In 1948, in the battle to liberate Longhua, Dong Cunrui sacrificed his young life for the liberation of New China, and was only 19 years old when he died, and was the squad leader of the 6th Company and 6th Squad of the 2nd Battalion of the 96th Regiment of the 32nd Division of the 11th Column of the Northeast Field Army.
And his sacrifice also deeply touched the heart of Chen Renqi, the political commissar of the column.
After Dong Cunrui's death, Commander Cheng Zihua took his secretary to inspect the battlefield, and when he saw Dong Cunrui's comrades-in-arms crying, he asked the reason. After learning about Dong Cunrui's heroic deeds, Cheng Zihua immediately instructed the secretary to find the relevant leaders of the 11th Column to collect and publicize this touching heroic deed.
Political Commissar Chen Renqi was personally in charge of propaganda, making Dong Cunrui a model for the whole army to learn, and his deeds were widely circulated. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen Renqi was awarded the rank of lieutenant general when he was conferred the title, and cared for and helped Dong Cunrui's family for a long time, and finally left a will before his death, hoping that Dong Cunrui's family could attend his memorial service.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese Resistance, Chen Renqi accepted the task and advanced to the northeast to fight against the Kuomintang reactionaries and bandits. In March 1948, he was transferred to the 11th Column of the Northeast Field Army as a political commissar.
Two months later, the 11th Column was ordered to attack Longhua, and Dong Cunrui, who died bravely, was one of them. After Dong Cunrui's death, Chen Renqi made great efforts to publicize his deeds, and at the same time, he has always kept in touch with Dong Cunrui's family.
Dong Cunrui has a big sister named Dong Cunmei, and Chen Renqi sponsored her to study after the founding of New China until she graduated from university.
In 1961, during the three-year period of natural disasters, the whole country was in a difficult period of food shortage. Even so, General Chen Renqi still decided to send a special person to the home of martyr Dong Cunrui with more than 200 catties of national food stamps and 200 yuan accumulated in his family.
At that time, Dong Cunrui's parents were swollen all over, and Chen Renqi personally arranged for them to be sent to Beijing**, and they were not allowed to return to their hometown until they were completely **. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, Chen Renqi was awarded the rank of lieutenant general in 1955 and became the founding lieutenant general.
After that, he successively served as director of the Political Department of the Guangzhou Military Region and political commissar of the artillery. In 1970, Chen Renqi was transferred to the Chengdu Military Region, first serving as the second political commissar of the Chengdu Military Region, and then as the political commissar of the Chengdu Military Region.
His selfless dedication and deep love have always been throughout his revolutionary career.
During his tenure in the Chengdu Military Region, Chen Renqi was criticized for his involvement in the 913 incident. He was once subordinate to the Siye establishment of **, so after the 913 incident, he was censored along with other Siye generals.
On March 23, 1972, the ** document clearly pointed out that Chen Renqi had made mistakes in direction and line, and sectarianism. After that, Chen Renqi was sent to work in the Lanzhou refinery, where he did not regain his freedom until 1979.
In 1983, Chen Renqi retired with honor. In his later years, he wholeheartedly publicized Dong Cunrui's heroic deeds and inherited the patriotic spirit. In 1994, the elderly Chen Renqi died of illness at the age of 81.
When he was dying, he left a special will: "Dong Cunrui is a hero who has emerged from my army, and his family must be present at my memorial service." Unfortunately, Dong Cunmei happened to be on a business trip at that time, and in order to see Dong Cunrui's family, Chen Renqi's memorial service had to be postponed for five days.
In the end, Dong Cunmei came all the way, and Chen Renqi's memorial service was successfully held.