"For the sake of victory, shoot at me!" This phrase is familiar to every Chinese. It is from the classic movie "Heroes' Children", shouted by the protagonist Wang Cheng. However, what few people know is that Wang Cheng's heroic image actually has a real prototype - volunteer soldier Yu Shuchang. What are the little-known details of the heroic deeds of this young soldier who died at the age of 22? What kind of life did his relatives go through in the long years after his death? Why did his comrades-in-arms search for his family for 67 years? Let us follow the hero's footsteps and uncover this dusty history.
1. The Volunteers launched the Battle of Jincheng, and Yu Shuchang was ordered to guard the nameless heights
In June 1953, the Korean battlefield was filled with gunsmoke. The Chinese People's Volunteers fought to the death with the United Nations forces in central Korea, which became known as the Battle of Jincheng. Geumseong, located north of Gimhwa in central Korea, is a major transportation hub. Whoever controls Jincheng will have the initiative on the battlefield. Therefore, both sides saw the capture of Jincheng as their primary goal.
The 23rd Regiment of the 73rd Division of the 218th Army of the Volunteer Army was ordered to participate in the Battle of Jincheng. On the evening of June 29, the regiment was ordered to hold on to an unnamed high ground on the eastern leg of the 281.2 heights, to contain the enemy and buy time for the main attacking force. This is undoubtedly a very dangerous task, because defending the nameless heights means facing the enemy's frenzied attack alone.
Yu Shuchang is a walkie-talkie in the 218th Regiment and is only 22 years old. He is not tall, but he has a strong body and a calm personality. In the eyes of the fighters, he was a reliable comrade-in-arms. When the company commander announced the order to guard the nameless heights, Yu Shuchang was the first to stand up. "Chief, I ask to guard the Nameless Heights!" he said firmly.
The company commander glanced at Yu Shuchang deeply and nodded. He knew that this young warrior was ready to sacrifice.
Yu Shuchang and his comrades-in-arms quickly rushed to the nameless heights and began to build fortifications. By this time, enemy shells were already whizzing, exploding flowers around them. However, no one flinched, everyone was working intensely and orderly.
"Bang!" a cannonball exploded not far from Yu Shuchang, causing his ears to buzz. But he didn't panic at all, and still calmly commanded his comrades: "Quick, fortify here, the enemy is about to attack!"
Sure enough, as soon as it was dawn, the enemy began a frantic attack. Wave after wave of enemies, under the cover of aircraft and artillery, charged on the nameless heights.
The volunteer soldiers responded calmly and repelled the enemy's attacks again and again. The battle was extremely fierce, and the high ground was filled with gunsmoke and gunfire. Yu Shuchang braved the rain of bullets and kept using walkie-talkies to contact the command headquarters, report the battle situation, and request artillery support.
"Report to the chief, the enemy has attacked again, we are running out of ammunition, ask for artillery support!" Although Yu Shuchang's voice was a little hoarse, it was still sonorous and powerful.
The command immediately ordered the artillery units to carry out a fire assault, and for a time, the enemy on the nameless heights was beaten to the ground on their backs and wailed.
In this way, under the command of Shuchang, the soldiers of the Volunteer Army fought bloodily with the enemy, holding on day and night. However, the enemy continued to increase its troops, and our troops suffered heavy casualties. By the afternoon of the 29th, except for Yu Shuchang, all the soldiers on the nameless heights had died.
Yu Shuchang was alone, facing the enemy's more ferocious attacks every time. He knew that he had reached the most dangerous moment. However, instead of flinching, he commanded the artillery fire with more composure and repulsed wave after wave of enemy charges.
"Comrade Yu Shuchang, are you okay there?" the voice of the command came from the walkie-talkie, with anxiety and worry.
"Report chief, I'm fine, I'll stick to the end!" Yu Shuchang replied firmly.
At this time, the enemy had already surrounded Yu Shuchang's position, and the situation was extremely critical. But Yu Shuchang did not have a trace of fear, he knew that he was shouldering the heavy responsibility of guarding the position, and he must not retreat.
At this time, a shocking scene appeared. I saw Yu Shuchang suddenly jump out of the bunker, shouting "For the sake of victory, fire at me!", asking the artillery unit to fire at his position.
At this moment, everyone was stunned. The comrades of the command burst into tears and hesitated to give the order to open fire. The artillerymen were also in a dilemma, they could not bear to fire at the positions of their comrades.
