Political Work

A Navy Unit Conducts 'Learn from Heroes, Strive to Be Heroes' Activities

海军某部开展“学习英雄、争当英雄”活动

PLA Daily (解放军报) 13 May 2026

Summary

An unidentified PLA Navy unit conducted a 'Learn from Heroes, Strive to Be Heroes' political education campaign, organizing a root-seeking team that traveled across three provinces and six cities to interview seven veterans—average age over 92—from the unit's founding during the War of Resistance Against Japan, and recording their accounts for unit historical materials. The article is routine political-work reporting and signals no new operational capability or posture shift; it reflects the PLA's standing emphasis on revolutionary heritage education as a tool for building unit cohesion and combat motivation, a pattern consistent with broader CMC guidance on ideological work.

Translation

A Navy Unit Conducts 'Learn from Heroes, Strive to Be Heroes' Activities — Veterans' Words of Encouragement Inspire the Next Generation

Reported by Yang Jin and special correspondent Wang Zijie for PLA Daily: Not long ago, a Navy unit organized a 'Learn from Heroes, Strive to Be Heroes' (学习英雄、争当英雄) storytelling session, specifically inviting veteran Zhu Zhixue to connect via video and recount combat stories. Listening to Elder Zhu's account, the officers and soldiers present were deeply moved, and many expressed their determination to measure themselves against their predecessors and dedicate themselves to making contributions while rooted in military service.

'Zhu Zhixue is a veteran of our unit, who once tenaciously held a position alongside his comrades for 38 days, killing hundreds of enemy troops.' The unit's leadership introduced that the unit was founded during the War of Resistance Against Japan, and that large numbers of combat heroes emerged from its ranks during the revolutionary war years. They have made full use of the unit's advantages of a rich history and abundant educational resources, routinely carrying out 'Learn from Heroes, Strive to Be Heroes' activities, and have continuously strengthened officers' and soldiers' sense of honor, responsibility, and mission through such means as inviting veterans to recount combat stories and organizing representative officers and soldiers to 'seek their roots' (寻根).

Since the beginning of this year, the unit has drawn together representative officers and soldiers to form a 'Root-Seeking Team' (寻根小分队), traveling across 3 provinces and 6 cities to visit and pay respects to 7 elderly heroes with an average age exceeding 92. Officers and soldiers listened on-site as veterans recounted combat stories and recorded video messages from the heroes. This not only enriched the unit's historical materials, but also subjected them to a spiritual baptism (精神洗礼) through dialogue with the heroes. 'The earnest expectations of our predecessors are the driving force behind our unrelenting efforts — we must shoulder our responsibilities and continue to write new chapters of glory.' The head of the 'Root-Seeking Team,' Section Chief Yong of the unit's Propaganda Section, told this reporter.

Inspired by the spirit of their predecessors, the unit's officers and soldiers have competed to carry the red banner (扛红旗) and strive to be advanced. Corporal Jiang Wenbo refused to leave the front line despite a minor injury, achieved outstanding results at an All-Army competition, and was awarded a second-class merit citation. When Platoon Leader Wang Xigui visited combat hero Fang Laiting at his home, he made a pledge to the hero to 'come back with good results to report.' Returning to his unit, he threw himself wholeheartedly into tackling challenges with new equipment and achieved breakthrough results.

Original Chinese

海军某部开展“学习英雄、争当英雄”活动老兵寄语励后辈解放军报讯杨劲、特约通讯员王子杰报道：前不久，海军某部组织“学习英雄、争当英雄”故事会，专门邀请连队老兵朱志学视频连线讲述战斗故事。聆听朱老的讲述，现场官兵深受触动，纷纷表示要向先辈看齐、扎根军营建功。 “朱志学是我部老兵，曾和战友顽强坚守阵地38天，击毙敌人数百名。”该部领导介绍，部队诞生于抗日战争时期，在革命战争年代涌现出大批战斗英雄。他们充分发挥单位历史厚重、教育资源丰富的优势，常态开展“学习英雄、争当英雄”活动，通过邀请老兵讲述战斗故事、组织官兵代表“寻根”等方式，不断强化官兵荣誉感、责任感和使命感。今年以来，该部抽组官兵代表成立“寻根小分队”，辗转3省6市，走访慰问7位平均年龄超过92岁的老英雄。官兵现场聆听老兵讲述战斗故事、录制英雄寄语视频，不仅丰富了单位史料，更在与英雄对话中经受精神洗礼。“前辈的殷切期望就是我们不懈奋进的动力，我们必须扛起责任、续写荣光。”“寻根小分队”负责人、该部宣传科勇科长对笔者说。在前辈精神激励下，该部官兵纷纷扛红旗、争先进。下士蒋文博轻伤不下火线，在全军比武赛场取得佳绩，荣立二等功。排长王锡贵登门看望战斗英雄房来廷时，与英雄约定“带着好成绩再来报告”，回到部队后，他全身心投入新装备攻关，取得突破性成果。