In the dense border jungle, moonlight can only be dappled through the dense canopy of trees, casting it on the hidden paths. This is the war zone where Long Zhiyong carried out his mission, a place full of danger and unknown. Long Zhiyong, a soldier who was once awarded the title of Recon Hero, is now sneaking through the jungle with his team, carefully every step for fear of triggering a long-buried mine or an enemy warning system.
Long Zhiyong is a legend who has not only been awarded first-class merit three times, but has also made a name for himself for his excellent reconnaissance skills and combat courage. However, these glories also pose great risks to him. The Vietnamese side felt deeply threatened by his ability, and they distributed photos of Long Zhiyong through various channels, and even offered a reward of 150,000 yuan for his head. Every mission, for Long Zhiyong, is like a brush with death.
Long Zhiyong's reconnaissance and guidance mission
In 1979, a fierce conflict broke out on the border between China and Vietnam, which was called the war of self-defense and counterattack against Vietnam. Long Zhiyong, an ordinary villager turned militia, became one of the participants in this war. In this war, Long Zhiyong's unit was responsible for attacking a key position in Vietnam.
Long Zhiyong undertook important reconnaissance and guidance tasks, which was a task that required extremely high military professionalism and endurance. He and his team were responsible for gathering information on the activities of enemy forces and providing precise target coordinates for rear troops and artillery. Long Zhiyong showed his outstanding military talents and stoic character in the process.
Long Chi Yong's mission began when he and his team were secretly sent deep into the mountains and forests near the Vietnamese border. Their goal was to lurk and monitor the activities of the Vietnamese army, which required long periods of covert operations and a high degree of vigilance. During these 46 days of incubation, Long Zhiyong and his comrades had to survive in extremely difficult conditions while maintaining constant observation of the enemy's movements.
They chose a secluded observation point in a densely wooded mountainous area with complex terrain. In order not to reveal their location as much as possible, they move at night and hide in the jungle during the day, barely daring to do much. They used binoculars and night vision equipment to observe the movements of enemy troops, recording every movement and coordinates. Long Zhiyong was responsible for recording the coordinates of the target, and he accurately recorded the specific coordinates of key locations such as enemy camps, weapons depots, and command centers.
During these 46 long days, Long Zhiyong and his group experienced a continuous rainy season, where food and water were very limited, and they had to survive by catching small animals in the mountains and collecting rainwater. Despite the extreme physical and mental stress, Long and his team persevered in completing their daily observation and recording tasks.
Through their unremitting efforts, Long Zhiyong finally succeeded in determining 10 important target coordinates of the Vietnamese army. These coordinates were later transmitted back to the command and became targets for artillery units. Long Zhiyong was also responsible for instructing the artillery unit to adjust the angle and intensity of fire to ensure that every shelling hit the target accurately.
With the assistance of Long Zhiyong, the artillery units of the PLA were able to inflict effective strikes on the enemy without direct contact with the enemy. These shellings accurately destroyed several key facilities of the Vietnamese army, greatly weakening the enemy's combat effectiveness. Long Zhiyong's reconnaissance information played a crucial role in this.
Although Long Zhiyong's mission did not directly participate in the fierce battles on the front, his contributions to reconnaissance and target designation provided key support for the victory of the war. Through his hard work and perseverance, Long Zhiyong proved that in war, information and accurate data can also be the key to victory.
Extreme survival and traumatic experience
During a reconnaissance mission deep behind enemy lines, Long Zhiyong and his team faced extreme survival challenges. They operate through dense forests and rugged terrain, and must be careful at every step to avoid traps and ambushes set by the enemy. On this day, their task was to further identify the logistical supply lines of the enemy army in preparation for the upcoming large-scale artillery bombardment.
During the march, Long Zhiyong was responsible for checking and removing possible obstacles and traps. While traversing a low-lying area covered in fallen leaves, he accidentally triggers a hidden trap. Suddenly, several carefully camouflaged bamboo sticks popped out of the ground and penetrated his left calf. These bamboo skewers are sharpened with a sharp blade by local villagers and coated with natural plant juice at the tips to increase the risk of infection.
Long Zhiyong's wound was bleeding immediately, and his leg was firmly fixed to the ground with a bamboo stick, unable to move. Hearing his cries for help, his comrades-in-arms moved quickly and cautiously approached his position. They first used the tools in their hands, carefully cutting off the bamboo skewers that held him in place to mitigate further damage to the wound as they moved.
After making sure that there were no enemy troops lurking around, two comrades protected Long Zhiyong, while the others quickly cleared up possible hidden traps and dangers around him. Long Zhiyong's calf was already severely swollen at this time, and the skin around the wound began to redden. Using the medical kits they carried with them, his comrades-in-arms gave him a simple first aid treatment, cleaning the wound and disinfecting it with disinfectant to prevent the wound from becoming infected.
