Yang Kegui
At the end of 1970, my hometown of Kaijiang County, Sichuan Province, was conscripted. I signed up almost in despair, because I had participated in the first two years of conscription, and because of the "Cultural Revolution" faction at that time, I was brushed down by the Commune Revolutionary Committee, which deprived me of the opportunity to become a navy and air force soldier. This year, during a physical examination at the commune's grain station, I saw a soldier watching us. He is tall, with a melon seed face, a toothless smile, and a polite manner. Later, I learned that he was Jin Weida, the instructor of our receiving unit.
I passed the physical examination as I had done in the previous two years, but I was very worried that I would be brushed off again. As the saying goes, if I am brushed off again this time, then my desire to be a soldier will be completely shattered. As a last resort, during that period, I had to go to the town every day to find out the news. One day, when I passed by the entrance of the state-run canteen in Jiangzhi Street, I suddenly found that Instructor Jin was helping the salesman collect and pay. I was overjoyed, and my eyes suddenly lit up, as if I had met a savior. I strongly asked to see the instructor. I walked back and forth on the street twice, hesitated again and again, and finally stepped into the cafeteria and took the initiative to talk to Instructor Kim.
I told him that I wanted to be a soldier. He said to me very seriously at that time, we are railway soldiers, and it is very difficult to build roads, bridges and tunnels. I replied that I knew because in the previous year, I had worked with my relatives in Unit 5831 of Qinjiaba, Daxian County, and Unit 5831 was the 31st Regiment of the Railway Corps. I've seen their construction scenes, and I've seen soldiers in their overalls and playing air guns. I firmly stated: I am also willing to be a railroad soldier. We chatted for a few minutes, and he kindly asked me some questions, which I answered one by one. I sensed that Instructor Kim seemed to be satisfied.
On the way home from the state-run cafeteria, my desperate heart was comforted a little, and no matter what happened, I had the opportunity to meet Instructor Kim, who received the troops. After that, the political trial of the commune began, and I vaguely felt that my name was there, and finally one day I was notified to go to the county seat to change my military uniform. The moment I received the notification, my heart, which was almost dead, finally beat again, because I was already a soldier! On the way to walk 17 kilometers from the commune to the county seat, we were led by Xu Zhichen, the platoon commander who received the troops. He said to me, "You are a soldier named by Instructor Jin himself." I knew in my heart that it was I who played a role in meeting Instructor Kim, and it was Instructor Kim who made me a railroad soldier.
On the train on which the military train was taken, platoon commander Xu Zhichen announced that I would be the deputy squad leader of the 7th squad for the training of recruits, and led a carriage of recruits and fellow countrymen to recite the "Old Three Articles" for political study. When I arrived at Wangqu, Chang'an, Shaanxi, where the recruit company was stationed, I, as the deputy squad leader of the seventh squad of the second platoon, assisted squad leader Zhao in sorting out internal affairs and leading the exercise. We lived in the villager's house, the whole class slept on the big kang, and practiced in the villager's yard. After the training of recruits, they were assigned to the automobile company.
One night, Wu Guangyi, the secretary of the company, informed me to go to the company. At that time, I thought I had made some mistake, but when I went to the conference room of the company headquarters, I saw instructor Liu Zhenguo, deputy company commanders Zhao Dewei and Du Hongde, and deputy instructor Wang Yaowu all present. Later, I learned that the company commander Zhao Shijing had led some personnel to Shuhe in Xunyang County to open up a new station. My legs were weak and my head was sweating, and even the chiefs just laughed at you, and I asked me some questions.
The next day, I was told to report to the company headquarters as a correspondent. Later, I heard from the clerk that the company department found that the manuscript I wrote on the blackboard was good, so they chose me as a correspondent. After moving to Xunyang Shuhe in southern Shaanxi, he took over the clerical work. In addition to the general paperwork, the clerks of the automobile company have to report in detail the condition of the vehicles in good condition every day, and in the evening they have to receive the tasks of the transport unit, and then the tasks are broken down to each driver, and when and where to go, and what to pull, even if it is twelve o'clock in the evening, the order to dispatch the car must be sent to each driver.
In 1972, I was transferred to the reporting group of the Political Department of the regiment and was under the specific management of the propaganda unit. It was there that I met again my esteemed Instructor King, who was an officer in the Communications Unit. At that time, although I was not sure whether I was recommended by Instructor Jin, I will always remember that it was because Instructor Jin made me a railroad soldier that I had this opportunity to report on the Political Department of the regiment. Unfortunately, not long after I arrived at the reporting team, Instructor Jin was demobilized and returned to Shanghai. After that, when I transferred to the local government, I briefly passed through Shanghai twice in 1993 and 1997, and tried to find Instructor Jin but failed, and I have not met him for nearly 50 years.
Instructor Jin made me a railroad soldier, and I was able to form a deep relationship with the railroad soldiers, and I worked for 14 years until the railway troops were withdrawn and merged. In April 1974, I was fortunate enough to be promoted to a cadre, and served successively in the regiment's political department as an information officer, a propaganda officer, an organization unit officer, and a division organization section officer. In March 1984, I transferred to work in the Labor and Personnel Bureau of Daxian County, Sichuan, my hometown.
Instructor Jin made me a railroad soldier, which was the most crucial step in my life. It was the barracks of the railroad soldiers that tempered me, and it was the spirit of the railroad soldiers that inspired me and enabled me to exert my light and heat throughout my life. This may be my gratitude to Instructor Jin for making me a railroad soldier!
Author: Yang Kegui, former platoon commander of the 1st Company, officer of the Propaganda Unit of the 47th Regiment and the Organization Section of the 10th Division
—Excerpt from "Glory! Railroad Soldier
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