth Army from the Edong region where he remained behind as a platoon leader; after graduating from the Anti-Japanese Military and Political University, he also served as the chief of staff of the 52nd Regiment of the New Fourth Army.
Tan Zhenlin, a pioneer in the anti-Japanese base area in Jiangnan who won five battles and five victories in the Battle of Fanchang and fought in a terrified heart of the Japanese army, even claimed to praise: "This Hu Qianxiu is a tiger." ”
Since then, Hu Qianxiu's "Tiger" nickname has spread throughout the Entire New Fourth Army.
After the founding of New China, Hu Qianxiu was promoted from the head of the 4th Regiment of the 1st Column of Huaye to the chief of staff of the 58th Division of the 20th Army of the 9th Corps, and was immediately trained by his superiors to study at Nanjing Military and Political University (the predecessor of the Nanjing Military Academy).
At the end of October 1950, after learning that the troops were going north to Qufu, Shandong Province, to prepare for battle in Korea, Hu Qianxiu immediately applied for the approval of President Liu Bocheng and returned to the 58th Division station after interrupting his studies.
Looking at Hu Qianxiu, who suddenly appeared in front of him, Division Commander Huang Chaotian said happily in his heart: "This military and political university is not something that anyone can go to, and if you don't study there, what are you doing when you return to the army?" ”
Hu Qianxiu said very sincerely: "After reading a book for a year, it is better to fight a battle, and I will study well in the Korean battlefield!" ”
At this time, Hao Liang had already been appointed director of the Organization Department of the Political Department of the 20th Army, and Xiang Yuan had also received orders to prepare to take over as the political commissar of the 174th Regiment, and Hao Liang was reluctant to take over the 174th Regiment, a unit he had brought from the Jiaodong Peninsula, so he pleaded with Huang Chaotian, the division commander and political commissar, saying that he would wait until korea and the US army had exchanged hands, and then hand over with the political commissar-designate Xiang Yuan.
Huang Chaotian listened to the music: "Good! The cadres of our 58th Division are all good! ”
On the night of November 28, the 172nd Regiment of the 58th Division launched an attack on Hagaru-ri from the north and the 173rd Regiment from the north to the south.
After discovering that the 172nd Regiment had been blocked by 40 tanks, Hu Qianxiu immediately suggested that the division commander Huang Chaotian and the 172nd Regiment turn to attack the nearby commanding heights of Dongshan, and rushed to the front line with Deputy Political Commissar Zhu Qixiang overnight to command until the night of December 5, when the position was handed over to the 76th Division of the 26th Army, and then commanded the troops to urgently move south to the defense of Huangcaoling.
On 7 December, the 1st Marine Division, which had entered Guturi, began preparations for the third phase of retreat.
At this time, the 76th, 77th and 88th divisions of the 26th Army that surrounded the 1st Marine Division were still on the way to pursue, while the 1st Marine Division in Gutuli had more than 14,000 people, and was also supported by aircraft and 105 howitzers.
The 20th Army Commander immediately adjusted its operational deployment:
60th Division went south to defend the 1081 heights near Pratunam Bridge;
The 89th Division flanked Zhenxingli from Cangli and Heishuili;
The 58th Division confronted the 1st Marine Division.
The 58th Division has been reduced to 35 platoons, of which the 174th Regiment has been reduced to 16 platoons, and the 8th Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 174th Regiment directly controlled by Hu Qianxiu (see above for details) is the only company with relatively complete combat effectiveness of the 58th Division.
That night, Hu Qianxiu found Yao Genlian, deputy battalion commander of the 3rd Battalion of the 174th Regiment, who had been leading the 8th Company in battle: "How many people are there in the 3rd Battalion?" ”
Yao Genlian said, "There are still one hundred and ten people." ”
Hu Qianxiu slapped his thigh: "Good! You follow me to fight Yellow Grass Ridge, your 1 battalion is not enough, I will give you another battalion. ”
Yao Genlian was both excited and embarrassed: "I am a deputy battalion commander, why should I command other battalions?"
