In early March 1951, the Northeast Military Region Air Defense Corps 506th Regiment was transferred from Benxi to Changdian Hekou in Kuandian County, Liaodong Province, and was tasked with covering the Yalu River railroad bridges and pontoon bridges over the river in the section from Upper Hekou Village to Qingshui Town in North Korea.
There are three railroad bridges on the Yalu River: Andong, Juan and Changdian Hekou. The defense of the big iron bridge at the mouth of the Jangdian River is not only to defend the main road of transportation, but also to cooperate with the brother forces to defend the Shuifeng power station. Therefore, the 56th Regiment's defense area is one of the main air combat zones, the air situation is more and more complex.
At this time, the number and scale of the U.S. bombing increased day by day.
After receiving this mission, the leaders of the 506th Regiment felt that this mission was a very difficult but honorable task. In order to accomplish this task, the regiment's leadership decided that the chief of staff, Miao Shuren, would first lead the regiment's command cadres and battalion commanders to go ahead and survey the position.
Both sides of the Yalu River Railway Bridge and the pontoon bridge on the river are high and steep mountains, where the hills are undulating and the terrain is treacherous. On the north bank of the Yalu River are the village of Shanghekou and the town of Xiahekou in Kandian County, and on the south bank is the North Korean town of Chongshui.
It takes a lot of time to survey in such complex terrain and landscape conditions. For this reason, Chief of Staff Miao Shuren led a brainstorming session.
After discussion, they decided to adopt the approach of generally casting nets and focusing on catching fish, dividing the whole survey process into three stages: general survey, subtle survey and fixed-point survey.
Beginning, Miao Shuren led the cadres of the regiment's departments and divisions to conduct a four-day general survey.
The comrades climbed the mountains, cut through the thorns, and stamped out a curved, undulating mountain road with their feet. The area is relatively remote and deserted, often with pheasants and various birds suddenly flying in.
The general survey was followed by three days of fine-tuning.
While conducting the fine survey, the issue of occupying the hill was to be studied and which battery occupied which hill was to be kept in the mind of the battalion cadres so that they could do ideological work on the company cadres according to the requirements of the mission.
The road traveled in this survey was a little less, but the time spent squatting on the hilltop was longer.
The last three days were fixed-point surveys to realize the positions of each battery. At this time a new problem arose, we all want to occupy the high hills, stand high to see far, can early detection of U.S. aircraft, the time to hit the U.S. forces will be a little bit more, the certainty of victory will be a little bit more.
In response to this problem, the regimental leadership from the overall situation, the cadres of the regiment to persuade and educate. The regimental leadership to comrades to clarify the tactical principles, explaining the tactical requirements can not all occupy the high hills, and require everyone to establish a global concept, to start from the whole regiment, cooperate with each other, *** with the struggle for victory against the U.S. Army.
After some work, cadres at all levels settled down to accept the regiment's arrangements.
After surveying the terrain, the regiment's leaders calculated the combat flight path ring belt based on the parameters of the U.S. bombers' incoming attacks. And according to the terrain judgment U.S. fighter-bomber attack direction, according to the stronghold air defense tactical requirements, according to the two intensive, combat airway ring belt fire intensive, the main direction of fire intensive, to combat the U.S. aircraft sneak attack point of the principle of the various small and medium-sized antiaircraft artillery company deployed in the bridge north and south side of the hill.
Because the deployment is appropriate, in line with the tactical requirements, for the future powerful fight against the incoming U.S. aircraft, to ensure the safety of the guarded target to create the conditions, laying the foundation for the victory of air-to-air combat.
Establishing anti-aircraft guns on high mountains can be considered a very good way to combat the U.S. forces. The mountains have an open field of fire, where you can shoot up at U.S. planes at high altitude as well as down at low altitude, and with a good field of view, you can spot incoming U.S. planes very early on.
But as good as it was, getting the tons of anti-aircraft guns up the treacherous mountain was not easy. The anti-aircraft regiment faced the difficulty of having no motorized roads and no engineers to build them, so it had to do everything on its own.
