Naval sergeant owes his gun expertise to years of hard work and observation

Driven by determination, he pestered the gun crew for lessons, studied operating procedures, and managed to obtain an electrical schematic for the main gun system. He traced the wiring and took notes, filling a whole notebook. After a year of study, he successfully transferred to the main gun post.

His breakthrough came during a live-fire test while the section leader was on leave. Ma convinced the ship's captain to try electric firing, vowing to take full responsibility for any issues. The results were unprecedented: eight direct hits in one test, compared to the unit's usual struggles to score even one. His name quickly became known throughout the fleet, and the ship formally adopted electric firing.

From that point on, Ma immersed himself in technical manuals and schematics, gradually mastering the structure and principles of various naval gun models. His meticulous maintenance work sharply reduced malfunction rates, transforming him from a novice into a recognized expert.

In 2017, Ma became the chief of the gun section on a newly commissioned warship. Less than a year later, the crew entered a competitive live-fire contest.