Fighting Wind and Waves: She is the Only Female Signalman on the Dongguan Ship

With the commissioning of the second batch of Type 055 destroyers, such as the Dongguan and Anqing, the People's Navy's long-range offensive and defensive capabilities have been further enhanced. At the same time, this has brought new challenges to the training and lives of the ship's personnel. Today, we will get to know the only female signalman on the Dongguan, Cao Min, and learn about the daily life of the ship's crew.

When we met Cao Min, she was conducting light communication during a replenishment training exercise at sea. As a key member of the team, during the Dongguan's first sea training, she not only had to monitor the radio and relay messages but also complete training in flag signaling and light communication with her comrades, making high-intensity training a part of her daily routine.

Cao Min, Navy Dongguan: There are many training subjects, and actually, when on duty, I am highly focused. At that time, I didn't feel very tired, but now sitting here, I do feel a bit tired.

In 2020, after serving over four years in a shore support unit, Cao Min finally realized her dream of boarding a ship. However, upon her first arrival on the warship, the sea gave her a harsh "welcome."

Cao Min, Navy Dongguan: On the third day, we went to sea, and I found that I was seasick. I felt a bit defeated at that time, and since I was older than them when I joined, I had less exposure to the business, which made me somewhat resistant to going to sea.

Continuous seasickness made it difficult for Cao Min to carry out her already insufficiently practiced duties, and training was temporarily halted. She even considered giving up. The turning point came during a live-fire training exercise at sea.

Cao Min, Navy Dongguan: In the control room, I saw the main gun hit the target directly, and I was very excited because it was my first time witnessing live-fire shooting. It was different from my previous experiences, and the command was relayed through the signalman, and it was launched immediately. I felt that our position is indeed very important, and I truly sensed the combat capability of our warship. At that moment, I felt that my choice was not wrong; I came to the right place, and I want to persist here.

Overcoming her inner fears, the waves of the sea became a unique landscape in Cao Min's eyes, and the traces of her voyages became the trajectory of her growth. Joint exercises with foreign forces, combat readiness patrols, and ocean escort missions... With each step into the deep blue, she not only honed her skills to become a capable professional but also understood the immense weight of the words "home and country."

Cao Min, Navy Dongguan: I remember once encountering a merchant ship we were escorting. We had already ended our escort relationship with them, but I noticed a banner in their control room that read, "Thank you, Chinese Navy, for the escort," and there were a group of people outside waving at us. At that moment, I felt very excited, realizing that our presence at sea was worthwhile. It is because of our strong country that we, the Navy, can reach further into the deep sea and safeguard our national interests.

Cao Min said that now, as she serves on the first 10,000-ton destroyer of the Eastern Theater Navy, she is even more committed to growing alongside the Dongguan.

Cao Min, Navy Dongguan: For a warship, it’s like a hundred people operating a single gun; each person is a very important link. Only when everyone does their job well, especially us key personnel, can we play a good role in mentoring and helping each other, making everyone more excellent and becoming qualified professionals. This way, our warship will become better.

“There is a storm we are closely watching, and there is a command we are waiting for.” When asked about wartime decisions, Cao Min gave a firm answer.

Cao Min, Navy Dongguan: The Party and the people really need us, and as a frontline unit, we will definitely charge forward without hesitation. There is no doubt about it; we don’t even need to think about this issue. We are always ready to step up and are prepared for combat.