Since the Battle of Lanzhou, there has been no major war in the northwest, and hundreds of thousands of field soldiers have put down their steel guns, picked up hoes and steel brazes to split the mountain. The Tenth Division of the Ichino 4th Army was no exception, responsible for building the railway from Tianshui to Lanzhou.
Although the living conditions have improved a lot, it is a new severe test to take the hands of the steel gun to open the mountain and split the road. Under the guidance of the railway engineers and technicians who had been received, the commanders and fighters built roadbeds, and when they encountered mountains, they had to shoot cannons, blow up rocks, or dig caves.
By June, the superiors suddenly came with an order to transfer Liu Maogong, commander of the Tenth Division, to the Air Force.
Counting from being the squad leader of the Forty-sixth Division and the Third Regiment of the Forty-sixth Division of the Red Twenty-sixth Army, the predecessor of the Thirty Regiment of the Tenth Division of the Fourth Army, and cutting out the time for study and transfer in the middle, Liu Maogong stayed in the Tenth Division for 16 years, and he had great feelings for this unit and was reluctant to leave.
More importantly, at that time, in the understanding of many people, to do the air force is to fly an airplane, that must be learned. Liu Maogong believed that after so many years in the army, from a sheep herder who could only read a few words to a division commander, although he had attended the Red University (Kang Da), entered the party school, and lived in the military and political research class of the Left Behind Corps, his education level was still far behind.
Besides, Liu Maogong is close to 34 years old and older, so he thinks he can't do it and is unwilling to do it.
Although he didn't want to do the air force in his heart, he could call and order Liu Maogong to leave one by one. There was no way, Liu Maogong had to take his family away from the Tenth Division. First, I went to Lintao and met Zhang Dazhi, the commander of the Fourth Army.
Commander Zhang said: "It is not the opinion of the military to transfer you away, and to be honest, I am not willing to let you go." The corps probably couldn't be the master, it was the order of the field army. ”
Liu Maogong said that he would go to the corps and the field army to reflect his opinions. Zhang Dazhi said yes, and specially sent Comrade Yao Zhiyi, chief of staff of the Fourth Army, to accompany Liu Maogong.
Liu Maogong and Comrade Yao Zhiyi went to Lanzhou together, stayed at the headquarters of the Second Corps, and first looked for Zhang Wenzhou,the chief of staff, who spoke simply: "You don't want to go!" Be nice here, what are you doing there? Tell Noji about it and fight not to go. ”
Liu Maogong also sought out Zhu Ming, director of the Political Department, or a political work cadre with a strong sense of principle: "As a party member, a soldier, and a leading cadre, can you disobey the orders and organizational decisions of your superiors?" ”
Liu Maogong was not satisfied, so he went to the Ichino Headquarters to find Gan Siqi, deputy political commissar and director of the Political Department: "Director Gan, did you recommend me to the Air Force?" You don't recommend, how can others know me? ”
Director Gan patiently said to Liu Maogong: "I recommended it. Comrade Liu Yalou, commander of the Air Force, proposed to the Central Military Commission that 15 young divisional cadres from the Army be selected and transferred to the Air Force. The Central Military Commission assigned Ichino four indicators. After examination, I recommended you and another comrade among the 9 division commanders of the Second Corps and reported it. Because that comrade is a year older than you, the Central Military Commission approved you. This is a matter agreed upon by the central authorities. If you don't go, won't you tell me to sit on wax?" ”
Liu Maogong said, "What should I do about this?" I am certainly not competent for the work of the Air Force, can the director report to the Central Military Commission and change it? ”
Director Gan thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I'll report it." But you have to be ready to go. The CMC's decision cannot be easily changed. The Air Force will also inspect you, and if the Air Force cannot check it, I welcome you to come back. ”
Liu Maogong had nothing more to say. We had to hope that the Central Military Commission would change its decision or that the Air Force would not be able to check it. Before leaving, Comrade Gan Siqi said: "Your face is not good, and you are much thinner, go check your body!" ”
Liu Maogong went to the field military hospital to check his body, where several Soviet medical experts had already come and examined Liu Maogong, but there was nothing wrong with him. After letting Liu Maogong spin rapidly in a wheelchair, he suddenly stopped and asked Liu Maogong the direction, and Liu Maogong pointed it out clearly.
He didn't know it at the time, and that this was actually the first hurdle in the Air Force.
A week later, Deputy Political Commissar Gan Siqi said to Liu Maogong: "No, the Central Military Commission has decided not to change it." You get ready, let's go! ”
Yiye specially dispatched a C-46 and sent the three cadres selected and transferred, Liu Zhen, political commissar of the 12th Division of the Fourth Army, Liu Fenghong and Liu Maogong, deputy commanders of the Eighth Division of the Third Army, and the families of the three people to Beijing.
