After the tour group arrived in North Korea, they were warmly treated. The host and the host were having fun. When the group talked about the resistance to the U.S. aggression and aid Korea more than 50 years ago, North Korean comrades expressed their sincere gratitude to the volunteer army that year.
pic | Tan Youlin
Among all the members of the tour group, Tan Youlin is the only veteran general who participated in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. He also received the second-level Medal of Freedom and Independence awarded by North Korea that year. This time I visited North Korea, the veteran general hung the medal on his chest. That is, when he was resting, Tan Youlin excitedly told everyone about his experience of joining the North Korea war and winning the medal.
Tan Youlin talked about participating in commanding the Yunshan battle that year, which attracted the attention of a North Korean official at the reception office because he also participated in the Yunshan battle. More importantly, although he did not know General Tan Youlin, he was very familiar with some of the general's affairs.
It turned out that after the end of the Korean War, the North Korean government originally planned to award General Tan Youlin the first-class Medal of Freedom and Independence to , but because General Tan Youlin later returned to China, the matter of awarding the medal was put on hold, and it was put on hold for more than 40 years.
The official immediately reported the situation, which attracted Kim Il-sung's attention. Under his instructions, North Korea held a grand medal ceremony for General Tan Youlin and hung the medal on his chest.
Yunshan Battle
In October 1950, Tan Youlin was appointed as the deputy commander of the 39th Army of the Volunteer Army and followed the large army into North Korea to participate in the war.
According to the original combat plan of the Volunteer Army, after entering North Korea, the large army first built a solid defensive position on the front line of Guicheng, Taichuan, the court, Tokugawa, and Wulaoli to cover the North Korean People's Army's retreat. Unexpectedly, because the United Nations Army led by the US military failed to investigate in advance that our army had entered North Korea and participated in the war, and used mechanized troops to advance quickly. As of October 20, the "United Nations Army" had advanced to the area that our army was scheduled to defend.
Considering that it is impossible to organize defenses according to the original plan, Chairman Mao ordered the Volunteer Army Command on October 21:
"Change the original plan and adopt the policy of annihilation of the enemy in the movement."
In this case, the 38th, 39th, 40th and 42nd armies that entered North Korea in advance could only change the original combat plan.
According to the order of Zhishi, the 38th Army, 39th Army and 40th Army deployed on the western front to the north of Wenjing, Yunshan and Xichuan, and annihilated the three divisions of the South Korean Army entrenched in this area. The 42nd Army was responsible for blocking the 10th Army of the US Army and the 1st Army of the South Korean Army at Huangcaoling and the 1st Army of the South Korean Army in the eastern front to ensure the safety of the main force on the flank of the western front.
On October 25, the vanguard of the 40th Army came into contact with the 1st Division of South Korea north of Yunshan. In the morning, the 10th Division of the 40th Army encountered the 3rd Battalion of the Second Regiment of the 6th Division of the South Korean Army in Wenjing. Not only did it successfully annihilate the enemy, but the 118th Division and 120th Division of the 40th Army also occupied Wenjing. Based on the battle reports constantly coming from the front line, Peng Dehuai adjusted his strategic deployment in a timely manner, ordered all armies to advance while fighting, and ordered the 39th Army to capture Yunshan.
Although Wenjing started the first battle between the Volunteer Army and the United Nations Army, the US military still did not realize that China had sent volunteers to participate in the war. The Eighth Army of the US Army on the Western Front was still continuing to march towards me in regiments and divisions. Considering that the threat to Yunshan after the Wenjing battle, the commander of the US Eighth Army, Walker, immediately made an immediate decision to transfer the 1st Division of the South Korean Army stationed in Yunshan and replace it with the 1st Cavalry Division of the US Army.
The strategic location of Yunshan is very important. It is not only the capital of Yunshan County, North Korea, but also an important transportation hub in northern North Korea. Walker was also worried that this hub would be in trouble and deliberately replaced the First Army Cavalry Division.
Picture | Yunshan Offensive Battle
This so-called First Cavalry Division is not a cavalry. Since World War II , this cavalry division has been completely mechanized and has heavy firepower weapons. In the past wars, the First Cavalry Division has almost never been defeated and is the heart of the commander-in-chief of the "United Nations Army" MacArthur .
But this heart is about to usher in their first crushing defeat in history.