Hu Qianxiu analyzed: "The other battalion is the 3rd Battalion of the 173rd Regiment, which is also led by the deputy battalion commander, and the deputy battalion commander is called Liu Lingguang; although the total number of 2 battalions is less than 200, it is definitely the first-class main force of the 58th Division."
That night, Hu Qianxiu commanded the provisional battalion led by Yao Gen Company to bypass Gutuli and take over the 7th Company of the 3rd Battalion of the 178th Regiment of the 60th Division defending the 1328th Heights.
The 58th Division, which was on the southern retreat road of the 1st Marine Division, fought bloodily but was outnumbered, and by the afternoon of December 8, the 1328th and 1547th Highlands south of Gutuli and north of the Watergate Bridge were captured by the vanguard of the 1st Marine Division's breakthrough, and only the 1304th Heights were still in the hands of the 173rd Regiment.
Highland 1304, located in the middle of Gutuli and the Watergate Bridge, is not only the only way for the 1st Marine Division to retreat to the Watergate Bridge, but also a highland north of the Watergate Bridge that most effectively resists the 1st Marine Division.
At this time, the 9th Corps and the 20th Army had already determined that if the 1st Marine Division wanted to repair the watergate bridge that had been destroyed, it must first take the 1304 heights, and as long as this highland was held, the 26th Army pursued by the enemy would catch up, and the 1st Marine Division would be a disaster.
Just then, the snow suddenly stopped. The 1st Battalion of the 7th Regiment of the 1st Marine Division, which had been attacking the 1304 heights for a long time, immediately called in 6 F4U Pirate planes, and after several rotational bombing and low-altitude strafing cover, 3 infantry companies took the opportunity to carry out a three-sided siege, which temporarily occupied the 1304 heights.
Behind the 1304 heights was Gaolong Village, where Huang Chaotian, who had been transferred to command the battle, saw that the 1328, 1547 and 1304 highlands had been lost one after another, and he couldn't help but turn his eyes to the chief of staff Hu Qianxiu: "How many reserves are there?" ”
Hu Qianxiu replied: "In addition to the 1 platoon of the 172nd Regiment holding the position in the courtyard, the whole division has less than 4 companies of troops. ”
Deputy Political Commissar Zhu Qixiang said: "The strength of these less than 4 companies is mainly concentrated in the 174 regiment, of which 2 platoons of 3 battalions have withdrawn from the 1328 heights and are moving in the direction of the 1403 heights." ”
Huang Chaotian made his final determination: "Organize these 4 companies to carry out a resolute counterattack, focusing on the counterattack on the 1304 heights." Once 1304 Heights was recaptured, the enemy did not want to cross the Watergate Bridge. ”
Hu Qianxiu did not say a word after listening to it, and took the correspondent to the 1304 highland.
Hu Qianxiu before going abroad
Hu Qianxiu, who rushed to the front of the 174th Regiment, hurriedly found the political commissar Hao Liang: "How many people are there?" ”
"There are also 3 platoons, 1 platoon of the regimental guard company, and 2 platoons of the 3rd battalion of Yao Gen Company."
Hu Qianxiu immediately ordered Hao Liang: "Immediately counterattack the 1304 heights." ”
The 3 platoons of volunteer soldiers quickly formed a "three-three system" formation to covertly attack, taking advantage of the main force of the 7th Regiment and the 1st Battalion of the Marine Battle Regiment to withdraw their positions and cover with heavy snow, recaptured the 1304 heights, and once again blocked the road under the high ground.
Seeing that the 1304 heights had been lost and recovered, Hu Qianxiu hurriedly returned to a cellar southwest of the highlands with Hao Liang, and ordered Li Bin, commander of the 173rd Regiment, and Xiang Yuan, the political commissar, by telephone to command the troops to then counterattack the nearby 1478 heights and set up another card for the American troops fleeing south.
The 1304 heights temporarily touched the nerves of the 1st Marine Division, the 1st Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment could not take the 1304 highlands in one minute, and the M2 rutted bridge necessary for the repair of the Watergate Bridge behind the sappers behind them was difficult to move, and the Watergate Bridge could not be repaired for a while, and the 1st Marine Division would also be unable to escape the disaster.
