Wang Wei

Wang Wei

Wang Wei (April 6, 1968 - April 1, 2001), male, Han nationality, from Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province, is a pilot and martyr of the Chinese Navy aviation force. He graduated from the Air Force Aviation University of the people's Liberation Army.

At 8:55 on April 1, 2001, the US Navy EP-3 reconnaissance plane collided with Wang Wei's J-8 II fighter over China's exclusive economic zone 70 nautical miles (110 km) southeast of Hainan Island, and the J-8 II Fighter crashed. In the Sino US plane collision incident, Wang Wei parachuted missing and was confirmed dead.

On September 25, 2019, he was selected into the list of "most beautiful fighters".

Character life

Wang Wei was born on April 6, 1968 in Huzhou City, Zhejiang Province. He was determined to serve his country since he was a child. After graduating from high school, he volunteered to join the army. He was diligent and dedicated in the army. He had a firm will and devoted himself to the cause of flying. No matter what kind of fighter he flies, he can practice hard on the ground and fly fine in the air. He has become a pilot of four kinds of weather. He is excellent in every flight assessment. When he was studying in the military academy, he was the first to serve as the monitor and the commander of the District, and the first to join the party. When the army refitted the J-7 aircraft, he was the first to fly alone, and always maintained a high spirited state. He often undertakes major flight missions and has won many awards for meritorious service.

On the morning of April 1, 2001, Wang Wei was ordered to carry out the task of tracking and monitoring the US military reconnaissance plane illegally entering China's airspace. The US reconnaissance plane not only ignored the warnings issued by China for many times, but also made a sudden big turn in flight, crashing into and destroying the Chinese fighter plane, resulting in the disappearance of the pilot Wang Wei. Later, it was found out that Wang Wei parachuted into the sea after the plane was hit and destroyed by the US plane and died with honor. He was only 33 years old. After Wang Wei fell into the sea, the Navy, relevant local units and the people overcame the difficulties of the harsh environment and complex climate at sea, fought for 14 consecutive days and nights, and launched a large-scale search and rescue operation. The people of all ethnic groups across the country expressed their concern for the safety of Comrade Wang Wei in various ways, and strongly condemned the US's hegemonic act of violating China's sovereignty, reflecting the great cohesion of the Chinese nation. In carrying out this mission, Wang Wei was resolute, resolute, calm, brave and tenacious, and composed a magnificent song of patriotism and revolutionary heroism with his life.

After Wang Wei's death, the Central Military Commission held a naming conference in Beijing on April 24, 2001, and awarded the honorary title of "sea and Air Guard" and the first class model medal, which was approved by the Navy Party committee as a revolutionary martyr.

Life of the characters

Wang Wei, the hero of the collision between China and the United States, may not have thought that he would become the protagonist of an event that shocked the world and become an example for hundreds of millions of people. In fact, on the morning of April 1, 2001, Wang Wei flew a J-8 plane over the South China Sea to monitor the US reconnaissance plane, which was just a "routine task" he had carried out many times. However, Wang Wei, 33, never returned to the base. His J-8 plane collided with the US EP-3 electronic reconnaissance plane 104 km above Hainan. Zhao Yu, another pilot who also monitored the US plane with Wang Wei, said that at that time, the tail of Wang Wei's plane was blown away "like a piece of paper" by the US plane's propeller. Zhao Yu confirmed that he saw Wang Wei's parachute open in the air, but more than 100000 Chinese soldiers and civilians could not find Wang Wei in the massive search and rescue in the next 14 days. Wang Wei fulfilled his oath. In fact, he just did his duty as a soldier. But Wang Wei died in the confrontation with the powerful enemy of the United States, and his deeds are of extraordinary significance.

The mourning and praise for Wang Wei made the government and the people find a common language. On the one hand, the government gave Wang Wei the highest commendation and sent him off with the most solemn "sea sacrifice" of the Navy. On the other hand, it called on the whole army and the people of the whole country to learn from him. Ruan Guoqin, Wang Wei's widow, told the media after recalling the benefits of her husband's life: "I believe I will never meet a man who loves me as much as he does in my life." In his wife Ruan Guoqin's eyes, Wang Wei is a "versatile and life loving person". He likes singing, playing chess, fishing, raising flowers, playing guitar, composing music, cooking and decorating rooms. He also designed and made a dress for Ruan Guoqin himself. Wang Wei's biggest wish since childhood is to be a pilot. His parents recalled that Wang Wei wanted to be a pilot "to the point of obsession.". There is an air force airport in his hometown Huzhou, Zhejiang Province. As long as the plane flies over the city, even if it's for dinner, Wang Wei has to leave his bowl and chopsticks and run outside to watch the plane.

