"Don't talk about nuclear radiation, even if it's sacrifice, you're not afraid! ”
She is the first generation of female pilots in New China, and she has been in the blue sky for 28 years.
She flew nearly 4,000 hours, carried out hundreds of major missions, and flew into the mushroom cloud twice, successfully completing the mission.
However, behind the success, she made great sacrifices.
Before the mission, she took a "posthumous photo", and after the mission, in just a few days, all her hair fell out, and she almost couldn't give birth to a child.
Now, decades later, at the age of 88, in her understated narrative, we learn about the thrilling experience of that time.
Zhang Lianfang was born in an ordinary family in Northeast China.
When he was a child, looking at the silver plane whizzing by in the blue sky and white clouds, Zhang Lianfang planted a seed in his heart: when he grows up, he wants to be a pilot and soar under the blue sky of the motherland.
After graduating from high school, she had two choices, one was to study in the Soviet Union on official assignment, and the other was to participate in the pilot selection.
In order to realize his childhood dream, Zhang Lianfang chose the latter without hesitation.
After a rigorous selection, she was successfully selected and entered the aviation school.
During her time at school, she secretly vowed that she must make our country rich and strong, so as not to be bullied by others. ”
After graduating in 1959, Zhang Lianfang became an aircraft navigator and successfully carried out tasks such as fighting fires in the Daxing'an Mountains and searching for refugees in the South China Sea.
At the beginning of 1964, the organization found her and asked her to rush to the northwest early the next morning to carry out a secret mission.
What is this mission for? For how long? She didn't know anything.
She only knew that as a soldier, it was her duty to obey orders.
Zhang Lianfang and her husband Zhang Wenbo, who is also a soldier, said a brief goodbye.
The husband vaguely felt the arduousness and danger of this task.
But he just told Zhang Lianfang: ".Don't worry, I have you at home. ”
A few words, but it pinned on her husband's infinite concern, and also relieved Zhang Lianfang's worries.
What is Zhang Lianfang's task?
When she arrived in the northwest, Zhang Lianfang learned that her mission was to provide air support and aerial sampling for the bombing of China's first "Miss Qiu."
Moreover, she was the only woman in the entire crew.
The natural conditions of the vast Gobi Desert in the northwest are harsh, and Zhang Lianfang's driving skills have been severely tested.
But she relied on her courage and carefulness to complete the task by not admitting defeat.
At the same time, she had to overcome difficulties in her life, as a young woman, she hardly bathed and rarely washed her face.
And going to the toilet is even more difficult.
Colleagues used broken boards and old mats to build a simple toilet for her, and as soon as the wind blew, the colleagues said: "Sister, your toilet has been blown away again, and you have to build it again." ”
Before the official implementation of the aerial sampling mission, the organization requires that each crew member take a photo.
Although the people sent by the organization didn't say anything, everyone knew it: this photo was quite special, and if he died during the mission, it would be a posthumous photo.
However, none of them flinched, and Zhang Lianfang felt even more: It is very glorious and proud to sacrifice for the strength of the motherland!
She took this "posthumous photo" with a smile, was ready to sacrifice, and calmly met the challenge.
On October 16, 1964, with a loud bang, a beautiful mushroom cloud rose from the Gobi Desert.
Zhang Lianfang led his comrades-in-arms to pilot the plane, looking at the best timing and angle, and approaching the clouds.
Passing through the side of the sample, it took about a few seconds for the sample to be taken. ”
Zhang Lianfang recalled.
She said it lightly, in fact, the flight was quite dangerous.
The rising mushroom cloud made the visibility low, the direction could not be seen clearly, and the huge shock wave made the plane jump up and down from the bump, and the face was burned painfully.
Zhang Lianfang drove the plane calmly and calmly and successfully completed the sampling task.
After the mission was completed, Zhang Lianfang and his comrades-in-arms made another incredible move: return to fly again and take samples again.
Such a dangerous action, he has escaped death, and he actually wants to do it again, what does Zhang Lianfang think?
"All I'm looking for is perfection, it's foolproof, and I have to make sure that the sampling is successful," she said. ”
After this thrilling experience, in 1965, she received the task arranged by the organization and flew the plane again to carry out aerial sampling tasks.
Someone called her stupid Lianfang: You have already carried out a mission, it is too dangerous, and the negative effects of radiation are long-term and far-reaching, don't go.
Zhang Lianfang said:"The organization selected me, first, to show that I can do it, and second, this is a good opportunity to contribute to the country, I am too late to be happy, I must go! ”
After the successful sampling, Zhang Lianfang returned to the unit and continued to work conscientiously and responsibly as her flight navigator.
She has been flying in the blue sky for 28 years, flying nearly 4,000 hours, and has performed hundreds of major missions, and each time she can successfully complete the task with excellent technical and psychological quality.
She is affectionately known as the "Compass" by the pilots because of the accurate heading she provides.
However, behind these successes, Zhang Lianfang has made great sacrifices.
After the mission was completed in 1964, due to the huge impact of nuclear radiation, Zhang Lianfang's hair fell out in just a few days, and her period was stopped.
What's more, she almost couldn't have a baby.
After two aerial sampling, Zhang Lianfang, who returned to the army, was finally reunited with her husband, but for two years in a row, she had two miscarriages in both pregnancies.
She began to get anxious, not for herself, but mainly for her husband.
Over the years, her husband has understood and supported her career, and has taken the initiative to postpone the marriage several times.
After marriage, due to the special nature of her work, there will be flying missions at any time, and her husband takes on all the housework while working, never counting on her, just to let her fly without distractions.
So much so that Zhang Lianfang can't cook at home, and rarely washes clothes, mops the floor, etc.
What's more, the husband is still the only son in the family.
Although in front of Zhang Lianfang, her husband never complained and blocked the dissatisfaction of her in-laws for her, but she knew in her heart how eager her husband was to have children of his own.
Zhang Lianfang found Dr. Li, an expert in the relevant aspects of Beijing Hospital.
When Dr. Li saw her, he was taken aback: "Why did you come to me?" After not coming for so long, I thought you were honored. ”
Dr. Li prescribed medicine to Zhang Lianfang and told her to strengthen exercise, exercise more, sweat more, and eliminate radiation as soon as possible.
After a period of conditioning, in 1968, Zhang Lianfang finally gave birth to a daughter, and three years later, she gave birth to another daughter.
In 1990, Zhang Lianfang retired with honor.
After retirement, Zhang Lianfang is still concerned about the development of the military.
In 2023, she donated the "glory" of her life: military merit medals, combat readiness bags, air force uniforms and other items that she had treasured for many years to the Hubei Revolutionary Military Museum.
She said emotionally: "I hope that in this way, the red gene will be passed on from generation to generation, so that more people can relive and remember the glorious history and draw motivation to forge ahead." ”
Conclusion
Today, 88-year-old Zhang Lianfang lives in the Wuhan Military Rest House and lives a happy old age.
She deserves to be a heroine.