Dahe Daily reporter Li Shaomeng
Wang Meng, a native of Luoyang, once participated in "Changjin Lake" as a tanker (photo provided by the interviewee)
During the National Day, the movie "Chosin Lake" set against the background of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea was screened, which was a panoramic restoration of the cold war on Chosin Lake, which made the patriotic pulse of many viewers resonate with the same frequency of the movie. And what you don't know is that in the hit "Changjin Lake", there are our Fellow Luoyang residents participating. The 38-year-old Wang Meng played a tanker in it, and once performed "opponent play" with Wu Jing. As a veteran who served in the former 38th Group Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, Wang Meng frankly said that participating in "Chosin Lake" is a "sense of mission" driven force.
Despite his family's objections, he participated in "Chosin Lake"
In the movie, Wang Meng is tasked with driving a Sherman tank as a tanker in the U.S. army. "We were all heavily armed and wearing helmets when we drove tanks, and most of the time we had to close the hatches." Wang Meng told reporters that he may not see his "face" in the film, but he is familiar with the shots he starred in, "I can recognize it in a flash."
In the film, the war scene of the swallowing mountains and rivers, the audience deeply experienced what is called "the happy life of the present is not easy to come by". Among them, the scene where Wu Jing and the enemy army opened fire duels and blew up the enemy turret made many people call the Chinese soldiers "Zhen Gang"! In this scene, Wang Meng pilots a tank in the enemy's Sherman tank cabin.
As a tank soldier who served in an armored regiment of the former 38th Group Army of the people's liberation army in Chinese for 16 years, although he has been discharged from the army for 5 years, "opening a tank" is as simple as "opening a toy" for Wang Meng.
At the end of last year, when he heard the news of the recruitment of group performances for "Chosin Lake", Wang Meng immediately decided: "Must go." And driving his "sense of mission".
Driving a Sherman tank in the ice and snow brought Wang Meng a lot of challenges
"In the history of our troops, they were the first to enter the DPRK to participate in the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea, and 'Chosin Lake' is the story of our troops." Wang Meng said that because he could drive tanks and had served in the former Thirty-eighth Group Army of the Chinese People's Liberation Army, he signed up without letting go.
"They all said they weren't going to let you show your face, why are you so active?" Wang Meng told reporters that after retiring from the army, he ran a camp with outward training as the main camp, and to participate in "Changjin Lake" meant that the business was unmanaged, because the shooting environment was harsh, and it would take more than half a year to go, and his family did not support Wang Meng's decision at first.
Wang Meng said that it is a very precious experience to be able to star in "Chosin Lake" and interpret the story of the troops he served in.
Drive a Sherman tank freely in the snow and ice
Although he is a tank "veteran", the extreme shooting environment still brings Wang Meng a lot of challenges.
In February this year, Wang Meng came to Zhangjiakou Huailai with the crew, and the temperature was more than -30 degrees Celsius, and the tough guy Wang Meng also felt that it was difficult to endure. The Sherman tank in the movie is a more fished mechanical operation type, which is different from the hydraulic type that Wang Meng is familiar with, how to quickly familiarize himself with driving a tank, Wang Meng constantly gives himself "extra meals" practice.
During the official shooting, Wang Meng wore a costume on the outside and warm clothes on the inside, and he often froze his teeth and fought after a scene.
What impressed Wang Meng was one of the scenes, the shooting location is very narrow, driving the tank is not easy, the director strives for real effects, requiring Wang Meng to wear a tank helmet, close the tank hatch and drive at high speed. Because at that time, the sand was full of eyes, the sky was drifting snow, and the vision was very poor. In order to meet the requirements of the director, Wang Meng gritted his teeth and went into battle. "I opened the hatch through a gap and half-squatted inside the cabin." Wang Meng said that due to the instability of the semi-squatting center of gravity, he found two wooden sticks, resisted his waist, and successfully completed the task.
Skillfully driving a Sherman tank in the ice and snow, this performance experience made Wang Meng sigh deeply: "In the real Battle of Chosin Lake, where did our soldiers get warm clothes, and they did not have as sophisticated equipment as the enemy army." Wang Meng said that Chinese soldiers have an unshakable will, and they are great heroes.
Veterans do not fade, and have participated in disaster relief in Zhengzhou, Xinxiang and other places
This participation in "Chosin Lake" fulfilled one of Wang Meng's "wishes" for the old troops: "Although I am discharged from the army, I am still a soldier. ”
In addition to his own outward training camp, Wang Meng also joined the Luoyang Condor Rescue Team, a local civilian rescue force in Luoyang. He has searched for shanghai tourists who have gone missing in the mountains in the middle of the night, and has also rescued drowning people in the cold winter. In July this year, Zhengzhou and Xinxiang suffered heavy rainfall, and Wang Meng also went deep into the disaster area with the team for the first time to participate in the rescue.
"If I've been a soldier, I'll always be a soldier." Wang Meng said that the military green life occupies most of his life, and the two words "soldier" have been deeply rooted in his bones and imprinted in his soul, "I am proud of myself as a Chinese soldier." ”
Source: Big River News Editor: Qu Ge