October 25, 1952, was the second anniversary of the Volunteer Army’s first battle with the “United Nations Army” in North Korea, and the battle at Highland 597.9 and Highland 537.7 on the Five Sacred Mountains in Jinhua County had entered its 12th day.

1. A burst of enemy artillery fire came over, and only 24 people were left in the guard company.

October 25, 1952, was the second anniversary of the first battle between the Chinese Volunteer Army and the "United Nations Army" in North Korea. The battle between Highland 597.9 and Highland 537.7 in Jinhua County has entered its 12th day.

Since October 14, when the "United Nations Army" suddenly poured thousands of artillery shells into these two small positions, the battle has entered a fierce state.

In order to redeem the humiliation of repeated defeats by the volunteers, the US military regarded this "showdown operation" from the beginning as a cruel gamble to gain face and cheer up its friends at the negotiating table. Therefore, firepower preparations and air cover were deployed in North Korea. The battlefield reached record levels.

According to the intelligence collected by the US military before the war, there were no more than 2 companies of volunteer troops defending these two positions. Therefore, senior US military officials were generally optimistic that as long as there was sufficient firepower support, they could easily defeat the enemy with a regiment of troops. Get down these positions.

But the facts of the next few days proved that this was not only optimistic, but simply a dream.

On the first day, the two battalions of the 31st Regiment of the US 7th Division, which focused on the 597.9 Highlands, were destroyed in less than 12 hours. The hillside was covered with the bodies of American soldiers with white skin and high noses.

The U.S. 7th Division troops that attacked Highland 597.9

These corpses were blown into pink mince by the overwhelming artillery shells fired by their own people. Not even the whole corpses could be found in the capital, and the tunnel fortifications of the Volunteer Army were also under enemy fire. They were beaten one after another in the rain, but the fighting spirit of the volunteer soldiers did not diminish at all. The U.S. Army's 32nd Regiment that

subsequently replaced only lasted for half a day and had to temporarily stop the offensive. The U.S. Army that attacked Highland 537.7 encountered a more terrifying opponent.

The chicken thieves fought for a while and found that the attack was completely useless and called for air support. The Air Force immediately dispatched more than 20 B-26 "Marauder" bombers and dropped heavy bombs and napalm on the volunteer positions. . A single bomber like

can carry 2 tons of bombs. The dropped gasoline bombs burned the hills red and the rocks became crispy. Looking up from below, the hills looked like volcanoes. Fire and smoke billowed into the air.

American soldiers are almost certain that it is impossible for any living thing to survive in such an environment.

However, when they confidently moved upward, preparing to clean up the enemy's corpses and remaining supplies, they were met with unexpected violent strafing and grenade bombardment.

The U.S. military was caught off guard and fell into chaos. There were many casualties on the spot. When the enemy soldiers fleeing downwards in chaos passed by a position that had been burned to scorched earth, another volunteer soldier suddenly stood up from there.

They soon saw that this volunteer soldier with rags and angry eyes was carrying several grenades that were spitting out smoke!

The volunteers held their position.

The petrified enemy was at a loss. They almost watched him rush into the crowd. Then there was a loud noise, and dust flew everywhere along with the broken limbs. The enemy could not imagine why the volunteers could escape from such hell. survive in the environment.

In just one day, the "United Nations Army" seemed to have been knocked out of its soul by the volunteers. Even the new forces from the US Army and the South Korean Army that later entered the battle seemed to be infected with this fear by the survivors who had been replaced and rushed upward. Shivering all the time.

html On the morning of the 225th, the gloomy-faced Commander of the U.S. Eighth Army Van Fleet came to the headquarters of the U.S. 7th Division at the front of the Five Sacred Mountains. He was communicating with the hurriedly arrived, exhausted and frustrated Commander Smith of the 7th Division. After that, Van Fleet finally realized that the US military could no longer bear such consumption.

Subsequently, Van Fleet, in the name of the commander of the "United Nations Army" ground forces, ordered the South Korean 2nd Division to take over from the 7th Division to continue attacking the Volunteer Army positions.

This made Ding Yiquan, commander of the 2nd Division of South Korea, very dissatisfied. However, he quickly thought that although the "United Nations Army" suffered heavy casualties, the volunteer army on the opposite side must have reached the end of its strength. After all, no matter how strong they are, they are still flesh and blood and cannot withstand it. Endless consumption. If

can capture this high ground where the US military has suffered huge losses and is unable to do anything, then his status in the "United Nations Army" will definitely be greatly improved, and it will not be difficult to achieve success in the future.

