In the summer of 1998, Xu Honggang and his fellow troops were ordered to take part in the flood fighting and rescue work. Xu Honggang signed up to join the Party members’ commando team and serve as the commando leader when there was a grave danger of a 400-meter-long breach of the Yangtze River Levee. After 36 hours of herculean fighting, Xu Honggang and his fellow soldiers won the rescue victory and Xu was recognized as an “Outstanding Individual in Flood Fighting and Disaster Relief” by the group army.
Source: Independent Regiment of Ye Ting, 127th Division, 54th Group Army of Henan