Comrade Liu Maogong and Comrade Liu Zhen can also be regarded as fateful, on the same day from Lanzhou to serve as the air force, more than 30 years later, they returned to the Lanzhou Air Force as commanders and political commissars, and after leaving retirement, they were neighbors.
The air division is at the west entrance of min lane in the eastern suburbs. Previously, it was the foreign embassy district. The compound occupied by the Air Division was originally the headquarters of the Kuomintang North China Air Force. At this time, Liu Maogong and others were still not dead in their hearts when they returned to the army, and of course they were not ready to report, but they wanted to talk to Commander Liu Yalou of the Air Force in person and ask him to "raise his noble hand."
At this time, the Air Force was officially established only 8 months ago. The leading members of the Air Force have not yet been matched. There are very few people in the organs, and all of them work in the courtyard of the eastern suburbs of Minxiang. Commander Liu Yalou happened to be there.
The three men went straight to the point and talked about their desire to return to the Army. When Liu Maogong went to the Red Army University, Comrade Liu Yalou was the director of the Training Department and Liu Maogong's old superior, and he also knew Liu Maogong. In addition, at that stage, a large number of people were being transferred from the army to the air force, and there were probably not a few people who encountered the same ideological problems as Liu Maogong.
Therefore, Liu Yalou was not in a hurry, not strange, not angry, very patient and kind to do persuasion and education work, and dismissed the "reasons" that Liu Maogong had already thought out one by one.
Talked for nearly 3 hours, no results. Liu Yalou found that Liu Maogong said more and believed that he was "the leader", so he talked to Liu Maogong alone the next day. Talking back and forth, Liu Maogong could not convince him, nor could he convince Liu Maogong.
Liu Maogong identified a way - just don't do it! Liu Yalou had no choice, so he endured without getting angry, and asked Liu Maogong to go back and think about it.
Early the next morning, Liu Maogong went to see Comrade Xu Guangda, the newly appointed commander of the armored corps and the former commander of the Second Corps. He was transferred a month earlier than Liu Maogong, living in the Xiangcun Restaurant, also outside the front door, very close.
Commander Xu was good at listening to the opinions of his subordinates, resourceful and good at making decisions, and was an old chief respected by Liu Maogong, so Liu Maogong asked him for help. As soon as he heard that Liu Maogong wanted to invite him to the Central Military Commission for accommodation, Xu Guangda scratched his head and said with embarrassment: "You are not here with Director Gan of Lanzhou. You have come now, and you have reported to the Central Military Commission, so I can't say it! ”
After a pause, he said, "You really can't do it, and I can't do anything about it." You can come to me and let's do the armored soldiers together!" ”
The third time Liu Yalou talked to Liu Maogong, he became angry: "Comrade, how can you do this?" You are a revolutionary soldier, a member of the Communist Party, right? Communists must obey the organization, and soldiers must obey orders. Do you obey or disobey? ”
Liu Maogong was not convinced: "Communist Party members are allowed to mention it if they have opinions!" ”
Liu Yalou's tone was a little urgent: "It was the Central Military Commission that transferred you, not me Liu Yalou who transferred you." The Central Military Commission ordered you to obey or disobey? ”
Liu Maogong still prevaricated: "I can't do it with a low culture!" ”
Liu Yalou pointed to the appraisal that Yiye had given Liu Maogong: "You are an excuse. This is the appraisal of you by the Ichino Party Committee, you see, how can you say that you can't do it? ”
Liu Maogong said: "That refers to the army, and I can't learn to engage in the air force!" ”
Liu Yalou said helplessly: "You comrade, I have talked to you 3 times, why are you still so stubborn?" ”
Liu Maogong still did not let go: "I have also begged you 3 times, why don't you understand my difficulties?" ”
On Sunday, Liu Yalou arranged for the Air Force Command to send a jeep to pick up Liu Maogong's family to play at the Summer Palace.
Embarrassed, Liu Maogong and his wife went with their son. I went to know that all this was Liu Yalou's "plan".
Many people went on this day, including Xiao Hua, second deputy director of the General Political Department, Luo Ruiqing, minister of public security and commander of the Public Security Army, and Deng Hua, commander of the Thirteenth Corps of the Siye Army. Liu Maogong and they swam the Seventeen Holes Bridge, Wanshou Mountain, and took a ferry to see Kunming Lake.
In the process of playing, Liu Yalou did not mention the work matters, so everyone was very casual. By noon, everyone was hungry and ate in a restaurant in the Summer Palace.