So he only thought about it for a moment, and then he mustered up the courage to drive tens of thousands of his soldiers to swoop towards the volunteer positions like a black locust swarm.

Like Van Fleet, Qin Jiwei, commander of the 15th Army of the Volunteer Army, was under great pressure. In fact, as early as October 24, his men had almost no troops available, but the battle in front of the Five Sacred Mountains was like A millstone of flesh and blood consumes the lives of volunteer soldiers every day.

Qin Jiwei at the tunnel headquarters

html On the evening of the 224th, Qin Jiwei summoned the security company from the military headquarters and sent it to the front line for support. There are a total of 96 soldiers in the guard company, and they are all great young men: Qin Jiwei knows them, they are all ruthless characters who will rush forward whenever there is a fight.

Guard company commander Wang Lu has followed Qin Jiwei since he started fighting Japanese in Taihang Mountains . He was born and died for seven or eight years. He participated in the Huaihai Campaign and the Battle of Liberation of the Southwest, and saved his life several times.

The whole country was liberated, and it was reasonable to live a stable life. Qin Jiwei, who was supposed to be defending the frontier in the southwest, couldn't sit still when he heard that the Korean War broke out. He asked the chief several times for a war, and finally got his wish and was transferred to North Korea.

html After arriving in North Korea, the 215th Army encountered an extremely brutal fifth battle. At the critical juncture when the main force of the Volunteer Army retreated north, facing the swarming "United Nations Army", the 15th Army was unfazed and stood up with a sword.

From May 30 to June 6, 1951, a battalion of the 15th Army blocked the US 25th Division at Park Dal Peak for 6 days. The battle was fought in darkness. The battalion repelled the enemy's charge 40 times at the cost of almost all sacrifices. Many times, more than 1,340 US troops were killed.

In this battle, the first-class combat hero of the Volunteer Army Chai Yunzhen fought tenaciously when he was alone on the position, killing and wounding more than 100 American soldiers. In the end, he held the position and prevented the US 25th Division from crossing Park Dalfeng. step.

It was precisely because the 15th Army's desperate blockade effectively protected the flanks of the Volunteer Army, and the 63rd Army's bloody battle in Cheorwon, that the ambitious Li Qiwei finally returned without success.

The Korean War has now entered the stage of confrontation between the two sides.

The officers and soldiers of the 15th Army who stick to the tunnels

In the sequence of the Chinese People’s Volunteers , the 15th Army was not originally an ace unit, but it has gradually established its reputation through solid achievements.

It can be said that the attack in the direction of the Five Sacred Mountains was a carefully planned conspiracy by the "United Nations Army". Their attempt was to occupy the two highlands through continuous infantry attacks, and then rely on superior artillery and aerial firepower when the volunteers came to compete. Absorb and eliminate the vitality of the 15th Army and even the Corps, and let the volunteers bleed dry!

htmlThe 215th Army originally judged that the enemy was only launching a small-scale attack on two highlands and just defeated them, but this time the enemy had great ambitions! The attacking troops were beaten down one after another, in a steady stream. As a result, the Volunteer Army itself fell into a dilemma similar to refueling tactics.

In order to maintain his position, Qin Jiwei really had no choice. Now the two sides are competing for will. Whoever can hold on for five minutes longer than the other will win the final victory.

But a piece of bad news on the morning of the 25th was like a bolt from the blue, which Qin Jiwei could not accept at once:

The guard company was suddenly attacked by enemy artillery fire when entering the front line of the Five Sacred Mountains position. The whole company suffered heavy casualties, and some people were scattered. , in the end only 24 people entered the tunnel, and company commander Wang Lu also died.

Hey, the 15th Army has never used a guard company in a serious way since its establishment. I didn’t expect that so many good children would be sacrificed all at once for the first time. How can I communicate with their parents, brothers, and sisters in my hometown? Explain!

Qin Jiwei endured the sadness and could only turn around and cry silently.

2. There was a sudden chaos in the enemy's rear during the fierce battle

For Cui Jiangong, the commander of the 45th Division who was standing on the 537.7 Highlands, he did not receive the bad news that most of the 15th Army's guard company was lost on the way to support.

Cui Jiangong during the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea

The battle situation has reached its most difficult moment. The remaining troops of the 45th Division have also been pressed into the tunnels. Now the surface positions of Shangganling have been occupied by the South Korean army. Cui Jiangong can only think How to hold the tunnel as much as possible and wait for reinforcements.

