In 1953, the Air Force of the Northeast Military District was about to hold a major exercise, and Air Force Commander Liu Zhen and Soviet adviser General Cherdov decided to visit the site in person. This trip was escorted by a small transport plane piloted by young pilot Lin Hu. However, a dangerous accident occurred during the flight, and the plane's engine suffered a serious failure and it was about to crash in the mountains. In times of crisis, Lin Hu responded calmly, and Liu Zhen also trusted and calm.
In the end, the plane landed safely at the last moment, and the Soviet advisers were very excited, shouting "Ula" in celebration. What kind of troubled friendship did this aerial encounter make Lin Hu and Liu Zhen have? In this crisis, what kind of calm response and mutual trust have the two sides shown? In the next few years, what interesting stories did Lin Hu and Liu Zhen experience?
1. Lin Hu and Liu Zhen formed an indissoluble bond
Lin Hu's ancestral home is in Shandong, and his father worked as a long-term worker in a Russian family in Harbin after breaking into the eastern part of the country, and married a Russian maid of that family, from which Lin Hu was born. The family was poor, Lin Hu lost his mother when he was young, and was later adopted as an adopted son by a fellow villager in Shandong. At the age of 10, Lin Hu ran away from home and joined the Eighth Route Army, starting a revolutionary career.
Lin Hu grew from a small soldier of the Eighth Route Army to the backbone of the New China Air Force, and entered the aviation school to learn to fly after moving to the Northeast with the army in 1945. In 1949, he was called to participate in the air parade of the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China, and in 1950, he was transferred to the newly formed Fourth Mixed Aviation Brigade in Nanjing. In October of the same year, Lin Hu was ordered to go to Shenyang to join the Third Aviation Division formed by Liu Yalou as the deputy commander.
At the beginning of 1953, Lin Hu met Liu Zhen, the commander of the Air Force at the time, for the first time, and left a deep impression on him. It was during a flight training that Liu Zhen personally inspected the site. He did not disturb Lin Hu's command, but patiently observed for two hours. Afterwards, Liu Zhen had a cordial conversation and gave valuable advice. Lin Hu kept Liu Zhen's teachings firmly in his heart and became a motto for guiding others for many years.
Soon after, Lin Hu and Liu Zhen formed a friendship in distress. In June 1953, the Air Force of the Northeast Military Region held a large-scale exercise at the Zhengjiatun shooting range, and Liu Zhen and Soviet adviser General Cherdov decided to inspect it in person. On this trip, Lin Hu was ordered to drive a small transport plane to escort him. However, while flying over the mountains of Tieling to Siping, the plane suffered an engine failure and was about to crash in the mountains.
At the moment of crisis, Lin Hu responded calmly, cleverly chose to slide down the river valley in steps, and finally saw the humble airport in Zhengjiatun when the fuel was almost exhausted. The Soviet advisers were in a hurry along the way, and they kept shouting and giving advice to Lin Hu in Russian and Chinese, which only aggravated Lin Hu's anxiety. Liu Zhen immediately appeased the Soviet advisers, let Lin Hu deal with it himself, and expressed his trust in Lin Hu.
Finally, at the last moment, the plane landed safely. At that time, the Soviet advisers were very emotional and shouted "Ula". And Liu Zhen looked calm and gave Lin Hu a thumbs up. Since then, the two have formed friends in adversity, and both have left a deep impression on each other.
2. Lin Hu and Liu Zhen were in distress twice
In early December 1952, Lin Hu and a pilot were ordered to fly two fighter planes to Shenyang for repair. After completing the mission, they took a parachute with them and prepared to return to the Andong base by train to continue the battle.
On December 8, Lin Hu received a sudden notice asking them to immediately go to Dongta Airport and prepare to return by transport plane. After arriving at the airport, Lin Hu found that they were going to take Liu Zhen's special plane. It turned out that Liu Zhen led several comrades to Andong on this trip, and prepared to hold a banquet at 8 o'clock in the evening to send off the Soviet Air Force units returning home. In this way, Lin Hu and his teammates can just catch this "free ride".
Lin Hu and the others boarded a Li-2 transport plane, which was expected to fly to Andong in an hour. However, shortly after takeoff, there was heavy snow in the sky, visibility was extremely poor, and the clouds were low. As soon as the plane rose more than 100 meters, it entered the dense clouds and mist, and was subjected to the impact of violent air currents, shaking from side to side.
