US Taiwan Defense Command: Sea Dragon Club -- Revisited

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Sea Dragon Club -- Revisited

Bill Thayer wrote regarding the Sea Dragon Club that I mentioned a few days ago:

Don, I saw your posting on the Sea Dragon Club. As I mentioned before, I was the Army personnel officer from Jan, 1973 until December, 1977.

I do not recall that they called it the Sea Dragon Club; we used to just refer to it as the FRA Club meaning Fleet Reserve Association Club. The FRA Club had moved to Tien Mou during that time. I spent many, many rowdy Friday and Saturday nights playing high-stakes blackjack in the upstairs room of the FRA club during that time. I think they had about five to ten tables upstairs and the deal rotated to the winner.

As best I can describe the location, it was located off the circle just before going into Tien Mou. Coming from Taipei in order to get to the former location of the Taipei American School, one would go around the loop bypassing the continuance to go to the BOT Housing area, bear right and go down about one block or a block and a half to TAS. Coming from the BOT Housing in Tien Mou headed toward Taipei there was a circle or traffic island and you would proceed about fifty yards and bear right to go to Taipei American School. I'm calling it a circle, but it could have been a large traffic island. The FRA Club was located about one block or a block and a half from the old Taipei American School location.

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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

Saturday, January 24, 2009

Sea Dragon Club -- Revisited

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