Lieutenant Colonel Davis, commander of the 1st Battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment, was the most trusted front-line commander of the 1st Marine Division, Smith, but in the crisis, Smith directly urged Davis to speed up the attack with radio for the first time.
The volunteers' rapid counterattack gave Davis the intuition that there must be a command apparatus nearby. So he personally radioed 10 F4U Corsair planes and prompted the pilot: "Find the command post of the Chinese and kill him!" ”
Map of the Battle of Chosin Lake of the 20th Army of the Volunteer Army
After the arrival of 10 F4U Corsair planes, 8 went straight to the 1304 heights to carry out wild bombardment, and 2 flew low-altitude reconnaissance around the 1304 highlands.
After an ultra-low-altitude F4U Corsair found Hu Qianxiu and Hao Liang hiding outside the antenna outside the cellar, it quickly launched 2 rockets, and then a big slalom dropped a bomb, and Hu Qianxiu and Hao Liang in the cellar, as well as the staff officers and correspondents in the command post, were instantly submerged in a sea of fire.
Hu Qianxiu was the first senior general of the Volunteer Army to die on the entire battlefield of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and he was also the commander with the highest position who died in the Battle of Chosin Lake.
At this time, Hu Qianxiu's old chief Tan Zhenlin had already been promoted to the position of first deputy political commissar of the Third Field Army. After receiving the report of the Song Dynasty, Tan Zhenlin was silent for a long time before he said: "Before he dies, he will make the hero cry." ”
20 days after Hu Qianxiu's death, his third son was born in Nanjing. Hu Qianxiu's wife, Zhu Yunjuan, named her child Hu Yichao in order to commemorate her husband forever.
According to the recollections of the surviving personnel, after Hu Qianxiu gave the order to the 173rd Regiment, he was discussing with Hao Liang to solve the problem of the soldiers eating.
Hu Qianxiu knew that the front-line troops had been starving for several days, and the only two pots of potatoes that the division commanded had also been given to the 174th Regiment, 2 Battalion, and 8 companies, led by Yao Genlian, and that two people had a potato.
Seeing that the soldiers had taken the 1304 heights hungry, Hao Liang said to Hu Qianxiu: "There is less than 1 company in the combat troops, the bullets can still cope with it, and even half a potato to eat is gone, so the soldiers can no longer be hungry." ”
Hu Qianxiu and Hao Liang were old acquaintances, so they hurriedly said, "If you have any ideas, even if you say, your thoughts are my life thoughts." ”
Hao Liang immediately called out to the pro-democracy movement officer: "Before dark, go buy a few cattle and kill them for the soldiers on the front line to eat!" ”
The democracy movement officer said with embarrassment: "There are cattle, but they are all cultivating cattle, and according to the regulations, cultivating cattle cannot be bought." ”
Hao Liang's eyes widened: "I don't care what kind of cattle you cultivate or don't cultivate cattle, I know that you can't let the soldiers go hungry, as long as people sell you just buy, if something goes wrong, I am responsible for it alone." ”
Hu Qianxiu hurriedly said, "Something went wrong, and I'll take charge." ”
Not long after the pro-democracy officers walked out of the cellar, the American planes flying overhead began to bomb. Hao Liang was killed on the spot, while Hu Qianxiu only blew off his thigh, and soon after he rescued the 58th Division's division, he also died of heavy bleeding.
Later, the bodies of Hu Qianxiu and Hao Liang were transported back to the motherland and buried in the Martyrs' Cemetery of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in Shenyang.
After the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Chairman Mao personally signed a martyr's certificate for senior commanders at and above the division level who died, including Hu Qianxiu, chief of staff of the 60th Division of the 20th Army, who was only 34 years old.
In 2010, on the occasion of Hu Qianxiu's 60th death, Hu Yichao wrote an article with deep affection: "Father who has never met before- Commemorating the 60th Anniversary of Hu Qianxiu's Martyrdom."
┃Non-fiction original "Snow White Blood Red" - Blood Battle Chosin Lake series serial, without permission, is prohibited to be reproduced in any form.