If we really can’t hold on anymore, then kill a few more American devils and South Korean puppet troops, and wipe out the entire division. This will be worthy of the people and the party!

Cui Jiangong looked through the telescope and saw that a large group of South Korean troops had appeared on the mountainside not far from our army's tunnel. Unlike the volunteer army, which was exhausted after a long battle, the South Korean army was a fresh force, and this was only the first echelon of the enemy.

After competing with the Volunteer Army for a long time, the South Korean army also became "ghostly". Their first echelon formations were widely separated to avoid being killed by the Volunteer Army's firepower.

If the first echelon is defeated, they will send the second echelon with stronger troops to continue the fight under the cover of fierce artillery fire.

If the second echelon is also defeated, the strength of the third echelon will only be stronger than the second echelon. Such waves of attacks are simply endless, and the Iron Man will be dragged down.

The only choice now is to use soldiers to block the water and cover up the soil. The enemy comes to kill one, or two to kill a pair. Who cares about so many of them!

The enemy moved very slowly, almost crawling forward inch by inch, just to wait until our army lost control and shoot and consume ammunition first: The bastards knew that the volunteers had difficulty in supplying, and it was difficult to send even an apple into the tunnel, let alone bullets. And grenades too.

only heard the crisp sound of "pop" and "pop". As soon as the fire was received at the front, we found that the enemy's formation was suddenly in chaos. Wait, the chaos was not the first echelon near our position, but the first echelon. behind the butt.

I don’t know who started the fight behind the enemy!

is guaranteed to get the job done!

The South Korean army that rushed halfway up the mountain heard a sudden burst of gunfire and explosions from behind. The offensive formation couldn't help but become chaotic. The leading officer hurriedly ordered his men to maintain the formation, but many people still looked back.

Now the enemy's first echelon was in a dilemma: it was impossible to fight up, and it was even more difficult to retreat, because it would undoubtedly be giving their butts to the volunteers at high places to beat them.

The attacking South Korean army hesitated for a while before choosing to retreat. The volunteers defending the highlands beat the enemy's butts hard, leaving many new corpses of the enemy on the mountainside, while our army remained unscathed.

Cui Jiangong was overjoyed and said repeatedly: "Good fight, good fight!" After a while, he asked again: "Which army crossed over?"

Everyone said they didn't know, and there was no one available from the army commander. The troops are here!

asked about several positions here and replied that he had not sent any troops to penetrate the enemy's rear.

This is strange. Could it be that the reinforcements behind the enemy came out of the ground?

597.9 The observation post on the high ground saw that when the second echelon of the South Korean Army was gathering and preparing to set off, a string of bullets suddenly shot out from a bunker left by the US military behind them, directly destroying the formation of the South Korean Army. Everything is broken.

Since the battlefield is dominated by US air power during the day, the volunteers guarding the tunnels often choose to prevent counterattacks and regain their positions at night. The US military, frightened by the volunteers' night battles, had no choice but to build a number of bunkers overnight on several highlands under its control.

The bunkers built by the US military in North Korea

The Americans who were afraid of death made the bunkers very strong. They used high-strength special concrete. Ordinary mortars can only leave a white crater when hit, even if it is a 105mm Howitzer can only loosen its muscles.

The location of this bunker is very critical. It is stuck on the only way between the first echelon and the second echelon of the South Korean Army, whether it is the first echelon retreating or the second echelon rushing forward. , will be bloodbathed by the bullets fired from this bunker.

It turned out that the South Korean army was like a lion preparing to swallow the volunteers guarding the 537.7 Highlands in one fell swoop. However, after opening its mouth wide, it was found that a fish bone was stuck in its throat.

fish bones are not big, but they are very deadly.

Anyone with a little knowledge of tactics knows that behind the first echelon of an organized attack there must be a second echelon. The first echelon breaks through and the second echelon consolidates. If a breakthrough is opened but the troops behind it cannot keep up, the first echelon cannot hold on. , no matter how many people are sacrificed in the attack, it will all be in vain.

The Americans themselves did not expect that the bunkers they built to save their lives would in turn become a nightmare for the "friendly forces" of South Korea.

Soon the observation post on Highland 597.9 saw that the South Korean army, which had been tricked by the Americans, withdrew and adjusted its deployment. It mobilized a company of troops to capture the bunker first.

