The 7th Column, as an elite unit of the Northeast Field Army, is known for its rapid growth and tough style. They are known for being good at tackling tough battles, and have successfully completed many important tasks such as the Siping Battle, the Siping Recovery Battle, the Jinzhou Battle, and the Tianjin Battle.
Commander Deng Hua had a unique eye for the generals of the 7th Column and knew how to make good use of them, so that they could give full play to their respective advantages and show excellent military talents.
The 1st and 2nd Bao Brigades of the Liaoji Military Region and the 3rd Independent Division of the West Manchurian Military Region together formed the West Manchurian Column, and this column was the predecessor of the 7th Column. Among the generals of the team, Deng Hua attached great importance to Li Huamin, and he was transferred from the position of deputy brigade commander of the 1st Brigade to the commander of the 3rd Division.
Under his leadership, the 3rd Division showed a heroic and fearless unit.
In the Siping Offensive in June 1947, Ma Renxing, the commander of the 1st Division reorganized by the 1st Baoyi Brigade, died bravely, and Deng Hua took a fancy to Li Huamin's ability and hoped to let him take over this position.
The 1st Division was the main force of the West Manchurian Column, and Deng Hua attached great importance to it, so he hoped to be able to send a capable commander to serve as the division commander. However, Li Huamin politely declined the position, because he was already familiar with the 3rd Division, and he was determined to take the 3rd Division out and make it a first-class main force.
Li Huamin was not a commander promoted from within the Third Division, he was a "foreign monk" brought in from outside. After he came to the Third Division, the regiment commanders below were all old Red Army veterans, with profound meritorious service, distinctive personality and superb ability, and some people even questioned why it was necessary to transfer people from outside to command.
However, the Third Division is a bloody force, and its strength should not be underestimated. The predecessor of the Third Division was the 15th Army Corps led by Xu Haidong, which was later reorganized into the 344th Brigade of the Eighth Route Army, and then supported the New Fourth Army under the leadership of Huang Kecheng, and finally became the Third Division of the New Fourth Army.
After Li Huamin served as the commander of the 3rd Division, he established a deep relationship with the troops and established a comprehensive understanding with several old regiment commanders during the battle.
After several fierce battles, the combat effectiveness of the 3rd Division has been significantly improved, and it is known as an elite division that dares to fight and rush forward. They have brilliantly completed their tasks in important battles such as Siping, Jinzhou, and Tianjin.
In 1949, the Northeast Field Army was reorganized into the Fourth Field Army, Deng Hua was appointed commander of the 15th Corps, Fang Qiang served as the commander, and Li Huamin was promoted from the commander of the 132nd Division to the deputy commander.
According to the appointment of the deputy commander, the chief of staff of the senior cadre is also very suitable. Since the establishment of the Ximan Column in 1947, he has been Deng Hua's chief of staff, and he has worked together for many years, and he has always been conscientious and has never made any mistakes, and he is very cultured, and he has no problem at all as a deputy commander.
So, why did Deng Hua choose to let Li Huamin serve as the deputy commander? It may be that he attaches more importance to Li Huamin's operational command ability.