In order to build a road for cars, all the laborers of the regiment, from cadres to family members, went up the mountain to open the road. The soldiers were in the front to open up the mountain, and the cadres and family members were in the back to level the road.
After the road was repaired, each battalion organized artillery companies to go up the mountain. Although there was a road, it was still a struggle to push the heavy anti-aircraft guns up the mountain. The regiment mobilized several large trucks to pull the anti-aircraft guns up the mountain, but sometimes the trucks couldn't pull them up, so they had to rely on the men to push them in the back.
Sometimes one or two large trucks were used to pull an anti-aircraft gun up the hill, while many gunners pushed it forward from the rear. In this way, it was hard to pull one gun after another into the position.
The position of the 5th Company of the 2nd Battalion was located on a high mountain, which was very steep and had no way out. In order to complete the task on time, the officers and men of the fifth company carried forward the spirit of ants gnawing on bones, the anti-aircraft guns into pieces, disassembled and transported to the mountain. They organized the entire battalion to pull all the artillery equipment one by one, one by one, to the top of the mountain.
Because of the comrades of the whole regiment's **** with efforts. It took only a short time for all the artillery and observation instruments to go up the mountain and be positioned.
After the companies of the whole regiment entered the position, what they urgently demanded to solve was the problem of eating and sleeping. Cooks took the initiative to go up the mountain, looking for stones on the hillside to build stoves, support the marching pots, make a good meal, stir-fry the food, and send it to the position.
But the problem of sleeping is not easy to solve. North Korea is located in Northeast Asia, the four seasons are obvious, and the temperature difference between morning and evening is also big. In the bitterly cold winter, the temperature on top of the mountain is often around minus 20 degrees Celsius; while in the scorching summer, the temperature on the mountain is as high as around 40 degrees Celsius, and there are mosquito bites and poisonous snakes.
In order to solve this problem, the comrades of the Logistics Department were in a hurry.
One day, the seedling tree people suddenly found large logs in the Yalu River water. Originally, March and April here is the dry season, the water is shallow, the river reveals many large logs.
The discovery made the Miao people overjoyed, this is not a gift of building materials! It is just right to be used to build houses and solve the problem of accommodation for the troops. So, the whole regiment battalion, the company sent soldiers to the river to fish up the wood. The logistics office borrowed saws and hired a laborer to build a boarded-up house and a semi-basement command post along the Yalu River, as well as an auditorium that could accommodate more than 300 people.
In this way, dormitories, command posts and regimental auditoriums in company positions were solved without asking for a penny from superiors.
In April 1951, the 56th Regiment of Anti-aircraft Artillery made all the preparations for the battle, according to the requirements of superiors formally assumed the task of defending the Yalu River bridge at the mouth of the Changdian River air defense operations.
In May 1951, the U.S. imperialists invaded North Korea air force to destroy the focus of the Korean rear lines of communication after the shift, the Yalu River line of the war situation gradually eased.
In September, the Volunteer Air Force began to take up air defense operations in the northeast. The anti-aircraft artillery units then strengthened their training in coordinated operations with the fighter air force, and formulated air and artillery coordinated operation programs for various situations.
In January 1952, after the American aggressor suffered a disastrous defeat in its military and political affairs, it blatantly violated the international public law and began to carry out the genocidal bacteriological warfare in North Korea. after February, the American army expanded its bacteriological warfare to the northeast of our country. in March, the American planes were more frequent in the line of the Yalu River, often intruding into the airspace over the interior of our country to carry out reconnaissance and bombardment.
April 13 and 23, the 56th regiment of anti-aircraft artillery won consecutive battles and achieved the downing of four U.S. aircraft.
April 13, 1952, the weather was clear, blue sky, excellent visibility. Regimental leaders based on past experience to determine that today there may be air combat. In the regimental command post as duty Miao Shuren according to the instructions of the regimental leadership, asked the regiment to be more vigilant, fully prepared for air and artillery co-operation.
