Profile: Valor and devotion: a war hero's life story

TIANJIN -- In the quiet of his modest home in North China's Tianjin municipality, 93-year-old Huang Zongde, a veteran of China's revolutionary wars, sits surrounded by mementos of a life spent in service.

His weathered hands, once steady on a submachine gun, now gently trace the outlines of medals that tell a story of valor and devotion.

During a ceremony to be held on Sunday in Beijing, national medals and national honorary titles will be conferred on 15 individuals, with Huang named among the recipients of the Medal of the Republic.

This recognition comes as the People's Republic of China prepares to mark the 75th anniversary of its founding, which falls on Oct 1.

Huang was born in 1931 to an impoverished farmer's family in Rongcheng, East China's Shandong province, and his journey to becoming a war hero began during the pivotal years of China's revolutionary era.

Inspired by his sister and brother-in-law, both underground members of the Communist Party of China (CPC), Huang joined the youth vanguard for resistance against Japanese aggression, helping with message delivery and guard duties.

At 17, Huang enlisted in the People's Liberation Army, marking the beginning of a decades-long military career. His first experience in combat came during the Crossing-the-Yangtze Campaign in 1949, a 42-day battle which, as part of the War of Liberation, led to the liberation of the major cities of Nanjing, Shanghai and Wuhan, the whole provinces of Jiangsu and Anhui, and parts of the provinces of Zhejiang, Jiangxi, Hubei and Fujian. "I couldn't swim," Huang recalls, "but I had one belief: I couldn't die here, and we had to liberate all of China."

The young soldier's resolve was further tested during the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea. In August 1952, at the age of 21, Huang was deployed to the Korean battlefield. In July 1953, during the battle in Kumsong, Huang's company was assigned to attack a heavily fortified enemy position.

Despite suffering from dysentery and high fever, Huang insisted on joining the assault on July 13. "Even if I die, I want to die on the battlefield!" he declared. Leading his squad through a harrowing nightlong battle, Huang breached seven rows of barbed wire and overwhelmed the enemy's outpost, before joining another mission to destroy multiple enemy strongpoints.

The next day, Huang encountered enemy soldiers hiding in a trench. Facing them alone, his submachine gun damaged and suffering from a chest wound, Huang did not retreat. Determined to fight to the death, he used his remaining grenades and explosives to blast open the trench. The overwhelmed enemy soldiers quickly surrendered.

"My gun had stopped working," Huang recalls. "To keep the enemy on edge, I shouted, 'Squad Five, Squad Six, move in!' But in reality, it was just me. There were no other squads."

In that battle, Huang single-handedly destroyed three enemy bunkers, killed seven enemy soldiers and captured 22.

For his bravery, Huang was awarded the title of "Second-Class Combat Hero" by the headquarters of the Chinese People's Volunteers and received a first-class merit citation.

More than 70 years later, Huang's voice still breaks with emotion when he recalls his fallen comrades. "They are the true heroes," he says, his eyes filling with tears. "I accepted these honors on their behalf."

After returning from the battlefield, Huang continued to serve, rising through the ranks to become a deputy division commander-level official. His devotion to the CPC, which he joined in June 1949, has remained steadfast. "It was the Party that transformed me from a poor boy into a revolutionary soldier," he reflects.

This loyalty, however, never became a tool for personal gain. When his son sought his help in finding post-military employment, Huang firmly responded, "CPC members have no special rights. You must handle this on your own."

Even in retirement, Huang's commitment to his ideals never wavered. He became a passionate advocate for patriotic education, serving as an out-of-school counsellor for multiple primary and secondary schools, and delivering dozens of talks at government organizations, enterprises and communities.

Now in his 90s, Huang still closely follows national affairs, watching TV news and reading newspapers daily.

"A strong military guarantees national peace," he says.