Binjiang Police Affairs-Chapter 1172 - 40: The Long History of the Rescue Boat Team!_3

Director Feng didn’t expect Old Ge to say these things, truly seeing him in a new light.

Han Yu had long recognized the breadth of Old Ge’s vision and couldn’t help but smile as he asked, "Uncle Ge, this time we are painting on a blank canvas. I also want to find the roots, but where do I look?"

"Who said we don’t have roots? If we really talk about a long history, don’t mind that those active duty units have this or that honorary title, but combined, they don’t have as long a history as ours."

"Uncle Ge, I don’t quite understand."

"It seems you need to study history, not only the history of Binjiang but also the military history of the New Fourth Army, Huaye, Sanye, and even the Navy."

Director Feng suddenly realized and couldn’t help but laugh.

Han Yu was puzzled and looked at Old Ge expectantly.

Old Ge lit a cigarette, his eyebrows dancing with excitement as he said, "Everyone thinks that the predecessor of the People’s Navy, the People’s Liberation Army of China’s East China Military Region Navy, was announced at Taizhou Bai Ma Temple, but few know which unit was the predecessor of the East China Military Region Navy and where it was established."

"Which unit was the predecessor of the East China Military Region Navy?"

"Director Feng, do you know?"

"I know a little bit, but not comprehensively."

Even Director Feng, an old navy man, didn’t know, indicating that this piece of history needs to be unearthed.

Old Ge explained with familiarity, "In May 1940, Chen and Su led their troops north across the river, while Tao Yong was ordered to advance east into Dongru and our Linghai’s coastal area, establishing a Bin Ru Qi Hai enemy rear anti-Japanese base area.

But here, it’s flat land, making military industry and logistics hard to conceal, and the Japanese puppet forces were conducting land blockades. Personnel exchanges and material transport between Zhedong, Dongshan, and the East Sea faced great difficulties, so General Su decided to establish maritime armed forces.

In November 1942, the Su Zhong Military District Sea Defense Group was officially established at Hejiazao, Dongru County. Since then, there has been an unbreakable maritime route between Zhedong and Dongshan, and our navy ships became mobile bases at sea.

The ocean became a military production base, medical base, and an important supply reserve base for the New Fourth Army. Coastal fishermen and salt workers fought sea bandits and resisted the Japanese puppets, consolidating coastal defense and creating conditions for the growth and development of the Coastal Defense Team."

Binjiang actually had such a revolutionary history.

Han Yu truly didn’t know these things and eagerly asked, "What happened next?"

"The Coastal Defense Team constantly grew and expanded through struggle, incorporating other coastal defense forces from Jiangsu and Zhejiang, reorganizing into the Huazhong Military District Coastal Defense Headquarters, later renamed the Huazhong Military District Sea Defense Corps, and Su Bei Military District Sea Defense Corps. This unit played a backbone role during the 1949 Crossing the River Campaign and was later incorporated into the East China Military Region Navy’s First Corps!"

"So, Binjiang is one of the birthplaces of the People’s Navy?"

"You can say that, and it’s a primary birthplace."

"Uncle Ge, how do you know all this?"

"Didn’t your master ever tell you that I used to be the secretary of the county ’W’ when I was young? I organized these historical materials back then. Speaking of which, I recall that there are quite a few veteran members from the war period who participated in the Coastal Defense Team but later did not join the Navy, both in Dongru and Linghai. I’ll inquire later; some veterans might still be alive."

Han Yu smiled and asked, "Our predecessor was the Su Zhong Military District Sea Defense Group!"

Old Ge straightened his face, speaking very seriously and solemnly, "Absolutely, must be. By the way, your grandfather participated in the Crossing the River Campaign, braving the barrage of bullets to ferry the liberation army across the river. Your grandfather was a shipman and owned a boat, likely a member of the Coastal Defense Team."

"I need to call my dad and ask; he might know something."

"No need to ask, it’s sure, must be!"

Isn’t it just about a heritage? Very simple.

Old Ge pointed towards the camp and continued, "We should ask the Military District to find the Armed Forces Departments and Martyr’s Cemeteries in several coastal counties and collect materials related to the Coastal Defense Team. We can set up an honor room. Even if the Navy chief comes, he’ll have to acknowledge that the People’s Navy was born here!"

When it comes to collecting materials, Old Ge is definitely an expert.

The remarkable accomplishments of the Linghai Reserve Camp were highly related to the rescue engineering materials he gathered at Beihu.

Unexpectedly, he’s at it again with materials, to be precise, historical materials.

Finding it interesting, Han Yu noticed Director Feng adding with a smile he couldn’t suppress: "Binjiang’s connection with the Navy is deep; many senior naval officers are Binjiang people. When our Navy first sailed to Zengmu Ansha, there was a Binjiang Ship. Combined with being the predecessor of the People’s Navy, and being the first sea anti-Japanese armed force led by our Party, born in Binjiang, who dares to say we have no heritage, no history, no roots?"

"Director Feng, it’s not enough just for us to say it ourselves."

"Master Ge, do you have any good suggestions?"

"This matter should be led by the City Committee, the City Government, and the Military District. It would be best to schedule it before or during the establishment ceremony of the Rescue Boat Team, inviting relevant senior leaders, old generals, and Party history and military history experts for a seminar in Binjiang.

It’s not important how the seminar is conducted, but the outcome is crucial. It should be confirmed that the Su Zhong Military District Sea Defense Force, born in Binjiang in 1941, was the first sea anti-Japanese armed force led by our Party!

This unit fought a hard battle against the Japanese puppet army, contributing significantly to our control of the eastern coastal line, establishing a maritime base, and ultimately achieving victory in the Anti-Japanese War. Its growth laid a solid foundation for the establishment of the People’s Navy of China."

Old Ge smiled as he finished summarizing and then, thinking it over, lit another cigarette and emphasized, "This is not fabricating from nothing; it’s a fact that existed, just overlooked by those experts compiling Party and military histories."