The coastline on the west of Renai Village, which in the old days was known as Tiebao, was garrisoned for many years by elite amphibious frogman units. A coral stone projection that juts into the sea to the southwest was made into a stronghold for the frogmen. The coral stone was hollowed out and covered with cement, painted with camouflage colors, and topped with grass-green camouflage net. Inside the tunnels are stone rooms, gun ports, cannon batteries, a toilet, and a kitchen, among other facilities, all packed into this small sea-defense fortification. To discourage a sneak attack by communist frogmen in years gone by, glass fragments were embedded in the surface of the coral rock. Iron Fort was the only fortification to have a dog with a military rank. The clouds of war no longer hang over Matsu, but the refurbished Iron Fort continues to exude a kind of battleground aura.
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Iron Fort (Tiebao)
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