Although he encountered bad weather, Liu Zhen did not show the slightest nervousness, and chatted with Lin Hu and his comrades from the moment he got on the plane, asking about the situation of the troops. When talking about the training task, Liu Zhen pointed out some of Lin Hu's shortcomings step by step, and Lin Hu humbly accepted the advice and wrote it down in the manual.
Suddenly, the alarm bell in the cabin sounded, the plane was violently turbulent, and Lin Hu hurriedly notified the crew to be in place and prepare to parachute. Seeing this, Liu Zhen shouted loudly: "Comrades, hold on, everything is up to Lin Hu!" ＂
It turned out that the plane entered an area of strong air currents, and the body of the plane was badly rolled to one side, almost in a state of backwards. The pilots struggled to maneuver, but the situation never changed. Lin Hu immediately made a decision and instructed all the personnel to put on parachutes and prepare for parachuting. Just at the last moment, the plane suddenly got rid of the influence of the airflow zone and resumed normal flight.
Due to the influence of dense fog and heavy snowfall, the pilot completely lost his sense of direction, and Lin Hu ordered to fly along the coastline to find a sentry post. They followed the sound to the eastern coast of North Korea, and finally found a familiar landmark before they ran out of fuel, and calmly flew back to the Andong base.
This dangerous encounter allowed Lin Hu and Liu Zhen to experience life and death in the air, deepening their trust in each other. Lin Hu was greatly touched by Liu Zhen's calm command and fearlessness, which also made Liu Zhen further realize Lin Hu's wit and composure.
While flying over the mountains, the plane suddenly broke down and its engine vibrated violently, and it was about to crash between the mountains. Lin Hu immediately made a decision, took a step-by-step descent along the river valley, and finally saw the trace of Zhengjiatun Airport when the fuel was almost exhausted.
Along the way, the Soviet advisers were anxious and kept shouting various suggestions to Lin Hu in Russian and Chinese, which only increased Lin Hu's psychological pressure. Liu Zhen immediately appeased the Soviet advisers, let Lin Hu deal with it himself, and expressed his trust in him. In the end, the plane landed successfully at the last moment, and the two sides finally breathed a sigh of relief.
3. Liu Zhen's care and trust for Lin Hu
After Liu Zhen and Lin Hu formed an indissoluble bond, they cared for and appreciated Lin Hu. As early as 1954, Liu Zhen took the time to arrange the marriage for Lin Hu.
Shortly after the Spring Festival that year, Lin Hu suddenly received a notice from his superiors that Liu Zhen hoped that he would get married as soon as possible, but he was quite embarrassed for a while. At that time, Lin Hu had just turned 25 years old, and although he was already a deputy regimental air force pilot, he was more than willing to marry but not enough. On the one hand, due to the limited conditions, they cannot afford the cost of marriage; On the other hand, there is no candidate for the woman.
Fortunately, Liu Zhen was sympathetic to his subordinates and was very anxious to solve the marriage matter for him. Under his direct attention, a certain unit under the jurisdiction of the military region assisted in finding a candidate for Lin Hu and gave him a subsidy to hold a simple wedding. Because of Liu Zhen's care, Lin Hu got his wish and tied the knot.
In August 1958, Lin Hu served as the commander of the First Division of the Northeast Air Force and commanded the troops to participate in the famous "Battle of Kinmen". From 23 August to early September of that year, our air force completed to the letter the tasks of air supremacy, blockade, cover, and direct attack on Kinmen Island. Among them, Lin Hu led his troops to persist in wantonly and indiscriminately bombing Kinmen Island for 10 consecutive days, making great contributions to the victory of the battle. Liu Zhen personally commended Lin Hu afterwards: "The command is well-organized, the battle is determined, the attack and defense are appropriate, and the defense of the family and the country fully demonstrates the fine traditional style and revolutionary integrity of the comrades who love the party, the country, and the country and strive for the victory of the proletarian revolutionary cause." ＂
In the spring of 1964, Liu Zhen took charge of another major event for Lin Hu. At the convening of the Third National People's Congress in February of that year, Lin Hu, a deputy from Guangdong, was invited to speak, expressing the air force's firm determination to resolutely implement the party's military line and strengthen high-tech strategic preparations. At that time, there was warm applause from the audience, and the most excited was Liu Zhen. After the meeting, Liu Zhen not only fully affirmed Lin Hu, but also praised Lin Hu's speech many times at meetings and in public.
