On the battlefield under heavy artillery fire, thick smoke almost obscured the light in the sky, and the piercing sound of gunfire and explosions was constantly heard ahead. February 17, 1979, was a day destined to go down in history. Li Sibao, company commander of the 1st Battalion and 2nd Company of the 376th Regiment of the 126th Division of the 42nd Army of the Guangzhou Military Region, is leading his "assault company" to carry out an arduous task in the Ban Nen area on the Vietnamese border. Their goal was to capture the strategic point - high ground, which was a crucial step in breaking through the enemy's defenses.
Bullets rained down on him, but Li Sibao still calmly commanded the troops. A succession of bullets seemed to find him, but each time miraculously failed to inflict fatal damage on him. In the eyes of the soldiers of the company, Li Sibao seemed to be immortal, and a trace of awe flashed in their eyes.
The fierce battle of Ban Nian in Vietnam
On February 17, 1979, the 1st Battalion and 2nd Company of the 376th Regiment of the 126th Division of the 42nd Army of the Guangzhou Military Region were selected as the "assault company" to carry out special tasks, shouldering the heavy task of interspersing Dongxi and conquering Gaoping. The core purpose of this tactical deployment was to break through the Vietnamese army's strong defensive lines in the region in order to gain a key strategic advantage on the battlefield. During the preparation phase, the company received targeted rapid assault and mountain combat training to deal with complex and changeable terrain and the possibility of fierce battles.
When the 2nd Company entered the edge of the Ban Nen area of Vietnam, preliminary reconnaissance reports showed that the Vietnamese army in the area was heavily defended, with many firepower points and cross-fire coverage, and in order to prevent further advance of the Chinese army, the Vietnamese army deployed heavy troops at key passages and commanding heights. The 2nd Company's advance route was constantly blocked by long-range artillery fire from the Vietnamese army, which led to a significant slowdown in the pace of movement and an extremely tense situation.
After receiving orders from his superiors, the commander of the 2 company quickly organized the troops to make tactical adjustments. They must quickly capture a key high ground on the northwest side of Ban Nyn, a strategic point of control over the entire Ban Nin Pass. According to reconnaissance reports, the heights were reinforced by Vietnamese sandbags and makeshift fortifications, surrounded by mines and horses, and equipped with at least two heavy machine guns and a mortar, whose firepower was effective in blocking the main offensive routes.
The soldiers of the 2nd Company began to approach silently in the darkness of the night. They walked through dense jungles, where vines and dead branches made it extremely difficult to move. Each warrior was heavily loaded, his face was painted with camouflage, and his eyes sparkled with the sparkle of a decisive battle. As we approached the target, the shaking of the ground and the voice exchange of the Vietnamese troops in front gradually became clear, and the tense atmosphere gradually heated up.
The company's artillery group deployed mortars at designated positions and was ready to support the Vietnamese positions with suppressive fire. The night sky was lit up with the first wave of shells whistling, followed by explosions and fires on the ground. The confusion caused by the shelling became the signal for the assault of the 2 company.
The assault team quickly divided into several groups and charged the heights along different routes. Taking advantage of the darkness of night and the cover of artillery fire, they quickly broke through the outer defense line of the Vietnamese army. Mines and traps were constantly detonated in their path, but the company's engineering team acted quickly to clear the obstacles with mine detectors and shovels, ensuring the advance of the main forces.
The heroic company commander Li Sibao
In the intense battle, the company commander Li Sibao showed extraordinary courage and determination. He led the soldiers to rush to the front line, waving the command flag, and directing the soldiers to adjust the formation and forward speed through various gestures and commands. However, Li Si Bao's conspicuous actions also made him a direct target for Vietnamese firepower. In a fierce firefight, Guo Quanquan, a communications officer beside him, spotted the enemy sniper aiming at the company commander in time and decisively pushed him to the ground, avoiding a possible fatal attack.
Although the crisis was lifted for a time, the pressure of the fighting did not decrease. Li Sibao and Guo Quan almost got back on their feet in the mud and dust and continued to command the battle. Li Sibao jumped to his feet and rushed forward again, behind him were the shouts of soldiers and the echo of enemy gunfire. In this chaotic and dangerous environment, Li Sibao had little time to check his equipment.
Just as he was sprinting forward at full speed, he suddenly felt a violent vibration in his right lower back, followed by a piercing pain. Li Sibao looked down and was shocked to find that two bullets hit the pistol magazine hanging on his belt one after another, shattering the holster, and the bullets inside were also deformed by the impact. The scene made him realize the dangerous position he was in, but he didn't stop.
Although the impact of the bullet did not hurt the flesh and skin, it brought a substantial obstacle to Li Sibao's operation. Due to the broken magazine of the pistol, he had to temporarily abandon the pistol during the fierce shootout, and instead rely on the rifle handed to him by the soldiers around him. He quickly adjusted his grip to ensure that he could continue to provide effective fire support in the following charges.
The experience of fighting on the line of life and death
Li Sibao's situation on the battlefield was extremely critical. The belt that had just been re-fastened was hit by a bullet again, and the buckle snapped with the force of the impact. He barely had time to deal with this sudden situation, and the sudden break of his belt caused the equipment to loosen for a moment, but Li Sibao did not stop his progress because of this.