At 19:30 pm on November 1, 1950, all units of the 39th Army entered the predetermined combat position, and like a tiger in the mountains, launching a fierce attack on the enemy in Yunshan. Because the US military was not familiar with night wars, the team was in chaos after being attacked by our army. After two days of fighting, the 39th Army severely damaged 1st Cavalry Division , and annihilated the Eighth Regiment of the Division and the 15th Regiment of the First Division of the South Korean Army, capturing more than 2,000 enemies, of which 1,840 were the US military alone. Before the battle, the 139th Army did not know that the Yunshan area had changed its opponents. It was not until our army launched the battle and seized all the positions outside Yunshan that the commanders and soldiers discovered that the enemy on the opposite side was not the South Korean army, but the US army.
It is said that before the war, the 1st Division of the South Korean Army reminded Palmo of the commander of the 8th Regiment of the 1st Cavalry Division to be careful of the Chinese army, but Palmo did not care at all:
"Chinese? Are they the yellow people? They can also fight?!"
As a result, after dark, the charge number from all directions made this group of elite US troops who had never failed panic. According to many US troops, they were in trouble. The memory of the captive:
"When I heard the sound of gunfire and military trumpets in the distance, I thought I was still dreaming, and the enemy army seemed to be flying in the clouds and fog, falling from the sky..."
pic | General Wu Xinquan
After the end of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, Wu Xinquan, then the commander of the 39th Army, was awarded the first-class National Flag Medal of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, and the first-class Independence and Freedom Medal of .
In fact, Tan Youlin, deputy commander who should have been awarded the first-class independent freedom medal, has been hastily returned to China.
was transferred back to China
At dawn on April 23, 1951, Tan Youlin, then deputy commander of the 39th Army of the Volunteer Army, came to Zhishi to report to the work.
Just as we walked halfway, we ran into the deputy commander of the Volunteer Army Han Xianchu . Seeing Tan Youlin's hurried figure, Han Xianchu seemed very surprised:
"Old Tan, you have been transferred back to the Northeast Public Security Force, why are you still here?"
"No way!" Tan Youlin grinned:
"The army is too busy to go, so I postponed for a few days. Are you going to go back?"
pic | Han Xianchu
Actually, it is true that busy work is indeed one of the truth, but the more important link is that Tan Youlin has a lot of feelings for the old army. From his heart, he is unwilling to go back to the rear.
On the front line of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, the soldiers of the 39th Army were still fighting bloody battles, but they returned to the rear alone, which made Tan Youlin, who had always charged on the battlefield, unacceptable.
It is not difficult to see from Tan Youlin's experience that he is a senior general with excellent military and political skills, but he has never held a position in the rear.
Tan Youlin was born in 1916 and joined the Chinese Communist Youth League in 1930. In the same year, he participated in the Red Army . And join Communist Party of China .
Even from today's perspective, Tan Youlin was still too young when he participated in the revolution, so in the winter of the same year, Red Second Army opened a military and political school in Honghu Su District. Tan Youlin was recommended by local party organizations to enroll and was almost eliminated by the school.
Because the school stipulates that if you want to enter the school, you must be at least 18 years old. Tan Youlin had no choice but to lie about his age. The school found out. Tan Youlin had to tell the truth:
"My father died early in the family, and his mother was left at home. Because it was an enemy-occupied area, he couldn't go back."
The school considered it over and over again, and then made an exception to accept Tan Youlin.
pic | He Long
After graduating from the Honghu Soviet Military and Political School, Tan Youlin stayed at Red Three Army , and served as a correspondent, propagandist, and guard.
When he was a guard at the military headquarters, He Long, who was the commander of the Red Third Army at the time, admired Tan Youlin, who was from a poor family. Under the attention of President He, Tan Youlin grew up to be a general with great battles.
11, In April 17th Regiment of the 6th Division of the Red Second Army fought against the enemy Tao Guang Column in the Tawo area. The 6th Division of the 16th Division surrounded the Tawo for a month, and the two sides were in stalemate. The enemy was exhausted from ammunition and food, so they came up with a trick. They deliberately called in front of the battlefield and asked our army to send people to negotiate.
Although many people think this is the enemy's conspiracy, , Tan Youlin, then political commissar of the 17th Regiment, considered that if he could persuade the enemy to surrender, the troops would be able to avoid the continued casualties, so he rushed out without hesitation with the guard squad.
Unexpectedly, at this moment, the enemy was shot in a row of bullets, and Tan Youlin was shot in the right arm. When injured, Tan Youlin insisted on commanding the troops until the Tawo battle achieved the final victory.