But Yu Shuchang shouted again: "Comrades, for the sake of victory, please fire at me! We have run out of time!"
In the end, the commander tearfully gave the order to open fire. With the sound of cannons, the smoke of gunpowder filled the nameless heights, and the earth trembled. When the smoke cleared, people saw that Yu Shuchang took the last grenade and rushed into the enemy group, and died with the enemy.
22-year-old Yu Shuchang sacrificed his precious life in this way. With his blood and life, he explained what is the revolutionary heroic spirit of "firing at me for victory".
2. Yu Shuchang held his position alone and commanded artillery fire to strike at the enemy
As the battle continued, the warriors on the Nameless Heights gradually fell. Artillery fire and bullets have ruthlessly taken away one fresh life after another. By the morning of June 30, the soldiers of the entire company had died, and only Yu Shuchang was still holding on.
In the face of the tragic battle situation in front of him, Yu Shuchang did not flinch and had no fear. He knew very well that he had the heavy responsibility of guarding the position, and he must not retreat at this critical moment. He quickly collected the grenades scattered on the position, placed them around him, and prepared himself for a desperate fight with the enemy.
At the same time, Yu Shuchang calmly used a walkie-talkie to contact the higher-level command and report the battle situation: "Report to the chief, the soldiers on the battlefield have all died, and now I am the only one left." But rest assured, as long as I have a breath left, I will never give up my position!"
When the comrades at the headquarters heard Yu Shuchang's report, they were all moved. The head of the regiment, Sun Bin, held the microphone tightly, told Yu Shuchang to be careful, and said that he would send troops to support as soon as possible. But Yu Shuchang said: "Chief, the enemy is already approaching the position, I'm afraid it's too late for support." Please command the artillery units, ready to fire at the positions at any time, I will do my best to direct artillery fire and strike at the enemy. ＂
In this way, Yu Shuchang stuck to the nameless heights alone, facing wave after wave of enemy attacks. Whenever the enemy approached the position, he braved the hail of bullets and bullets, used a walkie-talkie to call for artillery support, and accurately reported the enemy's position and distance.
"Attention artillerymen, the enemy appears in the south-eastern direction of the position, at a distance of 50 meters, ready for fire!"
"Artillery fired immediately, the target: 100 meters directly in front of the position, where the enemy was dense!"
Under the command of Yu Shuchang, the artillery shells of the Volunteer Army fell accurately on the heads of the enemy, and each shell was accompanied by the enemy's wails and screams. For a time, the nameless heights were filled with gunsmoke and corpses everywhere.
But the enemy was still storming the positions. Yu Shuchang faced a well-armed and numerous enemy. Gradually, the artillery could not completely block the enemy's footsteps, and some of the enemy had already rushed to the foot of the position.
At the critical moment, Yu Shuchang did not panic. He picked up his rifle and aimed at the enemy who was rushing at the front, shooting one at a time, and the enemy was terrified. When the bullets were gone, he picked up the grenade and threw it at the enemy, causing the enemy to fly flesh and blood.
In this way, Yu Shuchang fought the enemy alone and repelled attack after attack. On the battlefield, there were enemy corpses and blood everywhere, and Yu Shuchang's clothes were also stained red with blood. But he was unaware of it, and still calmly directed the artillery fire and hit the enemy.
The comrades of the headquarters listened to the sound of Yu Shuchang directing the artillery fire through the walkie-talkie, and they were all moved. Everyone knows that Yu Shuchang is already using his life to hold his position and buy time for the troops.
"Comrade Yu Shuchang, you are really an amazing soldier!" Sun Bin said to Shuchang excitedly, "Hold on, we will definitely send troops to support you!"
"Chief, you don't have to. Yu Shuchang replied calmly, "Now that the enemy has surrounded the position, it is too late to support." Please order the artillery, concentrate the artillery fire on the position, and I will die with the enemy with the last grenade!"
Sun Bin was stunned, this was for him to open fire on his own position! In this way, Yu Shuchang will definitely die!
After hesitating for a moment, Sun Bin gritted his teeth and gave an order to the artillerymen: "All artillery companies, immediately implement fire coverage on the nameless heights!"
Cannons rumbled, and shells whistled and fell on the nameless heights. Looking at the billowing smoke in front of him, Sun Bin's tears couldn't stop flowing.
Just when the artillery fire was at its heaviest, a loud explosion suddenly came from the position. Yu Shuchang rushed out of the bunker, pulled the last grenade, and rushed into the enemy group.