Amid the constant suppression of fire and the terrifying sound of guns flying by, Li Sibao continued to lead his troops to charge forward. However, after only a few steps, he suddenly felt a sharp pain coming from his right hand. This time, it was a bullet that deviated from its regular trajectory and hit the pistol he was holding in his hand directly. The impact of the bullet caused the grip of the pistol to twist downward, and at the same time the fragment cut his little finger.
Li Sibao felt unbearable pain in the little finger of his right hand, but he didn't have the time and space to pay much attention on the battlefield. He quickly adjusted his grip and helped him hold the gun with his left hand to ensure that he could continue to shoot effectively. He knew that every second of hesitation could make the difference between life and death. With his eyes fixed on the front, he continued to lead his soldiers in their assault on enemy positions.
Despite the heavy damage to his personal equipment, Li Sibao still insisted on staying at the forefront and led the troops to advance continuously. Every step he took was on loose dirt and residual craters, and the soldiers around him were also shuttling through the dense rain of bullets, trying to provide cover for the company commander.
Suddenly, a barrage of machine-gun fire caused the entire assault team to briefly press the pause button. Li Sibao and his soldiers quickly found the nearest bunker - a large fallen tree and some blown up mounds of dirt. They clinged to the ground, bowing their heads to avoid the bullets flying overhead. In this case, everyone must minimize their exposure to their own goals as much as possible.
After a brief pause, Li Sibao first looked up to explore his surroundings. When he confirmed that there was a slight relief in the front, he immediately gave instructions and ordered his soldiers to cover the rapid breakthrough. The soldiers moved as they fired, and the fire covered every possible enemy hideout.
Soon after, Li Sibao felt a numb pain in his left thigh, and when he glanced down, he found that a bullet had grazed his thigh at some point, leaving a trail of blood. The wound didn't penetrate deep into his muscles, but it was enough to make him feel pain. However, compared to the previous pain, this is no longer surprising.
Li Sibao ignored the wound on his left thigh, where a bullet abrasion left a section of the warhead exposed. He only glanced down and continued to run. As a company commander, he knew he had to continue to show determination and courage to move forward in order to motivate his soldiers to fight despite the odds.
At this time, the soldiers of the 2nd Company seemed to be pushed by an irresistible force and collectively launched a fierce charge. The support group of heavy machine gunners and mortars in the rear also increased their fire output at this moment, and continuous artillery fire and bullets poured down on the Vietnamese defense line like a torrential rain. In the thick smoke and dust, the sound of explosions and gunfire mingled into the loudest symphony on the battlefield.
Li Sibao and his soldiers took advantage of this powerful fire support and quickly advanced to the high ground. They stepped over the dirt loosened by artillery fire and bypassed the destroyed bunkers, each soldier doing his best to cover his comrades and ensure that the company could break through the enemy's last resistance with minimal losses.
In the final stage of the attack, Li Sibao personally led a small group of soldiers to break through a key point of fire of the enemy. They cleared the last bunker of the enemy army with grenades, and then quickly organized their forces to clear the remaining enemy. The cleaning of every corner was extremely dangerous, but under the leadership of Li Sibao, the soldiers showed great efficiency and bravery.
With the last few enemy soldiers falling, the battle on the high ground is finally over. Li Sibao and his company temporarily stopped in this land destroyed by artillery fire. The surrounding smoke was a smoky scene, and the ground was littered with weapons and bullet casings from both sides, testifying to the fierceness of the battle.
Victory and scars
After the battle, the soldiers of the 2 company took a breather on the high ground and dealt with post-war affairs. Although Li Sibao led his troops to victory in the battle, he was inevitably wounded personally. In a slight gap, he found the company's hygienist to treat the wound. The health officer carefully examined Li Sibao's injuries, and the first thing he noticed was the obvious four punctures in his military uniform, which were the marks of a bullet penetrating, as well as a abrasion on his waist. They quickly and professionally cleaned the wounds, cleaned them with disinfectant, and carefully bandaged the wounds on Li Sibao's legs and hands.
During the bandaging process, Li Sibao felt tired, so he reached into the left pocket of his military uniform to find a cigarette to smoke to relax a little. However, when he fumbled for the cigarette case, his hand felt an unusual shape. When he opened the broken iron cigarette case, he was surprised to find that the cigarette roll inside had been crushed into cigarette powder, and there was even a bullet lying in the cigarette case, which was obviously deformed.
This discovery immediately attracted the attention of the surrounding soldiers. They gathered around, looking at the broken cigarette case and the deformed bullet in Li Sibao's hand, and couldn't help but whisper and sigh. The bullet was fatal, but it failed to injure Li Sibao because it hit the iron cigarette box. The soldiers were deeply amazed when they saw this scene, and they were amazed at Li Sibao's luck again and again.
After a short break, the soldiers began to talk about this incredible luck. They talked to each other about the battle just now and the miracle that happened to the company commander, and their words were full of admiration for Li Sibao's perseverance and luck. Some soldiers jokingly said: "Company commander, you are really an 'invulnerable' 'god man'!" This phrase quickly spread among the soldiers and became a light-hearted topic among them.
- Commemorating the 39th Anniversary of the Self-Defense Counterattack War against Vietnam[J].Poetry Monthly,2018(5):34-34