Old soldiers receive badge of recognition

'The Love Project'

In November, after years of work, Sun's charity, together with several local non-governmental organizations, launched The Love Project for KMT WWII veterans. The aim is to find the old soldiers and provide them with help, both financial and emotional.

A media conference was held at a hotel to publicize the project. As the cameras flashed amid rounds of applause, a heart-wrenching cry suddenly broke out from the front row, where an old man sat, his veined hand held over drooping eyes, frail shoulders heaving involuntarily.

It turned out that the man, a KMT veteran, had fought in some of the fiercest battles of the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression. He remembered one in particular.

"While the cannons thundered not far away, bullets whistled past me, hitting my dearest friend," he said, immersing himself in his memories. "I was only 16 and I was so scared.

"That's when my colonel, who was leading the charge, turned back and shouted at me, 'Come on, boy! You fight for your country and your country will take care of you when you are old'," said the man. "Those were his last words. He didn't lie to me."

Jiang Xueqing and Wu Wencong contributed to this story.

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