"For the sake of victory, shoot at me! Comrades, goodbye!" was the last sentence left by Yu Shuchang.
There was a loud bang, and a huge mushroom cloud rose from the nameless heights. When the smoke cleared, people saw that the nameless heights were already in shambles, and Yu Shuchang and the enemy could no longer be seen.
22-year-old Yu Shuchang used his young life to compose a heroic hymn that can be sung and cried. With the heroic spirit of "firing at me," he vividly interpreted the revolutionary spirit of "firing at me for victory."
In the battle, Yu Shuchang showed the courage and courage that a Communist Party member should have. In the face of the frantic attack of the strong enemy and the successive sacrifices of his comrades, he did not flinch or fear, but stepped forward and took on the heavy responsibility of defending the position alone.
At the most critical moment, Yu Shuchang did not consider personal life and death, but regarded victory above all else. He knew that only by sacrificing could he win victory for his comrades. Therefore, he resolutely asked for artillery cover and died with the enemy.
"Shoot at me", these four words are a vivid portrayal of Yu Shuchang's infinite loyalty to the revolutionary cause, and a heroic portrayal of his dedication to the revolution and forgetting his life.
3. Yu Shuchang shouted "Shoot at me" and died with the enemy
At noon on June 30, 1953, the battle entered its most intense phase. The enemy launched a frantic attack on the nameless heights from three sides, trying to seize in one fell swoop this position, which had become a "big problem" for them.
In the face of the enemy's overwhelming offensive, Yu Shuchang did not flinch in the slightest. He took advantage of the favorable terrain such as bunkers and foxholes, constantly changed his firing position, and repelled wave after wave of enemies.
However, the enemy continued to increase its troops, and the ammunition on the side of the volunteers became less and less. Gradually, Yu Shuchang found that the enemy had approached his bunker, and the situation was extremely critical.
At this moment, Yu Shuchang made an astonishing decision. He picked up the walkie-talkie and asked the command for artillery support: "Chief, the enemy has surrounded my bunker, and I request the artillery to immediately fire at my position!"
The comrades in the command were stunned when they heard this request. Shooting at his own position, didn't this let Yu Shuchang go to his death? Everyone fell silent.
The regiment commander Sun Bin grabbed the microphone, choked up and said, "Shuchang, if you hold on a little longer, we will immediately send troops to support you!"
However, Yu Shuchang resolutely replied: "Chief, it's too late! The enemy is about to attack, and we don't have time! For the sake of victory, please fire at me!"
Sun Bin had tears in his eyes, he knew that this 22-year-old soldier was ready to sacrifice.
After hesitating for a moment, Sun Bin gave an order: "All artillery companies, immediately implement fire coverage to the nameless heights!"
With the sound of cannons, the smoke of gunpowder filled the nameless heights, and the earth trembled. The artillery shells of the Volunteer Army accurately fell on Yu Shuchang's position.
At the height of the artillery fire, a figure was seen rushing out of the position, throwing the last grenade at the enemy group, and then scuffling with the enemy.
At that moment, everyone held their breath.
There was a loud bang, and a huge mushroom cloud rose from the nameless heights. When the smoke cleared, people saw that the nameless heights were already in shambles, and Yu Shuchang and the enemy could no longer be seen.
22-year-old Yu Shuchang used his young life to compose a heroic hymn that can be sung and cried. With the heroic spirit of "firing at me," he vividly interpreted the revolutionary spirit of "firing at me for victory."
In the battle, Yu Shuchang showed the courage and courage that a Communist Party member should have. In the face of the frantic attack of the strong enemy and the successive sacrifices of his comrades, he did not flinch or fear, but stepped forward and took on the heavy responsibility of defending the position alone.
At the most critical moment, Yu Shuchang did not consider personal life and death, but regarded victory above all else. He knew that only by sacrificing could he win victory for his comrades. Therefore, he resolutely asked for artillery cover and died with the enemy.
"Shoot at me", these four words are a vivid portrayal of Yu Shuchang's infinite loyalty to the revolutionary cause, and a heroic portrayal of his dedication to the revolution and forgetting his life.
After Yu Shuchang's death, the volunteers launched a more intense artillery bombardment and recaptured the nameless heights. The soldiers rushed to the position, but Yu Shuchang's body could no longer be found.
The hero has died, but his spirit lives on. The nameless heights witnessed the immortal exploits of a 22-year-old young man, and the cannon fired at me, creating a heroic epic that moved the heavens and the earth.
