US Taiwan Defense Command: Navy Commissary

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Navy Commissary

I seldom shopped at the commissary in the HSA compound because I lived in the hostel and rarely prepared food. I had a refrigerator, an electric coffee pot and a small toaster oven in my room but the oven didn't get much use. I remember preparing frozen dinners from time to time but not often.

Am I correct in thinking that lunch meat could be purchased at the commissary but it was always frozen?

What about dairy products? I was never much of a milk drinker but I remember that on Okinawa back in the 1960s, they sold something called "recombined milk" that tasted like...well, let's just say that it didn't taste much like milk.

I wonder how much food went directly from this place to Taiwanese homes in the surrounding area? I'm not picking on the locals, by the way; I've seen the same thing happen at Air Force bases in the States. It ticked me off then also.

1 comment:

Sarj Bloom said...: I can't remember buying anything frozen when I was there. We didn't have microwaves or even an oven. Everything was fried. I'm sure we bought peanut butter, bread and canned goods. Of course I lived mostly on beer for those two years anyway.
I do remember that apples were like gold to the locals I would buy some for my wife's parents but not often. My wife bought something for her sister once and I told her not to do it again. Her husband agreed that it was not right.
Nice to see the photo, I had forgotten how it looked, thanks a lot!; 03 August, 2008 16:46

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

Sunday, August 3, 2008

Navy Commissary

1 comment:

Taipei

US Central Time Zone