In 1986, the air force flight school went to Huzhou to recruit pilots, and Wang Wei's wish finally came true. He registered as a pilot without telling his parents. Wang Wei spent four years studying in a flight academy in Changchun, Jilin Province. His love for flight has made him the "first" in his 15 years of flying career: he was the first to fly solo among the students of the same period in the flight academy; he was the first to fly solo every time in the three equipment updates of the flying force, and he was the first to take on combat readiness duty task; in the same group of pilots, he was the first to fly the most advanced Chinese domestic fighter After 1000 hours, he became an "all-weather" first-class pilot who could fly four kinds of weather; among the pilots of the same age, he took off the most times in combat and performed the most important tasks.

After the Sino US plane collision, the US Department of defense accused Wang Wei of being "bold" and "aggressive" in monitoring the flight of us planes. However, the Chinese military retorted that Wang Wei had accumulated rich experience in maritime flight during more than 2000 sorties, and "never had the phenomenon of" mistake, forgetfulness and leakage "and accident symptoms.". In any case, it is an indisputable fact that Wang Wei loves life and flight. The night before the accident, Wang Wei told Ruan Guoqin on the phone as usual: "I'm on duty today, so I can't go home." Unexpectedly, this was his last farewell to his wife.

Shortly after taking off on April 1, 2001, Wang Wei and his beloved fighter plane fell into the sea together. According to Zhao Yu, Wang Wei's plane began to tumble and fall after being damaged by the US plane. However, Wang Wei's report still came from the plane: "aircraft control failure." He is still trying to use his flesh and blood to make the final sprint for the ambulance fighter. Zhao Yu had to order him to "parachute".

After Wang Wei's disappearance, Chinese soldiers and civilians launched the largest ever search and rescue operation in the South China Sea. As Wang Wei's fate has a great influence on the settlement process of the Sino US plane collision incident, his whereabouts has become an eye-catching international hot spot for a while. In China, Wang Wei's disappearance has not only increased the public's anger at the hegemonic behavior of the United States, but also put pressure on the Chinese leadership and the military in charge of search and rescue work. Jiang Zemin repeatedly demanded that search and rescue should be carried out at all costs and by all means. The navy commander personally directed the search and rescue work, but Wang Wei disappeared in the vast sea.

Tomb site

Wang Wei, the eternal "guardian of the sea and the sky" in the hearts of hundreds of millions of people, finally returned to his hometown. On March 27, 2002, the martyr's tomb was completed in Anxian cemetery, Zhejiang Province, which is located in the mid levels of Hangzhou.

Surrounded by green mountains and murmuring green water, the martyrs "sleep" in the deepest part of anxien cemetery. On the spacious and bright cemetery, a tombstone made of black granite more than two meters high stands majestically. In front of the tombstone, there is a flower bed 0.6 meters long and 1 meter wide, waiting for the grave sweepers to put flowers to express their sorrow.

Family life

After Wang Wei's death, the government arranged for his widow and son to live in the naval compound on the West Third Ring Road in Beijing. In August 2001, Wang Wei's parents also moved to Beijing. Ruan Guoqin, Wang Wei's wife, was specially recruited to join the army.

Commemoration of later generations

April 1, 2020 is the 19th anniversary of the China US aircraft collision in the South China Sea and the sacrifice of Wang Wei, a sea and air guard. It has been 19 years since Wang Wei's death to April 1, 2020.

On September 25, 2019, he was selected into the list of "most beautiful fighters".

Collision incident

On the morning of April 1, 2001, Wang Wei's 81192 J-8II fighter plane collided with the US EP-3 reconnaissance plane. Zhao Yu, another pilot who was also monitoring the US plane, said that the tail of Wang Wei's plane was blown "like a piece of paper" by the US propeller at that time.

The situation at that time was: Wang Wei's J-8II fighter was flying normally near the EP-3 reconnaissance plane, but the EP-3 suddenly rushed to Wang Wei's fighter, and the propeller of the EP-3 reconnaissance plane hit the tail of Wang Wei's fighter, causing serious damage to its tail. Then, the whole EP-3 crashed into Wang Wei's fighter plane and destroyed it. The EP-3 reconnaissance plane, which was damaged in the collision, entered China's airspace and landed at China's military airport without permission from China.

After the incident, the United States weaved various reasons to defend itself, delayed to apologize for the serious consequences caused by the illegal act of causing the accident, and tried to evade its responsibility, which aroused great indignation and strong protest of the Chinese people. However, the US side even offered some consolation to the crew involved in the accident. Then US Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld and chairman of the Joint Chiefs of staff Hilton personally presented the so-called "Medal" to the crew.

Although Wang Wei's sacrifice was caused by the active impact of the U.S. aircraft, the low-speed performance of the J-8 II fighter that Wang Wei piloted was not ideal, which may be one of the reasons why Wang Wei failed to avoid the impact. J-8II fighter is a second generation fighter with high altitude and high speed developed in China. Its high altitude and high speed performance is superior, but its low altitude and low speed

Chinese PinYin : Wang Wei