In November 1948, the Huaihai Campaign in the "Three Major Battles" began, and the East China Field Army (later changed to the Third Field Army) participated in the Huaihai Campaign. After several battles at Nianzhuang, Shuangduiji, and Chenguanzhuang, the People's Liberation Army completely annihilated five Kuomintang corps, including Huang Baitao, Huang Wei, and Du Yuming, with a total of 55 divisions and more than 560,000 people.
In April 1949, the People's Liberation Army forcibly crossed the Yangtze River moat and broke through the Yangtze River defense line painstakingly operated by the Kuomintang army. After breaking through the Yangtze River, the Third Field Army liberated Nanjing and Beijing, Shanghai and Hangzhou in one fell swoop. The battle of crossing the river was a decisive victory.
All the officers and men of the Third Field Army who participated in these two battles were each awarded two commemorative medals by the General Headquarters. One is the "Huaihai Battle Medal" and the other is the "Victory Medal for Crossing the River".
Medal for the Battle of Huaihai
Medal for the victory of crossing the river
My father-in-law participated in the Huaihai Campaign and the River Crossing Campaign, when he was 26 years old. In that year, he served as the chief's confidential secretary and chief of the confidential section of the Third Field Army Headquarters, and participated in the entire process of the Huaihai Campaign and the Yangtze River Crossing Campaign. After the victory of the Battle of Crossing the Yangtze River, the headquarters of the Third Field Army was stationed in Shanghai, and after he arrived in Shanghai with the chief, he still worked as the chief's confidential secretary.
In 1955, when the People's Liberation Army first conferred the title, my father-in-law was awarded the rank of major. He was 33 years old that year, 16 years after he joined the New Fourth Army in 1939. At the same time as he was awarded the rank of major, he was also awarded the Order of Independence and Freedom of the third degree and the Order of Liberation of the third class.
On the standard portrait of his father-in-law when he was awarded the medal in 1955, it can be seen that he wears a "Medal of Independence and Freedom" and a "Liberation Medal" on his right chest, and a "Medal for Meritorious Service of the Third Class" and a "Medal for the Victory of Crossing the River" on his left chest.