After 40 years of hard work, the 105-year-old Sichuan Red Army recalls the glorious years:
During the Anti-Japanese War, I volunteered to destroy the Japanese army bunker and the hat was knocked off by bullets
□West China Metropolis Daily - Cover reporter Xie Ying, Bazhong City, Pingchang County, photo report
On December 8, 2021, the "heavy snow" solar term just passed, and the weather became colder, but Du Lixia, a resident of the Xinhua Street community in Pingchang County, Bazhong City, felt warm at home.
Du Guobang, an old Red Army soldier, sat on the sofa in the living room and took a few sips of hot water handed over by his wife He Xingxiu.
"I'm old, I can't remember clearly." In the intermittent narration, the old man's thoughts returned to the beacon smoke of crossing the snow-capped mountains and grasslands, fighting the Japanese invaders and liberating Tianjin during the war.
At 10 o'clock in the morning, the elderly Du Guobang got up and went out to visit the Stone Carving Slogan Garden of the Red Army of Chinese Workers and Peasants.
He held the railing with his right hand, his daughter Du Lixia held his left arm, and his wife He Xingxiu turned off the light and locked the door.
Going through 9 stair corners, a total of 81 steps, go down to a narrow and straight corridor.
The two elderly people rested for a while, and the oncoming residents stopped one after another to say hello to the two elderly people whose combined age is 205 years old. After walking through 55 steeper steps, the elderly finally came to the busy street.
When he was young, he left home and spent 17 years in the army. He returned to his hometown with injuries for 40 years.
At the end of December 2021, the elderly Du Guobang stepped onto his "105th" life ladder.
The legendary story of the more than 100-year-old old Red Army and its influence on the younger generation, like the Ba River passing through the city, never stops.
Climbing over snow-capped mountains
Farm baby forged into steel warrior
In 1917, Du Guobang was born in Qili Village, Jiangkou Town, Pingchang County, Bazhong City.
In January 1933, the Red Fourth Front Army captured Desheng Mountain in Pingchang County, and then launched an attack on Yuanshan, Sima and other places.
Du Guobang, who was 16 years old at the time, "likes to make a lot of noise. He doesn't understand anything, so he just follows them."
After walking out for a long time, the troops found that there was a "tail" behind them, and a soldier reported to the superior: "There is a little baby behind." After inquiring about the purpose of the visit, the troops agreed that Du Guobang would join the team.
In this way, the farmer Du Guobang was incorporated into the Children's Corps, carrying a small saber on his back and carrying a red tassel gun. In addition to training, studying and organizing food, he also took care of the wounded in the Red Army.
There is a nurse named Du Mei in the health team. Because she has the same surname and is five years older than him, Du Guobang affectionately calls her her sister and acts as an assistant for Du Mei, pouring water, medicine and cleaning for the wounded.
Over the past few months, under the careful care of the "sisters and brothers", the wounded's injuries gradually improved and recovered.
After the Battle of Yinan, Du Guobang followed the troops across the Jialing River to the west, and crossed the western Sichuan Plateau, which was full of wind and snow.
The soldiers each handed out a red chili pepper and chewed a bite when it was cold. Everyone was tied to a tree vine, and everyone moved forward step by step together.
The snow particles hurt on the face, and the snow that could not see the road was full of dangers.
Due to Du Guobang's small body, the chief instructed him to "take good care of Xiao Du", so a soldier from Fujian surnamed Luan walked out of the danger step by step with Du Guobang on his back.
On the way, they witnessed some of the soldiers fall into the snow pit and never climb out again.
After turning over the snow-capped mountains, the soldiers were very excited when the flat grassland appeared in front of them.
"It's green, and breathing is much smoother." Du Guobang said.
In 1936, Du Guobang followed the troops to Yan'an and met the top leader of the Red Army.
The troops are strictly disciplined, and it is forbidden to take a needle and a line from the masses. The soldiers carry water and chop wood for the common people.
After several years of experience, Du Guobang has also learned a lot of combat skills, including guerrilla warfare and "sparrow warfare" tactics. He has grown from a farmer to a brave warrior.
Cannonball knocks rice bowl off hand
Twice in battle with the god of death
In 1937, the full-scale Anti-Japanese War broke out, and Du Guobang was incorporated into the 115th Division of the Eighth Route Army.
On the Anti-Japanese Front Front in North China, he risked his life several times to go deep into the enemy's warehouses and retrieve a lot of guns, ammunition and supplies for the troops.
In the winter of 1940, Du Guobang's company was ordered to destroy a Japanese bunker.
At that time, there were dozens of enemies in the bunkers, and the Japanese army, relying on solid fortifications and machine guns, opened fire on the Eighth Route Army, and Du Guobang's troops were once blocked from attacking.
At a critical moment, Du Guobang took the initiative to ask Ying to cut off the barbed wire around the bunker.