Yu Shuchang defended the position with his life and built a monument with blood. His deeds will forever inspire future generations to move forward, and his spirit will always shine in the sky of the Republic.
Fourth, the comrades-in-arms searched for Yu Shuchang's family for 67 years, and finally found his only surviving brother
After Yu Shuchang's death, his heroic deeds soon spread throughout the volunteer army and became a spiritual force that inspired the vast number of soldiers. Especially after the release of the movie "Children of Heroes" in 1956, Yu Shuchang's deeds were known to more people. One of the prototypes of Wang Cheng in the movie is this singing and crying volunteer soldier.
However, for a long time after Yu Shuchang's death, his comrades-in-arms have not been able to find his family. The reason is that Yu Shuchang's unit has undergone many reorganizations at that time, and his enlistment materials were lost in the process. Without the hometown address and contact information, the comrades-in-arms had no way to ask for help and searched for no results.
This has become a problem for comrades-in-arms. Everyone hopes to find Yu Shuchang's relatives and tell them about the hero's deeds, so that the hero's family can also feel his glory.
The comrades-in-arms began a long search journey. They used every opportunity to inquire about Yu Shuchang's whereabouts, as long as they heard that there was a person named "Yu Shuchang", even if the name was only similar, they would do everything possible to verify whether it was the hero of the Volunteer Army.
And just like that, the search continued for decades. The comrades-in-arms have changed from young people to gray-haired old men, but their determination to find the families of heroes has never wavered. They often get together, reminiscing about the battles of the year, reminiscing about the brave warriors, and sighing again and again that they can't find clues.
The turning point came in 2020. Once, several veterans who had served in the 23rd Army gathered and talked about Yu Shuchang's deeds. Someone provided a clue: There is a martyr named Yu Shuchang in Laiyang, Shandong, whose age and enlistment time at the time of sacrifice coincide with Yu Shuchang of the Volunteer Army.
This clue ignited hope in everyone's hearts. Guan Zhichu, an old man in his 80s, didn't say a word, and decided to go to Laiyang to find out in person. At that time, Guan Zhichu served as a cultural instructor in the 6th Company of the 67th Division of the 23rd Army, although he was not in the same company as Yu Shuchang, he knew the deeds of this heroic soldier well.
Accompanied by his daughter, Guan Zhichu came to the Laiyang Veterans Affairs Bureau and explained his intentions. The staff of the Secretariat took it very seriously and immediately set out to help find clues.
The hard work paid off, and with the help of the Affairs Bureau, Guan Zhichu finally found Sizhenzhuang Village, Chengxiang Street, Laiyang City. The people in the village told him that there was indeed a martyr named Yu Shuchang in the village, and he also had an older brother alive named Yu Yunde, who was 93 years old this year.
Guan Zhichu was very excited, he knew that the family members of the heroes who had been looking for most of his life might be right in front of him.
Under the guidance of the villagers, Guan Zhichu came to the old man's house in Yu Yunde. The elderly are deaf and blind, and it is difficult to communicate with others. Guan Zhichu tried to talk to the old man and ask about Yu Shuchang's situation, but to little avail.
Guan Zhichu had an idea, and took out a yellowed photo from his arms, which was a photo of Yu Shuchang in the army before his death. He handed the photo to Yu Yunde and asked in a trembling voice, "Old man, do you know this person in the photo?"
Yu Yunde stared at the photo, tears suddenly burst out of his eyes. "Shuchang, Shuchang, my brother!" the old man whimpered.
At this point, the relatives of the hero Yu Shuchang have finally been found. It turned out that the old man in front of him was Yu Shuchang's own brother, and he was the only living relative of this hero.
The villagers told Guan Zhichu that after Yu Shuchang died, everyone in the village knew that he was a martyr, but no one knew how he died. Every year during the Chinese New Year, the village will hang a big red lantern with "Home of Glory" written on it to show respect.
Yu Shuchang's parents never mentioned to the villagers how their son died. Every time they saw the lantern of the "House of Glory", the old couple would have tears in their eyes and be silent, but they never confided a word.
Perhaps, they don't know about their son's heroic deeds. As ordinary farmers, they are not good at words, but they regard their son's sacrifice as their pride and silently miss it.
Today, the hero has been dead for many years, but his spirit will forever inspire future generations. Yu Shuchang, a soldier of the Volunteer Army, used his young life to compose a heroic hymn that can be sung and cried, and his heroic deeds of "firing at me" will surely shine forever in the sky of history.