9:10, in the northern part of the regiment's position over our territory, found that the U.S. Army four F-86 fighters and our two MiG-15 aircraft met. In the case of strength difference, my war eagles carry forward the fearless, heroic and tenacious fighting spirit and the enemy aircraft to start a fierce battle.
At 9:15 a.m., our long-distance planes attacked the U.S. fighters and returned to their home base after decisively withdrawing from the battle. One American plane was slightly wounded and fled to the south west direction under the cover of three other American planes.
Miao Shuren judged that the U.S. planes were attempting to return, or attempting to fly over the Yalu River, and that even if they crashed, they would land in North Korea to avoid responsibility for their invasion of the country's airspace, and immediately ordered anti-aircraft fire.
The artillery instruments of one and three companies of the 506th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment have long been aiming at tracking, and the first release hit the enemy plane. Only to see the U.S. aircraft smoke, crashed in my position 9 kilometers northwest of Changdian Township, near the Huanghuagou, landed after the explosion and fire. Within a range of more than 100 meters, there are wreckage and debris of the American aircraft everywhere, the American aircraft number 0636, the U.S. Army major pilot parachuted to the ground and died, the remaining three fled in a hurry.
This battle, the first to shoot down the U.S. aircraft within the national border of the brilliant achievements, so that the U.S. imperialist aggression of the crime exposed. As a result, the military commission issued an order to commend the regiment and issued a plaque. The field photography team rushed to shoot a news documentary movie.
This battle greatly encouraged the regiment's will to fight and provided experience for continuing to win victories in air-to-air combat in the future.
On the morning of April 23, there was fog over the area of Chongshuizhen in North Korea. at 6:20 a.m., the long-range radar reported that a group of U.S. planes were spotted 80 kilometers to the southwest of the defense target, at an altitude of 8,000 meters, and they were flying toward the defense target of mine.
Miao Shuren was at the regimental command post when he judged the U.S. attempt to be a weather reconnaissance. In order to prevent a sudden attack by U.S. planes, he ordered the troops to shift to first-class combat readiness and notified the distant surveillance post in the southwest direction to pay attention to observation.
At 6:24 p.m., a distant surveillance post reported that an airplane was approaching.
The troops then searched in a southwesterly direction.
At 25 minutes, the second company spotted four U.S. F-86 fighters at an altitude of 6,000 meters, flying from south to north side. When the U.S. aircraft were about 10 kilometers away from my defense target, the companies were ready to fire.
At this time, there was a train traveling westward from Clearwater Township Station. The American planes spotted the train and immediately lowered their altitude and took cover in the mountains to the southeast.
Miao Shuren, the commander of the regiment's command post, judged that the enemy planes were attempting to attack the defense target, and immediately ordered his troops to pay attention to monitoring the low altitude situation in the southeast.
At 6:27 a.m., the U.S. planes were divided into two batches of two planes each, the first two of which suddenly appeared from the valley to the southeast and came straight at the iron bridge along the river at an altitude of 500 meters and strafed the trains moving on the railroad.
The second and fifth companies immediately opened fire, and the remaining companies also opened fire. At this time, the other two enemy planes from the southeast to fly at low altitude, to the seventh and eighth company positions to carry out an attack, attempting to suppress my ground fire, cover the first two escape, but by my seventh and eighth company's head-on fire, immediately shot down one of them.
The rest of the U.S. planes attempted to escape over the second company's position, but were again intercepted by the second company's fire, and the U.S. planes were caught in a sea of flames, and their formation was disorganized, and they were shot down by each of my fourth and sixth companies.
The battle lasted 1 minute and 15 seconds, with 3 American planes shot down, 1 wounded, 70 rounds of 76.2 artillery shells and 688 rounds of 37 artillery shells expended, and no casualties or battle damage on our side.
This battle, the defense of the safety of the iron bridge, the first battle of a typical example of total annihilation of the U.S. aircraft, a record of my northeastern territory of anti-aircraft artillery units in a battle to shoot down the highest record of U.S. aircraft. As a result, the 56th Anti-aircraft Artillery Regiment was awarded a commendation by the Northeast Military Region Air Defense Command and was praised by a telegram from the Central Military Commission.
