In 1957, a large-scale military exercise was secretly being conducted at a military base in the Far East of the Soviet Union. On the vast shooting range, with three loud noises that ripped through the sky, three silver-white "cannonballs" dragged long flames and rushed into the blue sky. Tens of seconds later, I saw a cloud rising in the sky, and the "cannonball" hit the target.
This "shell" is called the missile . It is a new type of air defense weapon recently developed by the Soviet Union - the C-75 surface-to-air missile weapon system , which is also the surface-to-air missile called Sam-2 in the West. .
SAM-2 surface-to-air missile
After the Korean War , in order to block and contain the young republic, the United States and the defeated Kuomintang authorities in Taiwan signed a "Mutual Defense Treaty" in 1954. The Kuomintang Air Force, which received U.S. aid, was unscrupulous. From July 1954 to the end of 1958, the Kuomintang Air Force dispatched more than 4,500 sorties of various types of aircraft to conduct reconnaissance and bombing of mainland coastal areas and large cities.
On October 15, 1957, China and the Soviet Union signed the Agreement on New Technologies for National Defense in Moscow. Among the four types of missiles provided by the Soviet Union to China in the agreement, the SA-2 surface-to-air missile system was prominently listed. The National Defense Science and Technology Commission has designated code names for the four types of missiles supplied by the Soviet Union to our country. Among them, the Sam-2 surface-to-air missile is code-named "543", and the troops that will be equipped with this weapon are called Air Force Unit 543 .
The 10th anniversary of the National Day is a major festival for the Chinese people, and it is also a key target of the Kuomintang's high-altitude reconnaissance. To this end, Taiwan even dispatched two RB-57D reconnaissance aircraft , the "ace cards" it had just received from the United States.
RB-57D reconnaissance aircraft
It is these two RB-57Ds. They entered the mainland 17 times in the first half of 1959 alone, and their reconnaissance scope covered 13 provinces. People's Air Force fighter jets took off 202 sorties to intercept, but all returned without success.
In order to ensure the smooth progress of the 10th anniversary celebration of the National Day, the central government decided to use the newly formed air force surface-to-air missile force to assume the capital's air defense mission. At this time, a silent high-altitude counterintelligence war has begun.
On October 1, 1959, Tiananmen Square in Beijing was filled with flowers and red flags flying. The largest National Day ceremony since the founding of New China was underway. At this moment, at the surface-to-air missile position dozens of kilometers away from Tiananmen Square, officers and soldiers were standing ready, nervous and watching the sky above the capital with vigilance. The day passed, everything was normal and invincible. On the night of National Day, 1.5 million people sang and danced in Tiananmen Square to watch the fireworks, which was invincible. In the days that followed, the sky over Beijing was covered with dark clouds, but it remained as quiet as ever.
On October 7, the clouds dispersed and the clear weather was a good time for reconnaissance. This change made Yue Zhenhua alert.
Yue Zhenhua
2 Battalion Commander Yue Zhenhua has rich experience in air defense operations. Before being transferred to the surface-to-air missile force, he was the first 100mm anti-aircraft artillery regiment commander in the army. Therefore, Yue Zhenhua was very alert to changes in weather and ordered his troops to be on alert.
At 9:41 am, a large reconnaissance aircraft took off from Taiwan's Taoyuan Airport and flew towards the mainland. It was determined to be an RB-57D. Soon, five surface-to-air missile battalions quickly entered combat preparations to face enemy aircraft. At the same time, this RB-57D still swaggered straight into the mainland from the southeast coast as before. When flying over Shanghai, Nanjing and other places, the altitude had risen to 19,500 meters. More than ten fighter s that the People's Air Force took off to intercept were forced to return due to limited altitude.
Seeing that the RB-57D was getting closer and closer to Beijing, the command decisively ordered: the fighter jets withdraw from the battle, and the 543 unit will destroy the target!
11:28, surface-to-air missile group commander Zhang Bohua ordered all missile battalions to enter first-level combat preparations. At 11:30, the 2nd Battalion Position 406 target indication radar located in Tong County discovered the target.
As the goal approached, everyone held their breath. When the enemy plane was 100 kilometers away from the 2nd Battalion's position, Yue Zhenhua ordered three missiles to be powered on and prepared. When the enemy aircraft was 70 kilometers away from the 2nd Battalion's position, the launcher was switched on for synchronization.When the enemy plane was the last 60 kilometers away from the position, Yue Zhenhua issued a battle order: "Three-point missiles were fired 3 times 28 kilometers away to destroy the target!"
Just before the guidance technician pressed the launch button, the staff suddenly reported: "The superior told me to wait." In the flash of lightning, the fighter jet disappeared. One was the enemy plane that hit the muzzle of the gun, and the other was the order to "wait a minute." Just when Yue Zhenhua was hesitating, a report from the guidance technician that "the firing range is up" came to his ears. At the critical moment, Yue Zhenhua judged based on the empty situation that he could not wait any longer! So, he firmly said two words: "Launch!"
Yue Zhenhua shouted
In an instant, three missiles were fired 6 seconds apart, dragging long flames straight into the sky. 40 seconds later, the enemy plane was located 2 battalions away from the position. At 28 kilometers, the missile accurately hit the enemy plane. The pilot Wang Yingqin parachuted out, but his parachute was cut off by the broken wing, killing him on the spot.
The wreckage of the downed RB-57D
Although he shot down the RB-57D, the order that almost let it slip away from the nose of the 2nd Battalion is still difficult for Yue Zhenhua to understand. After the war, it was discovered that there was a problem in the middle link in delivering orders.
Shooting down RB57-D Celebration Party
After the war, Yue Zhenhua was promoted to the rank of lieutenant colonel from major. The 2nd Battalion was also awarded the second-class collective merit for its meritorious service in combat. In the face of the great honor, Yue Zhenhua was very calm. He knew that the United States and the Kuomintang Air Force would never give up, and a more difficult battle was still waiting for the surface-to-air missile soldiers .
column editor: Qin Hong, text editor: Lu Xiaochuan, title picture source: video screenshot
source: author: CCTV National Memory