Liu Yalou smiled and said, "Let me introduce you to you, this is the most capable and youngest division commander in Yiye, Comrade Liu Maogong." However, speaking of this comrade Liu Maogong, he was transferred to the Air Force and did not want to do it. I've talked about it 3 times, and I haven't talked it through yet. ”
Xiao Hua had a better temper, and it was the first time he met Liu Maogong, so he gently advised: "Commander Liu has asked Zhuge to go!" To the Air Force is much to be gained. ”
Luo Ruiqing did not work, he knew Liu Maogong during the Red Army period, and he was always more severe, so he criticized very seriously: "This is not okay, you have to obey the order, in the past you were very good in the Seventy-eighth Division of the Fifteenth Army, how did it become like this now?" Obey the decision of the organization and report immediately! ”
In the face of so many chiefs, Liu Maogong was a little embarrassed, and it was really not like to shirk it: "Well, I obey the organization's assignment, and I will report tomorrow!" ”
Everyone laughed. Luo Ruiqing said, "Well, soldier, it should be like this!" Liu Yalou also stood up and shook hands with Liu Maogong.
Later, Liu Maogong heard that his old subordinates, Zhang Guijin, commander of the 28th Regiment of the 10th Division, and Tian Qiyuan, the battalion commander of the 12th Division and a combat hero, were unwilling to go to the air force and ran back to the army. It seems that there are more people who are "stubborn" than Liu Maogong.
Comrade Gan Siqi, deputy political commissar and director of the Political Department of Yiye (Northwest Military Region), really had a word to say, and he left the original post of commander of the Tenth Division vacant for half a year, until Liu Maogong took root in the Air Force, and only then did he appoint Comrade Zuo Ai, the political commissar of the Tenth Division, as the commander of the division.
After Liu Maogong reported to the Air Force, he went to the Air Division Outpatient Department to check his body again. The doctor in charge of the examination was still the Soviet Union, which was examined according to the requirements of the pilots, which was very strict, and the examination items were many and very detailed.
There are also several special projects, such as the electric chair that Liu Maogong sat in Lanzhou, the military doctor pressed the electric door, the chair rotated at a high speed in situ, and then pressed the electric door to stop, immediately letting you point out the southeast, southwest, and northwest. Liu Maogong's physical fitness is good, and everything is qualified.
Two days later, Liu Maogong took a train to the cadre class of the Second Aviation School in Changchun City, northeast China.
The Second Aviation School is one of the six aviation schools aided by the Soviet Union, and the vast majority of the instructors are Soviet Air Force officers, both school officers and lieutenants, and very few Chinese instructors.
The aviation school was compiled with reference to the Soviet military aviation school, and the aircraft and equipment used were also purchased from the Soviet Union. The main aircraft are Jacques-18 primary trainer aircraft, Uterbo-2 intermediate trainer aircraft, Utebo-2 bombing trainer aircraft, Tu-12 bomber and so on.
Liu Maogong's class is a cadre class with more than 40 students. Most of them were divisional cadres transferred from the army, and there were very few regimental positions and no battalion positions. From the perspective of age structure, there are older and smaller than Liu Maogong, and Liu Maogong is 34 years old, which is not a big deal. The education level is similar to that of Liu Maogong, and only three or four have gone to high school.
There were only two or three people in the old Red Army, liu Maogong, and basically all of them joined the army during the War of Resistance Against Japan, and some of them joined the army in the early days of the War of Liberation.
The head teacher of the cadre class was named Sha Ke, a native of Dandong, Liaoning, who later served as the head of the Air Force Training Department and was a major general when he was awarded the title.
Before entering the aviation school, Liu Yalou asked Liu Maogong: "We must first learn the theory well, and then learn to fly." ”
As a new recruit in the Air Force, Liu Maogong also made up his mind to study seriously and become a qualified member of the Air Force.
But really learn, the culture is low, the foundation is poor, what "aircraft structure", "engine structure", "flight principle", "pilotage", "meteorology"... It's really hard to understand, hard to remember, hard to understand.
Because the Soviet instructors overestimated the cultural level of the trainees, were eager to achieve results, had a harsh (even rough) attitude, and had a poor level of translation (mainly because they did not understand technical terms), listening to lectures was almost like listening to "heavenly books."
Soviet instructors (consultants) especially liked to ask questions in class, and the trainees were afraid to ask questions, and when they asked questions, they were blind and nervous. Unable to answer, the Soviets became angry and reprimanded: "Like you still want to learn to fly?!" "Like a kid.
Before the cadets entered the school, most of them were divisions and regimental leaders, and who did not manage thousands of people and horses? In the past, it was all "ordered", who has experienced this? After class, some people hugged their heads and sighed, really wanted to cry!