After retiring, Liu Zhen tried his best to connect Lin Hu in many ways. In 1977, while studying at the Shanghai Military Academy, Lin Hu encountered a small incident that hit him hard: a large hotel in Shanghai refused to accept Lin Hu on the grounds that his military rank was too low. Lin Hu felt deeply that he had been put on the table, and returned with regret. But soon, Liu Zhen learned of the news, and immediately arranged for someone to pick up the wind and apologize sincerely.
For Liu Zhen, Lin Hu is full of infinite admiration and gratitude. He recalled the past with Liu Zhen and often expressed his love and affection: "The closest and most admired superior leader in my life belongs to Comrade Liu Zhen, and every time I think of him, there is always a cordial feeling in my heart." ＂
In 1962, Lin Hu was ordered to go abroad with the Chinese Air Force for investigation, and on the way home, he learned that Liu Zhen had died of illness and did not have time to see him for the last time. Many years later, Lin Hu stared at Liu Zhen's portrait at the Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall of the Beijing Garrison District, standing for a long time, tears streaming down his eyes. In his mind, Liu Zhen is not only the most cordial chief, but also a good leader and close friend who will be remembered forever.
Fourth, Liu Zhen's deathbed asked Lin Hu to follow him for many years
On May 4, 1962, Liu Zhen was seriously admitted to the hospital with gallbladder cancer. At that time, Lin Hu was visiting many countries with the Chinese Air Force, and he was very sad when he learned the bad news.
On May 28, when Liu Zhen was critically ill, Lin Hu rushed back to China and went to Beijing to visit his best friend. Unexpectedly, as soon as he entered the door, he saw Liu Zhen's face red and swollen, and a breathing tube had been inserted into his mouth and nose. Lin Hu forcibly suppressed the sadness in his heart and said to Liu Zhen: "Brother Zhen, I, Lin Hu, have come to see you!" ＂
Although Liu Zhen was already delirious, he still barely opened his eyes when he heard Lin Hu's voice and stared at Lin Hu for a long time. Lin Hu almost choked up, unable to speak any words for a while. Finally, he took out a booklet and said to Liu Zhen: "Brother Zhen, this is a gift I bought for you abroad, if you recover, I will explain it to you in detail." ＂
Liu Zhen nodded effortlessly after hearing this, and then fell into a coma again. At this meeting, Lin Hu had nothing to say and felt guilty. Before leaving, he whimpered and knelt down on his knees to thank him, and said sadly: "Brother Zhen, I should have come back earlier, I really can't help you!" ＂
On June 1, Liu Zhen's condition worsened, and in the afternoon, he was in a trance, and said a word to the people around him indistinctly. When Lin Hu learned about it, he immediately rushed to the hospital and found that Liu Zhen was delirious. He stepped forward to hold Liu Zhen's hand, choked up and said, "Brother Zhen, I'm Lin Hu here, I didn't hear what you just said." ＂
Liu Zhen seemed to hear Lin Hu's voice, and suddenly his spirits perked up, and he used all his strength to say, "Lin Hu, listen...... Adhere to the revolutionary ideals...... Adhere to the party's line...... Adhere to Marxism-Leninism...... ＂
Lin Hu cried into tears after hearing this, held Liu Zhen's hand tightly and said: "Brother Zhen, I will definitely adhere to the revolutionary ideals, adhere to the party's line, principles and policies, and adhere to the truth of Marxism-Leninism!" ＂
At 8 a.m. on June 8, Liu Zhen passed away peacefully at the age of 66. Lin Hu was so grief-stricken that he would leave the ward until 11 p.m.
Subsequently, Lin Hu, on behalf of the Air Force, participated in the grand funeral ceremony for Liu Zhen. On June 9, Liu Zhen's body was temporarily laid to rest in the Revolutionary Martyrs Memorial Hall. On the morning of the 11th, Lin Hu and hundreds of other relatives and friends and officers and men of the Air Force lined up to bid farewell. The flag was lowered at half-mast to mourn, the military band played mourning music, and Lin Hu and others bowed and said goodbye all the way to the crematorium.
After Liu Zhen's death, Lin Hu kept his deathbed will in mind, adhered to revolutionary ideals, closely followed the party's line, principles and policies, and often remembered the friendship between the two. In February 1964, when Lin Hu was a deputy to the National People's Congress, he took the opportunity to comprehensively expound his determination to resolutely implement the party's military line and strengthen high-tech strategic preparations. At that time, there were bursts of applause from the audience.