Before the attack, the South Korean army fired a volley of artillery to embolden themselves. The explosion caused smoke billowing around the bunker. In the smoke that covered the sky, three figures quietly ran out of the bunker and lurked on an abandoned road in front of the bunker. In the trenches.

When the South Korean army approached the bunker and saw no movement, they thought that all the people in the bunker were almost dead, and they suddenly became bolder. It turned out that the guys with their waists straightened up.

Volunteer soldiers fired at the enemy

. At this time, three muzzles suddenly stretched out from behind them and fired fiercely, and a series of grenades were thrown out of the bunker one after another. The South Korean army was attacked front and back and was beaten to pieces.

Their ambush position was very tricky, in the shape of a triangle. Together with the frontal firepower in the bunker, it formed a closed quadrilateral, completely trapping the South Korean army in the fire net.

This is a beautiful small group battle. If the volunteer army's firepower is strong enough, it will be easy to annihilate the enemy company.

The South Korean army was unwilling to fail. They reorganized a company and surrounded the bunker from four directions.

After witnessing the exciting scene just now, the observation post called repeatedly on the walkie-talkie : "The target needs artillery support, it needs artillery support!"

Soon, our army's mortars opened fire, because the mortars that could be used at this time There are not many mortars left, artillery shells are even more expensive, and the firepower covering the bunkers is not strong.

But this is already a great support for the volunteers who stick to the bunker. Under the cover of our artillery fire, several submachine guns in the bunker fired accurately and hard. The approaching enemy soldiers fell one after another like autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves. .

Judging from the tactical literacy and individual qualities displayed by the few volunteer soldiers in the bunker, we can see that this is no ordinary volunteer army.

html On the 225th, the South Korean army had to always send 1-2 companies to contain the firepower in the bunker to protect the main force's attack on Highland 537.7, but this undoubtedly greatly weakened the power of the frontal attack.

537.7 The volunteers on the high ground

The enemy struggled for a whole day without making any progress, and the volunteers won precious breathing time.

After listening to the report from the 597.9 Highland Observation Post, Cui Jiangong said happily: "No matter who shot it, he should be awarded special merit!"

He immediately decided to send a correspondent at night to try to contact the volunteers in the bunker, but the enemy's blockade firepower was very heavy. Damn it, several correspondents sacrificed their lives and failed to deliver the message.

This bunker, located behind the enemy's rear and surrounded by thousands of enemy regiments, became a lonely battle.

3. "The Chinese are here!"

After receiving the report from the South Korean army, the Americans finally realized that they had made a stupid mistake: when the South Korean army entered the battle line, their own people withdrew without saying hello. Only then did the Chinese army take advantage of the opportunity and occupy a bunker in vain.

This bunker must be completely destroyed, otherwise as soon as the South Korean army gathers, it will kill the other side.

html On the 226th, the U.S. military concentrated artillery fire and several bombers and began to focus on attacking the bunker. The bunker was continuously hit by bullets and caught fire, with gravel flying and burning. However, the South Korean army still could not get close to the bunker.

Our army in the forward position is also doing its best to support this bunker. Because the location of the bunker is fixed, the artillery of the 45th Division only needs to hurl artillery shells around the bunker.

In the internal communications of the 45th Division, this bunker was called the "unnamed position".

In this way, a "ring of fire" is formed with the "unnamed position" as the center. In addition to fighting with the volunteers in the bunker, the South Korean army must always be on guard against incoming mortar shells. The efficiency of the attack Poorly low.

The South Korean Army preparing to launch an attack (film and television photos)

The battle on this day was almost more intense than on the front line. The corpses of the South Korean Army in dark green uniforms were spread out from around the bunker. From the air, they looked like a huge, ink flower. Green flower of death.

On October 27th and 28th, the fierce sound of gunfire surrounding the bunker continued. The US military replaced the heavy bombs with incendiary bombs, hoping to use high temperatures to roast the people in the bunker alive.

This trick was very cruel but effective. Because the concrete steel bars of the bunker were not insulated, the survivors inside had to leave the bunker and engage in hand-to-hand combat with the surrounding South Korean troops.

In this way, a few volunteer warriors defended the bunker and fought for four days and four nights against enemies that were thousands of times their size. These were very critical four days, because the South Korean army's frontal attack on our army was severely hindered, leaving the 45th Division Get constant replenishment and respite.

At the same time, the 45th Division was also organizing a counterattack, trying to penetrate the South Korean Army's defense line and join the defenders in the bunker, but it was obvious that the gunfire on the unknown position had become sparse.

