In 1962, a group of air force radar troops deployed in Jiangsu and Zhejiang traveled more than 4,000 kilometers to the snowy plateau of Tibet, and carried the first batch of radar equipment to the top of the snow-capped mountain at an altitude of 5,374 meters in Gabala. With the start of the first radar, the motherland of Tibet ended its history of being empty and defenseless. In 1994, the company was awarded the honorary title of "Gabala Hero Radar Station" by the Central Military Commission. On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the award, my colleague Zhu Yanrui and I boarded a plane from Shenzhen, Guangdong Province to Lhasa, Tibet, and traveled thousands of kilometers to complete the mission of visiting the fourth station of the Air Force's Red Landmark Tour, the Gabala Hero Radar Station, and conducted a report from 0 meters above sea level to 5,374 meters above sea level.
Overlooking the Gabala Hero Radar Station
Climbed to the top of the mountain for the first time
On the second day of our arrival in Tibet, we challenged to climb Mount Gabala at an altitude of 5,374 meters early in the morning to overcome the discomfort caused by altitude sickness, and we met Zhang Suran from the Gabala Hero Radar Station. Standing in Gabala, he told us the story of the spirit of Gabala that has been passed down from generation to generation. Zhang Suran said that since entering the new era, Gabala has always inherited the red gene, which originated from the spirit of "steel brazing can't be entered, people must also take root", and embodied in the new generation of Gabala people as the spirit of "not afraid of hardship, not afraid of tiredness", to continuously improve the actual combat ability, to interpret the new era significance of the spirit of Gabala.
Zhang Suran of the Gabala Hero Radar Station was interviewed by a reporter from Shenzhen Satellite TV
Gabala, which means "impassable mountain" in Tibetan. Here, we exchanged "special gifts" with Zhang Suran of the Gabala Hero Radar Station - Gabala stone and a bottle of fine sand from the seaside of Shenzhen, where blessings from an altitude of 5,374 meters and tributes from an altitude of 0 meters converge.
Zhang Suran of the Gabala Hero Radar Station exchanged gifts with Shenzhen Satellite TV reporters
The second time I climbed to the top of the mountain
Take a photo with the Gabala Monument, sign the "Air Force Red Landmark Tour" custom bookmark, and tell the story of Gabala in his eyes...... Every activity on the second ascent to the top of the mountain is a tribute. I have long heard that the natural conditions here are harsh: it is very cold, and the minimum can reach minus 35 °C; Squalls, force 8 to 10 winds blow for 9 months a year; Lack of oxygen, the oxygen content of the air is less than half of that of the sea level, which is very unbearable. Wang Shengquan, a "soldier king" who has been in the military for 30 years and has been at the Gabala Hero Radar Station for 28 years, said that there was once a soldier who accidentally put his head against the wall when he was sleeping, and when he got up the next morning, his hair was frozen by ice and he couldn't get up at all. But now the conditions have changed dramatically, from the knocking of ice and water at that time, to the current warm underground water cellars, etc., in the new generation of Gabala people, he sees their indomitable spirit.
Gabala Hero Radar Station Wang Shengquan and the radar equipment that guards day and night
In the course of the interview, we also encountered a "midsummer hailstorm" on the top of the mountain, but the enthusiasm of everyone to participate was particularly high. On the position at an altitude of 5,374 meters, the majestic national anthem sounded, and the bright five-star red flag was raised. In the face of strong winds and hail, everyone stood solemnly and saluted the national flag, the snow-capped mountains, and the officers and soldiers who were willing to dedicate their youth to defend the motherland.
A solemn flag-raising ceremony was held at the position
Climbed to the top of the mountain for the third time
For the third time we climbed to the top of the mountain, we planned to stand at the Ganbala station at an altitude of 5,374 meters, chatting with the radar soldiers stationed here, and immersing ourselves in the spirit of "taking root in the ice peak and guarding the mountain". On this day, we heard the most simple voices of the radar soldiers:
"I've been coming to Gabala for a month after the recruit company, and I feel like Gabala is at home. For the future, strive to inherit the spirit of Gabala and be a qualified Gabala person. ”
"I came to Gabala on my own initiative, because I felt that if I was a radar soldier, I would definitely come to this kind of place."
"The old squad leader of our profession always said that the most dangerous places for him to go. Some time ago, because the wind was blown, the fiber optic cable was blown off, and they repaired it all night, and they didn't go back until noon the next day, and their spirit has been influencing us. ”
"I am a cook, and the old squad leader said that the dishes should be full of color, flavor and flavor, and the standard of side dishes is also very high. After getting off the station, every time it is time to eat, it is necessary to make all the meals about 10~15 minutes in advance, and the speed must also be raised. ”
The first lesson of the recruits of the Gabala Hero Radar Station
Standing at the historical juncture of the 30th anniversary of the awarding of the Gabala Hero Radar Station, looking back at the glorious history of the 74 years since the establishment of the radar unit, this special reporting mission has made me gain a lot. 5374 is not only the altitude but also the spiritual height. Gabala is not only a red landmark of the Air Force, but also the spiritual coordinates of the radar troops. As the fourth stop of the Air Force's Red Landmark Tour, the Gabala Hero Radar Station once again showed us the strong will of "iron heart to the party, rooted and striving". In order for the banner of heroes to fly forever and for the spirit of Gabala to shine forever, they are accelerating the transformation and charging towards the goal of realizing the centenary of the founding of the army as scheduled, and strive to write a new chapter on the new journey.
Author丨Qin Wanying, Shenzhen Satellite TV direct news reporter
Editor丨Nie Qianyu, Shenzhen Satellite TV Direct News Editor