However, although the Soviet advisers were strict, they had a very good relationship with the trainees during the breaks, and often invited the trainees to eat and play on weekends.
For the difficulties, Liu Maogong has made full ideological preparations. Originally, I didn't want to do it, but I thought of this "difficult" word. But now that he had done it, Liu Maogong could no longer be afraid of it! What to do? There is no good way, only desperate to learn!
During the class, he sat upright like a primary school student, listened carefully to the lecture, and did not let go of a word or a word. All the remaining time and energy, there are problems to write down, individually consult the instructor, and gradually catch up.
After about three or four months, classroom questions, weekly routine quizes, and monthly routine big quizes, Liu Maogong was no longer "uncomfortable.", but he had some expectations for them, and he couldn't keep up with the footsteps.
In addition to theoretical study, internships and operations occupy an important position. When learning to pilot, Soviet instructors flew airplanes and asked trainees to be navigators. He deliberately drove the plane left and right, deviating from the course, and asked you to immediately answer how much to correct to the left and how much to the right, almost not at all, and you had to be disciplined.
Due to the careful study in class, hard practice after class, the operation is easy. The instructor who taught the bomber was a Soviet colonel who was known for his harshness. Bomb throwing training is to draw a large circle with lime at the field range, with a small circle inside, and the number of rings of the chest target shot by the infantry is a truth, and a small white flag is planted in the most central bullseye.
Throwing a trainer is scored on the number of rings hit. Once, when it was Liu Maogong's turn to drop the bomb, Liu Maogong repeatedly calculated according to the formula in advance, controlled the error to a minimum, stared at the target from the nose sight, calculated the amount in advance, quickly pressed the electric button, and the bomb fell straight down to the bullseye, and the sound of "bang" just blew the small flag down, and got the highest score - red 5 points.
By the second semester, Liu Maogong's academic performance was very good.
Unfortunately, Liu Maogong only studied at the Second Aviation School for two semesters, less than 1 year, and did not learn to fly an airplane independently (fly alone), and then graduated.
In July 1951, Liu Maogong was transferred to the political commissar of the Fourth Aviation School. The Four Aviation Schools had more than 80 Jacques-18, Jacques-11 and the most advanced MiG-15 aircraft at that time, with more than 150 instructors.
Comrade Lü Liping, the principal, is a veteran cadre of the old Red Army and the West Road Army, and in March 1938, he learned to fly in the "Xinjiang Aviation Brigade" founded by our party. In the autumn of 1946, he was sent from Yan'an to the northeast to run an aviation school, with good flying skills and familiar business.
Lü Liping
The principal's adviser was a young Soviet officer who was very enthusiastic. He knew that Liu Maogong had learned to fly at the Second Aviation School, and had mastered ground gliding, air navigation, and had been taken flying, and he wanted to continue to learn to fly, he said with a guarantee ticket: "I take you to learn to fly, no need for 60 hours, 40 hours can guarantee that you fly out!" ”
It was easy for him to keep teaching, but it was difficult for Liu Maogong to learn. Because the school was just moving, the burden of the political commissar was on his shoulders, and he was so busy all day that he couldn't squeeze out a little time to study.
When the school was stable and the time was a little looser, unfortunately, the commander of a division of the Air Force had a flight accident. The air division issued a death order: Cadres above the division level or over the age of 35 are not allowed to learn to fly.
Liu Maogong was rudely deprived of the right to learn to fly.
Once, after a meeting at the Air Force Headquarters, Liu Yalou pulled Liu Maogong aside: "You don't want to learn to fly." ”
Liu Maogong said, "Why? When I went to the fourth school, you said you must fly out, and now you are not allowed. You personally promised me to continue learning to fly, hoping that you would honor it. ”
"No way! Circumstances have changed, and I can't help but change the original decision. You are not allowed to fly again. A division commander fell, and I made a review to the Central Committee, and if there is another accident, I will not be able to finish the review! ”
In this way, Liu Maogong's dream of flying out in another thirty or forty hours was completely shattered, which was a regret for his life.
At that time, in the Liu Maogong Fourth Aviation School, in addition to the Soviet advisers, flight instructors, brigade and squadron cadres, the vast majority of them were former Kuomintang air force insurrectionists. These people are skilled and have a high level of education. In the early days of the Air Force, it did play a big role.
Major General Liu Maogong
But Soviet advisers placed too much emphasis on their use and training, and despised or even abandoned the training and education of war-tested cadres of workers and peasants selected from the Army.