After the U.S. air raids were repeatedly struck by us, the U.S. Army implemented a plan to focus on bombing 78 towns and factories in northern Korea with its air superiority in order to delay and sabotage the armistice talks that had already begun.
In response to the change in the U.S. air attack tactics, the Volunteer Air Force adopted the combat policy of defending the targets and fighting big battles, and formulated the combat plan of coordinating with the friendly forces against the U.S. forces and mainly striking the U.S. attack and bombing aircraft fleets.
After August 1952, U.S. planes carried out frantic bombing in the areas along the Yalu River, and our air defense forces fought valiantly against the U.S. forces.
On Aug. 24 and Sept. 12, the U.S. Army dispatched a group of B-29 bombers to air-attack the Shuifeng power station in the middle reaches of the Yalu River. The 506th Regiment cooperated with friendly troops and the 504th Regiment of anti-aircraft artillery in a resolute counterattack, defending the target without loss.
After this battle, the leadership of the 56th Regiment carefully analyzed and studied the U.S. military situation, looking for patterns and characteristics of U.S. aircraft activity.
Considering that China's National Day is approaching, Miao Shuren, together with combat staff officers Zhang Ruwei, Zhang Tongshun and other relevant personnel, conducted a special study and organized the troops to make good preparations for night-to-air combat to ensure the safety of the target to be defended.
Because the 56th regiment defense area has not been equipped with searchlights and close-range radar. The medium and high artillery could neither shoot by basic methods nor use the radar for blocking shots.
The only shooting method that can be used is to block fire by bursting sound. However, in order to carry out the burst of sound to block fire, first of all must be the position of the medium and high artillery company positions, accurately marked on the battle sequence chart, otherwise the calculation of the artillery company to the base of the fire net of the shooting elements.
Fifty-sixth regiment of the first battalion belongs to the three medium and high artillery companies, were deployed on both sides of the Yalu River on top of the hill, a company, three companies in our territory, the second company in the North Korean side.
Because of the mountains, none of the three gun company positions can be seen, the only coordinates can be used as a point of origin is the Yalu River Bridge. Meanwhile, the three gun companies could not see each other and could not take measurements.
Zhang Ruwei, after receiving the mission, asked the command company to send two observation mirrors to be set up at each end of the bridge. When night fell, the second company, which had the lowest elevation position, fired red flares continuously over it, and the two observation mirrors simultaneously measured the azimuth and altitude angles, and then calculated the coordinates of the second company's position using the bridge as a baseline.
Then, taking the position of the second company as the base point, and using the same method, ordering the first and third companies to shoot flares directly overhead, the coordinates of the positions of the first and third companies were measured respectively. In this way, the positions of the three medium and high artillery companies were accurately marked on the battle sequence chart. Next, the map operation was carried out to measure the firing elements from each artillery company to the base of the fire net, which was issued to each artillery company, and the firing command exercise was repeated.
Late in September, just as the regiment's commanders took advantage of the combat breaks to cheerfully rehearse recreational programs in preparation for the celebration of the 3rd anniversary of the birth of our young people*** and the country, the regiment's leadership, in accordance with the instructions of the Northeast Military Region Air Defense Command to strengthen the holiday readiness of the regiment, ordered the regiment to further improve its combat readiness, to prevent the U.S. planes from taking advantage of the surprise attack on the occasion of the National Day.
At dawn on Sept. 30, Miao Shuren led Zhang Ruwei to all nine small and medium anti-aircraft companies to do a mobilization check on their combat readiness, and didn't return to the command post until late afternoon. Then ordered the command company to send additional wireless telegraph to the medium and high artillery companies, in case the wired telephone in the U.S. aircraft bombing interruption, to ensure the smooth command of the use.
On the night of Sept. 30, the regiment's commanders were doubly vigilant and high-spirited, closely monitoring the night sky in the cold wind, ready to strike at the incoming U.S. forces.