Until 1977, Liu Zhen had passed away for more than ten years, and Lin Hu still often recalled the bits and pieces of getting along with him. In the summer of that year, while studying at the Shanghai Military Academy, Lin Hu was refused to be picked up by a large hotel on the grounds that his military rank was too low. Lin Hu was speechless for a while, and felt the cold reception. However, not long ago, Liu Zhen's cronies learned of the incident, and immediately arranged for someone to pick up Lin Hu and sincerely apologize to him. In Lin Hu's mind, Liu Zhen will always be an admirable and cordial good leader and comrade-in-arms.
Fifth, Lin Hu revisited the scene of life and death in his later years to remember the revolutionary friendship
After Liu Zhen's death, Lin Hu always remembered his dying entrustment, adhered to revolutionary ideals, and implemented the party's line, principles and policies. Until his later years after retiring, Lin Hu often revisited the life and death scenes with Liu Zhen and recalled the revolutionary friendship between the two.
In the autumn of 1981, Lin Hu, who was over the age of six, came to North Korea again with a long-lost homesickness. He first went to Anton to revisit the air base where he was stationed with Liu Zhen. In this familiar land, scenes of past historical facts emerged from Lin Hu's mind: at the end of 1952, he and Liu Zhen sailed together on an adventure when they encountered bad weather; The following summer, the two ran out of fuel while flying over the mountains......
All this made Lin Hu even more admired Liu Zhen's upright and fearless revolutionary character. He recalled that the two had shown each other love and demonstrated heroic and fearless revolutionary sentiments at a critical juncture, and he couldn't help but express infinite nostalgia for Liu Zhen from the bottom of his heart.
After bidding farewell to Anton, Lin Hu made a special trip to Shenyang, which was farther away, to visit the Shenyang base that was stationed with Liu Zhen back then. Along the way, he chewed on every place name and every ruin, as if he could evoke a precious memory.
After arriving in Shenyang, Lin Hu followed the route he remembered slowly, and finally came to a hangar in the suburbs. Seeing the familiar complex, he couldn't help but burst into tears, and it took a long time to calm down. In Lin Hu's memory, this was the base where he and Liu Zhen were stationed together, and they had to assemble here every time they attacked.
In order to better relive the old memories, Lin Hu deliberately found the old friends of the year to talk about them one by one. They recalled the touching scene of Liu Zhen taking the lead and caring for his subordinates, and all expressed their heartfelt blessings and remembrance to the late old leader.
After touring the eastern part of North Korea, Lin Hu returned to his homeland in the fall of 1982. However, his attachment to his hometown did not stop there. After the Spring Festival in 1983, Lin Hu set foot on a trip to North Korea again.
This time, he came directly to the coastal area where he and Liu Zhen had encountered danger in the air twice. First, he followed the route he remembered, revisiting the area where they had been hit by strong currents in the fog and blizzard, and the plane had almost crashed. Then, he went to the mountainous area where he had walked to the "last kilometer" step by step, and looked for the specific places where fuel was seriously depleted and life and death were at stake at that time. Everywhere he went, he explained to his entourage the cause and effect of the incident.
In those scenes that had encountered the test of life and death, Lin Hu became more and more sincerely admired Liu Zhen's unwavering revolutionary will and calm command in the face of danger. He said: "Comrade Liu Zhen has always been calm and calm and kept a clear head and command at the critical juncture, which embodies the revolutionary spirit of a proletarian revolutionary who has the courage to overcome all hardships and difficulties and is invincible. ＂
After revisiting his hometown, Lin Hu also went to the place where Liu Zhen was born and buried. Standing in front of Liu Zhen's tomb, he had mixed feelings in his heart. He cherished the memory of this close friend who cared for him a lot during his lifetime and entrusted him to adhere to the revolutionary ideals when he was dying; He sincerely admired Liu Zhen's excellent qualities of being determined by the revolution and not chaotic in the face of danger; He wished this old comrade-in-arms that he could rest in peace and his soul would be immortal under the Nine Springs.
Until the last time of his life, Lin Hu's nostalgia for Liu Zhen never stopped. He often talked to the people around him about the two of them sharing weal and woe, and earnestly urged future generations to never forget the great achievements of the revolutionary ancestors. In September 1986, Lin Hu, who was in his late teens, stared at Liu Zhen's portrait at the Museum of the Chinese Revolution for a long time, and finally burst into tears. Looking at Lin Hu's appearance, everyone present was moved.