(Written by Reporter Wu, Po-Yi from Military News Agency, Matsu, November 15th)

    Looking back at the past history, Taiwan and the U.S. always maintain a close relationship. Military cooperation can be seen in Matsu. Recently, Matsu Defense Command has established “US Military Park” to conserve materials and cultural relics of the U.S. army and allow citizens to understand and witness the firm cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. From 1951 to 1979, the U.S. army sent Military Assistance Advisory Group to Taiwan in the period of cross-strait military confrontation to assist the national armed forces in preparedness. The initial cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S. started from the establishment of Matsu Air Station by a western company established by CIA Matsu Air Station. After 1958, Matsu Liaison Group from Military Assistance Advisory Group took over the station. The base of Matsu Liaison Group was located inside the camp of Matsu Defense Command at Renai Village, Nangang in Matsu.

    Commander of Supply Company from Support Battalion of Matsu Defense Command Captain Wang, Tzu-Hsin pointed out that materials were first found by the troop in summer 2013 when cleaning camp dormitories. At first, soldiers found color paint on the wall accidentally when removing old paint at Zhongshan Office. After fully removing old paint, they founded an entire map of the U.S. Later, they started to plan and renovate the park. Currently, in US Military Park maintained by Matsu Defense Command, soldiers kept the original mural of the U.S. map, American-styled fireplaces, iron forts, steles, and buildings and made unified signs for materials and cultural relics. In addition, “U.S. Military Hall” was founded to display important materials and demonstrate the process of cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S in defending democracy and freedom.

    It is worth mentioning that materials in U.S. Military Hall showed that members of Matsu Liaison Group once assisted Matsu Junior High School in establishing two baseball teams based on the champion of American League. The first grade students formed YANKEES and the second grade students formed Atlanta BRAVES. At that time, these two baseball teams were the only two teams in Taiwan that had American coaches. This special story even added color to the cooperation between Taiwan and the U.S.