US Taiwan Defense Command: Formosa (Beautiful) 2

Friday, June 13, 2008

Formosa (Beautiful) 2

Sarj Bloom continues his thoughts on his assignment to Taiwan:

Formosa (Beautiful) 2

Down the mountain

Monday morning the gray Navy van arrives
Down the mountain to USTDC
I check-in and everyone is friendly
I meet my new shipmates and I like them right away

We spend a lot of time talking
I learn what my jobs will be
Charlie, Dan and Hobbs make me feel at home
They shares tips about this new country

Time to ride in the van back up the mountain
Back up the mountain to my room
It’s peaceful here and the service is great
But it’s lonely and too quiet for me

I write letters and tell my parents about this place
I even draft a letter to an old girlfriend
Would she consider coming over here?
I think she would like it and maybe we could ...?

Down to the City

Into the van and back down the mountain
I don’t think I can keep doing this
I need more freedom to come and go
I think I will move into town

I find an apartment very close to work
Charlie lives in the same neighborhood
It’s upstairs to stay away from floods
It has two bedrooms like boxes in an open space

Down from the clean mountain air and quiet
Down to the city noise and air pollution
Away from clouds and mist to smog and soot
I’m no longer isolated and I’m free to explore

I don’t wander too far at night
Side streets are dark with few street lights
Walking on main streets is dangerous too
Buses and Taxi’s drive fast without their lights

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Overview

The United States Taiwan Defense Command was a sub-unified command which reported directly to the Commander-in-Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). The command was composed of personnel from all branches of the U.S. armed forces and had its headquarters in Taipei.

Operational since November 1, 1955, USTDC was a planning headquarters for the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of hostilities, the Commander, USTDC, would have assumed an operational role and coordinated with the Government of the Republic of China in the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of such a contingency, three existing service commanders would have reported to the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command commander. The 327th Air Division commander would be the air component commander, the Taiwan Patrol Force commander would be the naval component commander, and the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) would be the Army component commander.

In addition to planning and peacetime responsibilities, the Commander of USTDC was assigned as the Single Senior Military Representative of Commander-in-Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). As such, he served as CINCPAC's single military spokesman on Taiwan -- exclusive of the miliitary assistance program -- and assumed responsibility for coordinating administrative and other policy matters for all U.S. armed forces on Taiwan on behalf of CINCPAC.

After twenty-three years, five months and twenty-six days of operation, the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command held its final flag retreat ceremony during the afternoon of April 26, 1979. Marine SSG D. J. Gemmecke lowered the colors for the last time.

Rear Admiral James P. Linder, the last USTDC Commander, departed Taiwan on April 28, 1979, accompanied by his wife Patricia.

Today there is no trace of the large American military compound on Chung Shan North Road in which USTDC was located. The area now contains a modern art museum, a park and a large sports stadium.

I am not a historian, but I do recognize that history unrecorded is history lost. My objective here is simply to record some of my own experiences as an Air Force enlisted man during my assignment to USTDC from 10 June 1973 until 4 September 1974, and to provide a platform for others to do the same.

Feel free to comment on any of these entries or to e-mail me with your own experiences and photographs. My e-mail address is displayed at the top and bottom of this column, or you can comment on any of my entries by clicking on "Comments" directly under each one.

Don Wiggins
SMSgt (Ret), USAF
Arkansas, USA
USTDC, J-12

Regarding Photographs

To the best of my knowledge, all photographs on this blog are either in the public domain or are displayed with the permission of their owners.

Owned photographs remain the sole property of the individuals who provided them. They are not to be downloaded, copied or reproduced in any form without the expressed written consent of their owners.

Send all requests for consent to me, through the email link at the bottom of this column, and I will pass them along to the owner of the photographs.

If you see any photographs here, past or present, which you believe have been inappropriately posted, contact me at the email address shown at the bottom of this column and they will be removed.

USTDC

Friday, June 13, 2008

Formosa (Beautiful) 2

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