Li Junmin: Nine deaths send supplies to defend the "iron-blooded" lifeline

Editor's note: The 100-year journey is magnificent, and the 100-year original heart is long-lasting. 2021 marks the 100th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party of China, the beginning of the 14th Five-Year Plan, and the beginning of a new journey of comprehensively building a modern socialist country. History and the future converge, and the party's heart and the people's heart resonate.

On the occasion of the centenary of the founding of the party and the development of party history study and education, Yingxiang Network launched a special series of theme reports on "100 Veterans Telling Party History" to listen to the revolutionary stories of the predecessors, dig deep into Henan's red resources, review the road of struggle in the future, and learn from the road of future endeavor.

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Jin Jiangtao, a reporter of the Image Network, and Ding Yangguang, a trainee reporter

Li Junmin, born in 1932 in Huaidian Town, Shenqiu County, is 89 years old this year, joined the 100th Division of the Chinese People's Liberation Army in May 1949 when liberating Shanghai, and was later reorganized into the 63rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division; entered the Korean War in March 1951, was awarded the third class meritorious service once and the fourth class meritorious service four times in October 1953; demobilized in 1955, after many job changes, retired in 1986.

Actively respond to the state's call to accompany the troops into the KOREAN War

In a small courtyard near the south bank of the Shahe River in Shenqiu County, Zhoukou City, Li Junmin is alone with flowers and plants, although he is close to 90 years old this year, but the old man is in good spirits, his eyes are not dazzling, his ears are not deaf, and his conversation is very clear.

"When I was very young, I went out of the house to go to school in Kaifeng, and due to the war and the loss of contact with my family, my life was not settled. Later, when the students arrived in Shanghai and decided to join the Chinese People's Liberation Army, they were only 17 years old at that time..." The elderly Li Junmin opened the conversation box.

According to Li Junmin, after joining the army at the age of 17, he honorably joined the 100th Division of the Chinese People's Liberation Army. Later, the division was changed to the 63rd Anti-Aircraft Artillery Division. In March 1951, he actively responded to the call of the state to resist the United States and aid Korea, defend his family and defend the country, and entered the Korean War with his troops.

"On the battlefield, I do logistical support work, mainly supplying the troops with medicines, uniforms, firearms and other materials. At that time, logistics and transportation were very critical, after all, it was a remote operation, the climate was tens of degrees below zero, the roads were uneven, and there were enemy planes bombing on it..." As a veteran soldier who participated in the Volunteer Army to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, Li Junmin still remembers the war to defend his family and defend the country.

At that time, the Korean Peninsula was freezing cold, and the low temperature of minus 20 to 30 degrees Celsius was a huge test for the soldiers. Because there is a big gap between the combat weapons and equipment entering the DPRK and the US military, the winter clothes of the volunteer army are mainly cotton clothes and cotton pants, although they can keep warm, but once they are soaked by water, they will be frozen and lose their thermal efficiency.

"At that time, there was heavy snow all over the mountains, and as soon as I walked on my feet, I was frozen unconscious, and I even slept curled up in the snow. At that time, the US military had air superiority, aircraft support, often bombed, in order not to be discovered only by night marching, at that time thought of driving the invaders out completely, the big guys returned home victoriously early. Old Man Li Junmin said emotionally.

Death and death at night marching bridges to ensure transportation

"Because of the lack of vitamins and other drugs, many soldiers on the battlefield are suffering from night blindness, there is a danger of blindness at any time, and there is a serious shortage of food and ammunition, in order to prevent soldiers from losing combat effectiveness, it is urgent to go to the rear to transport ammunition, food, medicine and other materials. Speaking of this, the voice of the old man Li Junmin suddenly rose, and his thoughts returned to the battlefield of life and death filled with smoke.

On the Korean battlefield at that time, in order to cut off the logistics and transportation support line of the volunteer army, the US military constantly sent aircraft to bomb bridges and roads, so the task of escorting materials was very dangerous, and there was a danger of being bombed by aircraft at any time.

"When I was on a mission, I didn't expect to come back alive, and in order to transport supplies, everyone marched at night to build bridges to ensure transportation." In this way, Li Junmin and his comrades-in-arms rested during the day and drove at night, and did not dare to turn on the lights. The temperature is low, the frozen road is slippery, there is a danger of falling into the cliff at any time, and the speed is almost "crawling". During one of the missions to transport supplies, Li Junmin encountered a cold current, the temperature suddenly dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius, the north of North Korea is a plateau, the mountains are undulating, the jungle is dense, the snow is thick, the road is slippery, the wheels are spinning in place, and it is impossible to climb the slope, so Li Junmin and his comrades-in-arms follow the vehicle on foot. As soon as the wheels slipped, they immediately put on the triangular wood so that the transport vehicle would not slide downhill, and finally completed the transportation task after countless hardships and nine deaths.

Li Junmin and his comrades-in-arms successfully completed logistics and transportation tasks on many occasions, defended the logistical lifeline, ensured the smooth flow of supplies, and made great contributions to the victory of the volunteer army on the front line.

After the end of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea in 1953, Li Junmin's unit did not immediately withdraw to China, and it was not until June 1955 that he returned from Korea.

Deep hope

At the end of the interview, the elderly Li Junmin turned over the military merit badge and honorary certificate that had been pressed at the bottom of the box for many years, and carefully put the military merit badge on his chest to show it, and the pride on his face suddenly appeared.

Although Li Junmin is not a party member, he has already dedicated a hot red heart to the motherland. "Only when there is a country can there be a home, and without the leadership of the Communist Party, there would be no happy life now." Now the state has given me a retirement salary, life is relatively stable, but also very fulfilling, the current happiness is not easy to come by, is the result of the struggle of millions of soldiers, to cherish ah! Old Man Li Junmin said emotionally.

He hoped that the study and education on party history now will enable more young people to learn more about the history of the party and the state such as the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, the War of Liberation, and the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, cherish the happy life they have now, and follow the party so that our country will become stronger.