US Taiwan Defense Command: Mystery Beach

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Mystery Beach

****UPDATE****

Apparently some were having problems with the links that David provided in his comments (below), so he has provided this supplemental information:

1. Ruei Bin is located at Township of Ruei Fang, Taipei County.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rueifang_Township

2. Ruei Bin Beach today's look.

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!BBPynrSZHBZGV4RG5Yq5Edo-/photo?pid=0&next=2979&fid=2

The author said the beach used to be a sandy beach, but no more.
She also has a few photos of Ruei Bin's streets and shops.

3. A bird's-eye view of Ruei Bin Beach from hilltop in opposite direction.

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!lj.FZTuFFRnIGJMfu_p7V.ukDA--/photo?pid=680

4. more photos of Ruei Bin. (please scroll down to see.)

http://blog.pixnet.net/mamahama/post/18190626

5. Highway 62 WanLi - RueiBin

http://youtube.com/watch?v=uY7HNQ7eZHY

6. a video clip of Ruei Bin Beach area.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=pfWAo13ffTE

****END OF UPDATE****

Sarj writes:

This beach was a very popular Chinese beach. I remember the name as "Rae-Bin." I think it was about 1 1/2 to 2 hour drive and I remember that that we parked on the beach and got stuck.

It was very popular so someone should remember it. I checked a lot of beaches on-line but found none with a name like that or one that looked like this one. Maybe it became a resort and the name changed. Notice the food areas under cover and the very pretty mountains around the area.

Can anyone identify this beach? I found a pretty good article in the archives of the Taipei Times describing several beaches in the area, but it doesn't contain any photographs.

5 comments:

Unknown said...: The once-popular Ruei Bin Beach(瑞濱) had been closed years ago to make way for the highway consruction. I found a couple pictures in the internet. The first is what Ruei Bin Beach looks like today.

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!BBPynrSZHBZGV4RG5Yq5Edo-/photo?pid=0&next=2979&fid=2
(notation at the bottom of the photo says it used to be a sandy beach.)

The other picture is a bird's eyes view of the beach from the hilltop in the opposite direction.

http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/jw!lj.FZTuFFRnIGJMfu_p7V.ukDA--/photo?pid=680

BTW, I have been searching as well as asking for help in the internet for the name of the suspension bridge of your previous post. I have not heard anything yet.

David; 15 July, 2008 14:58
Sarj Bloom said...: David, something happened to the links, maybe they were cut short in the posting. I really would like to see the photos. Can you email them directly to me? Also I am wondering the location.
thanks you have been a great help.
Sarj; 15 July, 2008 15:05
Don said...: Thanks, David. The change in the landscape of that area is amazing. Time marches on.; 15 July, 2008 15:56
Sarj Bloom said...: Wow David......I would have never found this beach, because it isn't even there anymore. Who would've thought that they would have plowed it over for a highway. Progress I guess. Was this on the northeast coast?
thanks again
Sarj; 15 July, 2008 16:32
Sarj Bloom said...: It's had to believe just how modern and advanced Taiwan as become. I knew when I lived there that things were changing very fast and that Taiwan was becoming the fastest growing economy in the world. It's such an amazing transformation. It's still BEAUTIFUL to me and always will be.; 15 July, 2008 20:26

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

Tuesday, July 15, 2008

Mystery Beach

5 comments:

Taipei

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