STORY: Veteran of Chinese People's Volunteer Army recalls moments in milestone war
DATELINE: July 30, 2023
LENGTH: 00:02:03
LOCATION: CHONGQING, China
CATEGORY: MILITARY
 
SHOTLIST:
1. various of Zhang Zongcheng sorting his war-related objects
2. SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG ZONGCHENG, Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) veteran
3. SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHANG ZONGCHENG, Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) veteran
4. SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ZHANG ZONGCHENG, Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) veteran
 
 
STORYLINE:
 
92-year-old Zhang Zongcheng is a Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) veteran, who fought in the War to Resist U.S. Aggression and Aid Korea.
 
SOUNDBITE 1 (Chinese): ZHANG ZONGCHENG, Chinese People's Volunteers (CPV) veteran
"I joined the war in 1951. I was a new recruit. I was assigned to the 8th Company, 3rd Battalion, 562nd Regiment, 188th Division, 63rd Corps."
 
In a battle when his squad made an ambush against the enemy, Zhang kept urging the squad leader to launch an attack.
 
SOUNDBITE 2 (Chinese): ZHANG ZONGCHENG, Chinese People's Volunteers veteran
"I ran to the squad leader and said that the enemies were so close that we should capture some alive. And he said, 'You are gonna get killed. Just follow my command.' Later, after he gave the command, I ran really fast. I felt I stumbled on something while running but didn't know what it was. Later after I got to our trench, I sat down to check my foot. I found that my leather boot was shot through by a bullet. It didn't get to my foot."
 
But later, the news from the battlefield gave Zhang chills.
 
SOUNDBITE 3 (Chinese): ZHANG ZONGCHENG, Chinese People's Volunteers veteran
"My squad leader said, 'Zhang, you said that we should capture some enemy soldiers alive. But the enemy soldiers (wounded enemy soldiers) that we failed to thwart, were later bombed to pieces by friendly fire."
 
The experience made him realize how cruel the war was and he started to learn to fight wisely.
 
Every time Zhang recalled these memories, he couldn't help feeling sad about his fallen comrades who fought side by side with him. He said he will always remember them.
 
Xinhua News Agency correspondents reporting from Chongqing, China.
(XHTV)