Since they were deep behind enemy lines and could not immediately withdraw to a safe rear medical point, their comrades-in-arms decided to slowly carry Long Zhiyong on a stretcher to a relatively safe location. Due to the complex terrain and being in the enemy's area of activity, they had to carefully avoid possible enemy patrols. During the entire retreat, the comrades-in-arms alternately carried stretchers and closely observed the movements around them to ensure safety.
After arriving at safety, Long Zhiyong was placed in a makeshift rest area. Although the conditions were rudimentary, his comrades did their best to make him comfortable and continued to use limited medical resources to treat his wounds and prevent the infection from worsening. They wet his wound with cool water to reduce swelling and pain while giving him hydration and energy. Before Long Zhiyong recovers from his injury, his team must rely on other members to redouble their efforts to complete the reconnaissance mission.
Heroic deeds on the battlefield
Due to Long Zhiyong's outstanding performance on the battlefield, the Vietnamese side issued a reward of 150,000 yuan for him, and the Vietnamese front-line People's Army and Public Security Army also issued a photo of Long Zhiyong for this, but their evil ideas never succeeded. To a certain extent, this move by the Vietnamese army showed the importance of Long Zhiyong's influence on the war situation, making him take on a more critical role in the subsequent operation.
By 1985, tensions on the Sino-Vietnamese border had escalated again. The Vietnamese army has built a new barracks in the border area, which is not only geographically important, but also equipped with elite Vietnamese troops. Considering the threat posed by this barracks to our army, the decision-making level decided to carry out a precise strike operation to destroy this new military fortress.
In the process of planning this operation, based on Long Zhiyong's past performance on the battlefield and his unique tactical talents, he was selected as the deputy leader of this operation. The main goal of the operation was to launch a surprise attack on the new camp of the Vietnamese army at night, to destroy the enemy's facilities to the maximum extent and reduce its combat effectiveness.
Long Zhiyong and his team quietly approached the target location in the darkness of night. Since the barracks were located in a dense forest, this provided a natural cover for their infiltration. At night, each member of the team was painted with camouflage paint, almost blending in with their surroundings. They followed a pre-reconnoitred path, evaded enemy surveillance and patrols, and managed to reach the vicinity of the camp.
After making sure that all the team members were in place, Long Zhiyong gave the order to attack. They first used grenades to suppress enemy posts, and then quickly dispersed and launched attacks on the enemy's main facilities. Long Zhiyong personally led a team to storm the enemy's ammunition depot and successfully destroyed the target in just a few minutes using explosives.
At the same time, other squads also completed their respective tasks under his command, and the enemy's communication stations, garages, and several barracks were destroyed one after another. The entire operation was executed with exceptional speed and accuracy, and the Vietnamese army was caught off guard and failed to effectively organize resistance.
After completing the mission, Long Zhiyong and his team quickly evacuated the scene, effectively avoiding the possible pursuit of the enemy. During this operation, Long Zhiyong demonstrated outstanding military talent and command ability, ensuring the success of the entire operation. His team not only inflicted a serious blow on the enemy troops, but also effectively increased the strategic superiority of our army in the region.
Honor and contribution to the post-war period
Long Zhiyong's military career was full of outstanding achievements and honors. His many battlefield performances not only won him the respect of his comrades, but also won the honor of first-class merit and third-class merit more times. These accolades are a recognition of his bravery and professionalism in a complex battlefield environment. In the end, the Guangzhou Military Region awarded him the title of "Reconnaissance Hero", which was not only an affirmation of his personal combat skills, but also symbolized a high evaluation of his contributions to many key reconnaissance and combat missions.
After being awarded the title of "Reconnaissance Hero", Long Zhiyong did not choose to retire or reduce military activities, but continued to be active on the military front. After the end of the war, he took the initiative to join the border demining operation, which was crucial for peace and security in the border areas. In the countless minefields left behind by war, where every step could be the brink of life and death, Long Zhiyong and his team are committed to clearing these remaining dangers.
Demining is arduous and dangerous, but Long Zhiyong has demonstrated a high level of professionalism with the experience and skills he has accumulated in military training. They often have to maneuver in complex terrain and take care of every mission to ensure not only their own safety, but also the lives of their teammates and civilians. Long Zhiyong also excelled in mine clearance, with his team involved in the five years of demining without a single casualty, which is extremely rare in demining operations.
In 2019, Long Zhiyong's hard work and continuous contribution were further affirmed by the state. On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, he was awarded the medal for the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China.
LONG Zhiyong,LIN Rusheng.Reconnaissance heroes in the self-defense and counterattack war against Vietnam[J].Weapon Knowledge,2016,0(9):80-83