He slumped forward, while the enemy was not paying attention, he cut a piece of wire secretly; when he cut the second wire, he was spotted by the Japanese sentry, the bullets flew in, and the moment Du Guobang bowed his head, his hat was knocked off by the bullet. .
At that time, Du Guobang, who did not care about his personal safety, had only one belief in his heart: he would destroy the Japanese army bunker no matter what.
Under the cover of the firepower of his comrades, Du Guobang finally cut the barbed wire, and the troops took advantage of the situation to launch an attack and conquer the Japanese bunker.
During the War of Liberation, Du Guobang's company became the main force in the attack on Tianjin.
During the war, Du Guobang, holding a rifle, together with his comrades, charged the city wall again and again.
The battle was extremely fierce. The soldiers were resting under an arch bridge outside the city during the fighting. When they were having lunch, several shells landed on the grass nearby. Several horses were killed on the spot, and Du Bangguo was unfortunately hit by shrapnel in the left leg.
40 years of cultivating
No one knew that the farmer turned out to be a hero
In 1950, with the approval of the army, Du Guobang returned to his hometown in Sichuan to recuperate.
After the introduction, he married He Xingxiu, who was separated by a mountain ridge.
The men of the same age in the village are the pillars of the family, but Du Guobang knows nothing. "It takes a whole day to cultivate one mu of land." His wife made fun of him. Although he was annoyed, he still studied hard.
Du Guobang is tall but ingenious. During the construction of roads in Tongjiang County, he learned the craftsmanship of carpentry under his apprenticeship, making furniture and repairing pigsties.
Occasionally after a few drinks in the evening, he would tell his wife about his past.
"I don't know how to read and write, and I don't understand very well." Although he did not speak many times, He Xingxiu always listened carefully every time. .
Relying on more than 10 acres of land, to raise four children, life is naturally a little tight.
Du Guobang sometimes loses his temper, and the couple occasionally bickers, but in He Xingxiu's memory, the two have worked together for more than 70 years without a single violent quarrel.
"If he's angry, I'll just bear it." Elder He Xingxiu said with a smile.
Influenced by his father, Du Guobang's second son, Du Pingxia, also became a soldier after graduating from high school.
When returning home to visit relatives one year, her father inadvertently told the story of her youth at the dinner table, and Du Pingxia was stunned.
He did not expect that the old father, who was almost in his old age, would have such a turbulent youth.
After Du Pingxia returned to the army, she connected with the relevant parties. After verification by the relevant departments in Daxian area at that time, and a document was issued in 1991, Du Guobang's legendary experience was known to more people.
"Don't forget your roots"
He often instructs his children and grandchildren to "serve the people well"
At 11:00 am on December 8, 2021, Du Guobang arrived at the Chinese Workers and Peasants' Red Army Stone Carving Slogan Garden in Fotou Mountain, Pingchang County, Bazhong. Don't smoke.
He Xingxiu joked: "Look, if you don't realize it, it's up to you to smoke!" "When you married me, you didn't say that those who smoked would not marry!" The conversation between the two old men made everyone laugh.
After a short rest, Du Guobang declined help from others, and began to browse the stone slogans with crutches.
Seeing the joy, he threw away his crutches and shouted the password, tried to straighten his hunched back, and punched one by one.
"He's very 'melon'. He has been like this for more than 70 years." He Xingxiu smiled and shook his head.
The town of Pingchang, which is surrounded by mountains and rivers, is known as a "small mountain city", and some residential buildings are built close to the mountain walls.
Du Guobang's second daughter, Du Lixia, lives in a total of 136 steps, and young adults have to climb out of breath.
In 1994, 77-year-old Du Guobang went to the city and lived in Du Lixia's house.
The old man walked briskly up and down the stairs every day, and the neighbors were stunned.
When he gets up every day, Du Guobang folds the quilt neatly. He likes brightly colored shirts. When important guests visit, he must wear a tie in person.
Today, the Du family has four generations living in the same house, with a total of 29 members.
In the eyes of the children, the father's active and optimistic father and the mother's tolerance and virtuousness are the secrets of the two people's 70 years of "platinum marriage".
"Don't forget your roots", this is a phrase Du Guobang always talks about.
"If it wasn't for the chief taking care of me back then, I could walk out of the snowy mountains and grasslands alone?" The second son, Du Pingxia, kept his old father's words in mind. He worked hard in the army for 12 years. When a gas tank exploded, he rushed into the sea of fire and rescued 5 people. , won the third-class merit.
Du Qingsong, the grandson of Du Guobang, now works at the Pingchang County Veterans Affairs Bureau.
Every time he came to visit his grandfather, he always reminded him to serve the people and veterans.
Grandpa's legendary life and revolutionary belief gave Du Qingsong a deeper understanding of the value and significance of his work.