Due to the lack of medicine, Tan Youlin's wound was simply bandaged. In the health center of the Red Army Command, because of insufficient medical conditions, Tan Youlin could not perform surgery on the bones and bullets in his arm. So Tan Youlin later dragged the arm on this hand and participated in dozens of battles between the Red Second Front Army during the Long March during the Long March .
What is even more difficult is that after the Second Red Army entered the grassland, Tan Youlin suffered from typhoid fever, which was a fatal disease for the Red Army, which was short of medical treatment and medicine. At the same time, the wound on Tan Youlin's arm also began to worsen, the wound was ulcerated and pus, and he could squeeze out half a bowl of pus and blood every day. But Tan Youlin survived this difficulty with his tenacious will.
It was not until May 1937 that Tan Youlin under He Long's care that he had surgery in Xi'an and saved this arm.
Picture | In September 1939, the presidium of the First Party Congress of the New Fourth Army Guerrilla Detachment took a photo with the representatives (the fourth from the left in the front row is Tan Youlin)
participated in the revolution for decades, and Tan Youlin only returned to his hometown Jiangling, Hubei Province twice.
The first time was in 1938, and the second time was in 1949. While following the army of th Field , Tan Youlin personally commanded the troops to liberate Jiangling. He originally wanted to tell his mother the good news after returning home, but unexpectedly, his mother had passed away a year ago.
Mother endured hardships and suffered all her life, but she failed to wait for a good day to come. This is always a regret in Tan Youlin's heart.
A lifetime battle, Tan Youlin devoted all his energy to the construction and development of the army. If he really wanted to let him leave, he still felt a deep reluctance in his heart.
1 In April 11951, Tan Youlin was transferred back to China to serve as the first deputy commander of the Northeast Military Region Public Security Army. Perhaps because he knew the knot in his heart, the commander of the Volunteer Army Peng Dehuai specially invited him to have a meal before he returned to China.
At this time, it was the eve of the fifth battle of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. The logistics supply of the Volunteer Army was still very difficult. Even Peng Dehuai, as the commander, had to order pickles to serve food every day. In order to invite Tan Youlin to dinner, the kitchen team specially ordered a plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes. This was a relatively "luxury" treatment on the extremely difficult frontline.
"The War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea cannot be separated from the Northeast. The Northeast is the rear of the Volunteer Army. The enemy's situation is particularly complicated. The safety of the Northeast is related to the safety of the whole country and the success or failure of the Korean War. Now transferring you, the warrior, from the front line and returning to the Northeast to work, is the trust of the organization in your organization. The leaders of the Northeast Bureau urge you to take office as soon as possible, so you can go quickly."
Picture|Peng Dehuai
Tan Youlin knew very well that the importance of Northeast Military Region as the rear. The reason why the volunteer army was in the Korean battlefield was entirely because of the rear. At that time, the supply line of the volunteer army was very long, and there was no air-saving . At least 30-40% of the materials transported from the rear were lost halfway.
And his main task to the Northeast this time was to command the public security army and take on the responsibility of air defense
Under the patient persuasion of President Peng, Tan Youlin also figured out the joints.
After returning to Beijing, Luo Ruiqing, then Minister of Public Security and Commander of the Public Security Army, also talked to him. Tan Youlin and Luo Ruiqing also had a deep friendship with Luo Ruiqing. Luo Ruiqing had also been a matchmaker for Tan Youlin and his wife Lu Fang in the past. It was also Luo Ruiqing recommended to Chairman Mao that Tan Youlin served as the first deputy commander of the Northeast Military Region Public Security Army.
As soon as we met, Luo Ruiqing couldn't help but tease:
"Hero of resisting U.S. aggression and aiding Korea, you have become the cutest person now! Become proud! I heard that you look down on the public security forces now, and you are not willing to go to the Northeast Public Security Force to work. "
To be honest, the news of Tan Youlin's return to China has already spread. When the commander of Navy Xiao Jinguang saw him return to China, his first thought was to take him to the navy and let Tan Youlin serve as Commander of the East China Sea Fleet or the principal of Dalian Ship School.
pic | General Luo Ruiqing
Although Tan Youlin was very moved, considering that the central government has been prepared for his own mobilization, I am afraid that even if I think about going to the Navy, it will not be so easy. Besides, Tan Youlin's party organization is very principled, and of course he obeys the organization's orders without hesitation.
was inspired by Luo Ruiqing's words, Tan Youlin immediately expressed his opinion:
"I will go to the post tomorrow. "
In June 1951, Tan Youlin became the first deputy commander of the Northeast Military Region Public Security Army. In less than a year, he became the commander of the Northeast Military Region Public Security Army.