At 1 a.m. on Oct. 1, 30 U.S. B-29 bombers, at an altitude of 6,000 meters, attacked me from the direction east of position No. 4 along the Yalu River over the Yalu River, one in each batch at one-minute intervals.
Miao Shuren, who is on duty, decisively issued the order: medium and high artillery under unified command of the regiment, use the method of blocking fire by bursting sound to strike the U.S. aircraft. Zhang Ruwei immediately ordered the distant surveillance post to closely monitor the U.S. aircraft.
Soon, the No. 4 distant surveillance post reported: burst sound straight ahead!
Zhang Ruwei quickly determined on the battle sequence chart to block the fire network, and then issued to the first battalion: fire network XX, altitude 6000!
All the anti-aircraft guns connected to the order, and then quickly loaded the firing elements, shells into the chamber, the second gunners grasp the grip, ready to fire.
At this time, from the regiment and battalion command post to the positions of each artillery company, there is a silence, people are waiting with bated breath for the U.S. aircraft to arrive at the moment of the signal over the surveillance post.
A few seconds later, the No. 4 distant surveillance post reported: apex!
Zhang Ruwei immediately gave the order: Vertex!
The company commanders of the medium and high artillery companies heard the order and activated the stopwatch at the same time.
When the second hand points to the company firing time, with the company commander a release!
Ahead of the flight path of the U.S. aircraft over my No. 4 direction, there appeared a wall of fire consisting of 60 rounds of artillery 1500 meters wide and 250 meters high.
U.S. planes were mostly diverted from their flight path and flew along the North Korean side over the Yalu River under the continuous blockade of my powerful artillery fire, and a heavy bomb was dropped on the hills near the town of Chingshui.
During the fierce battle, several batches of U.S. planes bombarded our third battalion's positions, the closest being only 20 meters away from the ninth company, and the gun platoon leader was hit by the tumbling scorched earth and wounded in the shoulder.
Around 1:30 p.m., U.S. troops dropped a batch of bombs near the Yalu River Bridge, which was filled with smoke.
Miao Shuren urgently ordered the 3rd Battalion to check whether the bridge had been damaged by the bombing. Third Battalion Commander Lu Changshan sent staff officer Yang Baohui to go there. Yang Baohui went straight to the bridge in the night, braving the rain of bullets.
On the way, he was wounded in the calf by shrapnel, but he bravely ran along the trembling bridge from the Qingshui Town end to the Shanghekou end. He saw that the bridge was intact before returning to the battalion command post and reporting to the regiment.
Early in 1953, U.S. fighter-bombers, heavily hit by Volunteer ground anti-aircraft fire, adopted a new anti-anti-aircraft flight tactic of approaching the defense zone at an altitude of 10,000 meters. When entering the effective fire range of the Volunteers' anti-aircraft guns, they slid down at a small angle of 10 to 15 degrees to fly over our defense targets, then dive-bombed at a large angle of more than 60 degrees and finished dropping their bombs at an altitude of more than 3,000 meters to make an escape flight.
This makes the Volunteer Army according to the basic assumptions of the design and manufacture of medium and high artillery can not be correctly calculated shooting elements, and make the effective shooting height of 3000 meters below the small anti-aircraft guns can not shoot at them.
In the face of the new anti-aircraft tactics of the U.S. aircraft, according to the instructions of Xiao Rui, head of the regiment, and Chu Mingyuan, political commissar, under the leadership of Miao Shuren, Zhang Ruwei carefully observed the flight parameters of the U.S. aircraft, and then spent nearly a month, day and night, to study the relevant parts of anti-aircraft gunnery firing science and mechanics, corrected the formula for calculating the distance of the bomb produced by the Soviet Army, and created a method of shooting against the aircraft of large heights, large speeds, and large angles of the dive. The method of shooting.
That is, in the flight path of the American aircraft before dropping bombs, all the regiment's medium and high altitude guns are concentrated to form a unified fire net to block.
A Volunteer anti-aircraft artillery unit used this firing method and shot down four American planes. It was valued by the Soviet Army Advisory Group and popularized in the whole army.