Liu Maogong held that this tendency of putting the cart before the horse must be corrected, otherwise the cadres selected and sent by the workers and peasants will never become experts and grasp the command power.
At that time, Liu Maogong was concurrently serving as the director of the Cadre Department of the Fourth Aviation School, so he brought this matter to the party committee for study, and everyone supported it. Therefore, a list of training was drawn up, and Hui Zihua, vice minister of the Cadre Department, talked with the Soviet political advisers of the Aviation School on the issue of training these comrades.
After reading the list and listening to the report, the political adviser arbitrarily said, "No! These people have too poor a cultural foundation to cultivate, and this is your suicide policy!"
The next day, Liu Maogong went to talk about it, but it didn't make sense. The adviser blindly emphasized culture, level, and so on, and said: "Comrade Stalin sent us to China in order to bring out the Chinese comrades as soon as possible. Far from our hometown and relatives, we have overcome all kinds of difficulties in our work and life in order to fulfill the glorious tasks entrusted to us by Comrade Stalin and enable the Chinese Air Force of the big socialist family to grow and become stronger very quickly. ”
Liu Maogong told the consultant through an interpreter: "We are sincerely grateful for the help of the Soviet big brother. However, the growth and strength of the Chinese Air Force must not rely solely on a few former Kuomintang insurgents, but must also rely on the vast number of PLA cadres who have been tested by war for a long time. Your actions are inconsistent with the intentions of Comrade Stalin and the Communist Party of the Soviet Union in aiding China. ”
Words are not speculative, the consultant shoots the case, does not know what to shout, and the translator does not dare to turn it over. Liu Maogong suppressed the anger, took the list, and left his office.
The next morning, the principal's adviser apologized to Liu Maogong: "Comrade Political Commissar, your opinion is right. In the future, we will strive to cultivate more backbone fighters from the army. ”
In the winter of 1952, the superiors decided to move the Fourth Aviation School to Shijiazhuang and establish a new Ten Aviation School on the site of the original Four Aviation School in Taiyuan. Liu Maogong was appointed as the principal of the Tenth Aviation School. In August 1953, the Air Force issued another order to transfer Liu Maogong to the Sixth Air Division as the commander of the division.
Liu Maogong transferred to the Air Force for just over 3 years, and he changed three posts, and he was very dissatisfied. When Wang Bingzhang, deputy commander and chief of staff of the Air Force, asked him to talk about the transfer, Liu Maogong said unceremoniously: "You will not let me learn to fly, and now you want me to become the commander of the flight division, I can't do it." If I don't let me go back to the army, let me study culture. ”
At this time, the Air Force set up a cultural school, and Liu Maogong resolutely asked to enter the cultural school to study. After a few days, Wang Bingzhang approached Liu Maogong and said, "Don't go to any cultural school, or study at the Nanjing Military Academy!" ”
Liu Maogong was interested in going to school, but insisted on going to a cultural school. Wang Bingzhang was not happy: "I will not go to the military academy, or I will not go to the Sixth Division." Go to a cultural school, not approved! ”
At that time, Liu Maogong thought that the military academy was run by Commander Liu Bocheng, and he could return to the army when he went. So I readily agreed.
When reporting to the Nanjing Military Academy, the comrades received by the cadre department received Liu Maogong's letter of introduction, read it for a while, and then said: "I will introduce you to the Air Force Department." After saying that, he sat down and forwarded the letter of introduction to Liu Maogong.
Liu Maogong was stunned and quickly stopped him: "Comrade, don't write first!" I'm here to study the Army!" "Because Liu Maogong didn't know that there was an air force department here, he didn't make this kind of ideological preparation."
The comrades of the cadre department did not raise their heads: "The cadets introduced by the Political Department of the Air Force are all in the Air Force Department, so how can you be an exception?" ”
Liu Maogong pointed out the letter of introduction to him: "The letter of introduction does not write the Department of the Air Force!" I came to study the Army. I asked to talk to the Minister. ”
The director of the cadre department listened to Liu Maogong's "reasons" and demands, smiled and shook his head: "All those introduced by the Air Force study the Air Force, and all those introduced by the Navy learn from the Navy, and the letter of introduction does not need to be noted." If you want to change the service, you can't, there is no precedent for this. ”
It seems that this "loophole" cannot be exploited, so Liu Maogong had no choice but to go to the Air Force Department.
Later, Liu Maogong learned that when the college was established at the end of 1950, it was ready to be named "Chinese People's Liberation Army Army University". Comrade Liu Bocheng, who was in charge of the preparatory work, was thinking about opening the Air Force Department and the Naval Department that he proposed that the central authorities change its name to the "Military Academy of the Chinese People's Liberation Army."