On the evening of October 29, a platoon of volunteers finally rushed to the unknown position in the melee. Due to the fierce fighting, the enemy may counterattack at any time, and they can't wait to start searching for survivors.

But this is not an easy task, because there are too many corpses of South Korean soldiers around, at least two to three hundred!

First they found the body of a martyr. Under the pale light of tracer bullets rising everywhere, they saw him lying quietly in a US military duck down sleeping bag. It should be what other comrades did after the sacrifice.

Of course, this also shows that he died relatively early, giving his comrades enough time to place the body.

Then they found the body of another hero. His clothes were all torn by shrapnel, and he had at least seven or eight fatal injuries. He was holding an American-made grenade tightly in his hand that had not been thrown. .

A PLA soldier using a Thomson submachine gun

He also has an American-made Thomson submachine gun beside him - this is not a rare thing. During the Liberation War, our army was equipped with many captured Thomson submachine guns.

soon discovered the body of a third martyr: he was lying on a pile of enemy corpses, with several grenade coils on his fingers.

The fourth martyr fell at the exit of the bunker, his face darkened by gunpowder smoke. He was also seriously injured and his blood was almost drained. He held an unexploded blasting tube in his arms.

The platoon leader rushed into the half-collapsed bunker, hoping to find survivors. Sure enough, he saw a man kneeling at the shooting hole. The platoon leader rushed over and reached out to gently pull his shoulder, but did not pull it. The man didn't respond either.

The platoon leader hurriedly leaned down and took a look. It turned out that he had also been sacrificed. He was staring ahead with his eyes open and holding a Browning heavy machine gun with both hands.

The platoon leader looked around with his flashlight. There was no sign that anyone else had entered the bunker. In addition to bullets and grenades, there were some scattered compressed biscuits and cans on the ground.

Five large characters are carved with bayonets on the wall of the bunker: The Chinese are here!

No other survivors were found except for the five martyrs. Judging from the scene, the comrades can roughly restore what happened:

These five heroes should be members of a reinforcement unit sent by the Volunteer Army on the night of the 24th. The enemy's sudden and violent shelling was dispersed. By some mistake, they did not enter the tunnel, but instead moved to the US military position.

Soldiers of the 15th Army who counterattacked at night

What happened more coincidentally was that on the morning of the 25th, the US military withdrew and the South Korean Army took over the defense. Because the two sides did not coordinate in time, a group of 5 people took the opportunity to occupy this neglected bunker.

After entering the bunker, they quickly collected the weapons, ammunition and supplies left by the US military, intending to hold on here.

At this moment, the South Korean army began to attack the 537.7 Highlands as a whole. The 5-man team did not fire recklessly, but patiently waited until the enemy's front team came up. When the second echelon was preparing to set off, behind the second echelon A hard stab.

This move was indeed too cruel. It directly destroyed the South Korean army for a day and lost hundreds of people.

Under siege by the angry enemies, they calmly and violently fought back with US military weapons and ammunition, wiping out a large number of enemies.

But the biggest enemy they faced was not the South Korean army outside, but the lack of water in the fortress.

At that time, the entire volunteer army in Shangganling was short of water. Our soldiers in the tunnels could only drink water dripping from the cracks in the rocks, but there was not a drop of water in this bare bunker.

held on until the fourth day. Under the scorching heat of the US military's incendiary bombs, the two soldiers could not stand the torment of thirst and rushed out of the bunker to die with the enemy.

In the tunnel, the volunteers could only drink water from the cracks in the rocks.

At the last moment of his life, another soldier was guarding the entrance of the bunker with a blasting tube. When he was about to fight the overcoming enemy troops, he bled too much. sacrificed.

But the last hero stuck to his fighting position, dying of thirst, and did not dare to step into the bunker until he sacrificed the enemy.

It is difficult for people nowadays to understand what kind of spirit it was that supported them in fighting for four whole days in a desperate situation with enemies on all sides and no reinforcements!

The Volunteer Army has never found out which unit these five soldiers came from, and their names and place of origin are no longer known. However, judging from their brave and tenacious fighting spirit, they are likely to be members of the disbanded 15th Army Guard Company. warrior.

"The Chinese are here!" This is their last words left in the world, and it is also a righteous song that can scare all enemies!

The great spirit of the officers and soldiers of the Chinese People’s Volunteer Army will last forever, their merits will be remembered forever, and their fame will be immortal!