At the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China, "Gongchen" Tank led the tank group to attend the dress parade on the Tian'anmen Square

Meritorious Service Tank

　　One day in November 1945, the Chinese Northeast People's Autonomous Army captured a Japanese-type tank from the enemy. When they drove the tank into Majiawanzi, where the headquarters of the Northeast Artillery Force was located, Zhu Rui, commander of the Northeast Artillery Force and commandant of Artillery School at the time, said: "What you have brought here is not only a tank, but an armored force for the PLA." On December 1, Zhu Rui announced the establishment of the Northeast Tank Group of the PLA and named this Japanese-type tank as No.102 Tank, which became the first tank of the PLA Armored Force.

　　Thereafter No.102 Tank participated in many battles, such as the battle to capture Jinzhou and the battle to liberate Tianjin, etc, this tank displayed its prowess and achieved dazzling feats. In 1948, when it took part in the Liaoxi-Shenyang Campaign to attack Jinzhou, it was assigned to cover the infantry to break through the Kuomintang army's peripheral defense works in the old section of the city. After this battle, the Fourth Field Army named No.102 Tank "Meritorious Service Tank".

　　At the founding ceremony of the People's Republic of China, Dong Laifu drove this "Meritorious Service Tank" to lead over 100 pieces of heavy- and medium- tanks to pass through the Tian'anmen Square to be reviewed by the Party and state leaders.

　　This "Meritorious Service Tank" was sent to the Military Museum of Chinese People's Revolution in 1959 when it was decommissioned and placed in the front hall of the Weaponry Hall as a piece of "meritorious service weapon".

　　By Tian Jinling and Cheng Yonghong

　　(July 23, PLA Daily)