Chapter 6 2. We crossed the Yalu River with high spirits

After the US and Lee enemy troops crossed the "38th Parallel" dividing North and South Korea, they quickly invaded north. On October 19, Pyongyang, the capital of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, fell and continued to invade the North.At this critical juncture, Chairman Mao and the Party Central Committee ordered the Chinese People's Volunteers to go abroad to fight the enemy head-on. On the evening of October 19, the first echelon units of our 38th Army, 42nd Army, 39th Army, and 40th Army crossed the Yalu River from Ji'an, Changdian River Estuary, and Dandong respectively, and marched towards the scheduled combat area.

Our 119th Division, as the second echelon of the 40th Army, crossed the river on the evening of October 20th following the 118th and 120th Divisions of the first echelon of the army.On October 19, our headquarters, the political department and the units directly under the division arrived in Dandong by train from Caohekou, where they were stationed.That night I stayed at Yucai Primary School in Dandong City.It is very close to the Yalu River, just a few minutes' walk. During the daytime on the 20th, we were very tense.Repeatedly check whether the luggage and items carried abroad meet the requirements and confidentiality regulations.First, the individual checks, then everyone checks each other, and finally the leader checks. , I am a clerk. In addition to checking personal belongings and work supplies, I also need to check the items carried by my subordinates - correspondents, buglers, barbers, hygienists, etc. according to my duties.But in fact, these senior members are all fighters trained in the War of Liberation. They have rich experience and don't need me to do any inspections. On the contrary, they also help me to check.

Today, everyone is very excited because they are about to leave the motherland and embark on a journey to fight in a foreign country.Time passed by minute by minute, it seemed to be very fast, but it also seemed to be very slow.The problems in my heart, although the leadership education has basically been resolved recently, but I really have to leave, and I still can't get rid of them in my mind.Mainly I miss my parents, my relatives, and my hometown; I don’t know when we will see each other again.This kind of longing is both vague and turbulent.At this moment, what kind of feeling is there? There is really no suitable language to describe it!

At 5:00 p.m., the assembly number sounded tick-tock.The teams directly under our division and directly under the team gathered neatly on the playground of Yucai Primary School.We hold a pledge meeting here to express our determination to Chairman Mao, the Party Central Committee and the people of the whole country: we must defeat U.S. imperialism and its puppets, and we will never stop until we win a complete victory; In that way, enter North Korea, express friendship and respect to the Korean people, the Korean People’s Army, the Democratic Government of Korea, the Workers’ Party of Korea, other democratic parties, and Comrade Kim Il Sung, the leader of the Korean people, and strictly abide by military discipline; please Chairman Mao, the Party Central Committee Rest assured with the people of the whole country, we must win glory for Chairman Mao, the Party Central Committee and the people of the whole country.

Set off!A password is also a command.After the brief swearing-in meeting, our team set off.Yucai Primary School is very close to the Yalu River, and within a few minutes, we arrived at the bridgehead of the Riverside Railway Bridge.Due to the strict confidentiality of the actions of the volunteers going abroad to fight, at the bridgehead of the Yalu River, only dozens of people organized by the party and government organizations of Dandong City waved small flags and flowers lined up on both sides of the bridgehead road to send us off silently. Except for the footsteps of our team, the whole scene was silent. It was quiet.The people who sent us off looked at us with trust, love and solemn eyes, conveying the ardent expectations of Chairman Mao, the Party Central Committee and the people of the whole country.

We walked onto the bridge.At this moment, everyone's heart was pounding, but they didn't think about anything.Perhaps there is a sense of honor and a sense of mission, potentially floating in the heart.It made our steps stronger, quicker, bigger, onto the bridge, and march forward. This is a majestic steel structure railway bridge with tall arched guardrails on both sides.We walked into the guardrail, stepped on the railway sleepers, and moved forward with vigorous steps.Under the bridge is the torrential river flowing, and on the bridge is the sound of the footsteps of thousands of troops every step forward, like a march forward bravely.At that time, there was no battle song for the Volunteer Army, so there was no such concept as "Crossing the Yalu River" as described in the opening line of the song's lyrics.But looking back now, it was indeed that kind of atmosphere.We walked on the bridge for about 10 minutes and reached the other side.This is already North Korea's land.Riverside is the famous North Korean city of Sinuiju across the river from Dandong City in my country.However, we did not enter the urban area of ​​Sinuiju, but passed through the suburbs.At the head of the Yalu River Bridge on the North Korean side, about 10 North Korean comrades greeted us and welcomed us.

At this time, the sky has entered the night.Since the entire North Korean sky is controlled by the enemy, in order to prevent enemy planes from bombing, all urban and rural areas are under blackout, and the entire land is pitch black.Our team marches through the night.About 15,000 people from our whole division crossed the river tonight.The order is: the 356 regiment of the front team, followed by our division headquarters, the political department and the units directly under the division, then the 355 regiment, and finally the 357 regiment.Each army held an oath meeting at its own station according to the prescribed time and order, and then set off to the Yalu River, crossed the bridge, bid farewell to the motherland and set foot on the land of North Korea.