During the entire period of the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea, Tan Youlin was not only responsible for air defense work in the rear, but also shouldered the heavy responsibility of anti-special forces. According to the information learned from the investigation, successively captured spy agencies stationed in Akigi, Japan by the US Central Intelligence Agency. The headquarters of the Free China Movement "has two teams of spies dropped in the Laoyeling Mountains of Tu County, Jilin Province twice. and on November 29, 1952, captured the US Central Intelligence Agency spies John Thomas Donnel and Richard Fecktu alive.
The only founding major general who won five first-class medals
September 27, 1955, China held a rank award ceremony. Tan Youlin, who was then the commander of the Public Security Army of Shenyang Military Region (adapted from the Northeast Military Region in March 1955), was awarded the rank of major general.
Tan Youlin was very happy with the honor he had won, but unexpectedly, his comrades were a little dissatisfied. Because comrades who were at the same time as Tan Youlin were awarded the rank of lieutenant general or above.
pic | Luo Ronghuan
General Wang Zhen, who was originally from the Second Red Army, jointly wrote a letter to the General Political Department to report that he requested the rank of Lieutenant General Tan Youlin.
At that time, Luo Ronghuan, the director of the General Political Department of the General Political Department, found Tan Youlin and sincerely apologized to him:
"Comrade Youlin, Comrade Youlin, your military rank has been awarded low. With qualifications and positions, your comrades of the same period are all awarded the rank of lieutenant general. I admit my mistake to you, and our work is not done meticulously enough. "
Tan Youlin didn't care about this. He said to Luo Ronghuan:
"What are you comparing with these comrades? Many of my comrades who participated in the revolution at the same time had already sacrificed their lives for the revolution. Now I have a family, a family of children, and become a general. What else can I not be satisfied with? ”
Later, the General Political Department talked to him several times, but they were all politely declined by Tan Youlin.
Picture | First-class August 1 Medal, First-class Independence and Freedom Medal, First-class Liberation Medal
Despite this, during the later awarding of medals, Tan Youlin was still awarded the first-class August 1 Medal , First-class Independence and Freedom Medal, and First-class Liberation Medal.
, and according to the 1955 Medal of Our Army, the first-level August 1 Medal was awarded to generals of the division or above during the Agrarian Revolution, the first-level Independence and Freedom Medal was awarded to cadres at the time and brigade of the Eighth Route Army, the New Fourth Army, the first-level liberation Medal, and the first-level liberation Medal was awarded to cadres at the military or above during the War of Liberation, and the second-level brigade and equivalent cadres.
957, Tan Youlin entered the Advanced Command Department of the People's Liberation Army Higher Military Academy to study.
After the 1960s, Tan Youlin served as the deputy commander of the Engineering Soldier and the commander of the Special Engineering Engineering Command of the Engineering Soldier. While the Soviet Union tore up the contract, withdrew experts and technical information, he led the Engineering Soldier to preside over the construction of a series of special engineering constructions, making great contributions to the success of two bombs and one satellite.
Although Tan Youlin was over 50 years old at this time, he always insisted on working on the front line with no complaints at all.
1975, Tan Youlin took office as deputy commander of Xinjiang Military Region . In charge of the construction of Nanjiang Railway and Tianshan Duku Highway.
Just as he took office in Xinjiang, Tan Youlin stayed in the Tianshan command post to inspect the lives and work of the soldiers. At that time, the living conditions of the border guards were very difficult. Although Tan Youlin had prepared before going, the hardships of the border guards still shocked Tan Youlin:
"We know that the border guards are suffering, but we didn't expect it to be like this!"
Tan Youlin worked with commander Yang Yong to do his best to improve the various problems in the work and life of the border guards, which made the life situation of the border guards earth-shaking.
988, Tan Youlin was awarded the First Class Red Star Medal of Merit and Honor in recognition of this veteran general who made outstanding contributions in the past revolutionary war years and the construction of New China.
Picture | General Tan Youlin
Among all the founding major generals, there are only 13 people who can be awarded three first-class medals (referring to the first-class August 1st Medal, the first-class Independence and Freedom Medal, and the first-class Liberation Medal), and there are only 13 people. The founding general who can also be awarded the first-class freedom and Independence Medal of 1988 and the first-class Red Star Merit and Honor Medal in 1988.
