US Taiwan Defense Command: Shih Lin Area Today

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Shih Lin Area Today

I received a note from a friend regarding a piece that I wrote during March of last year titled "Getting Around In Taipei." It included this photo which I think was Shih Lin around 1973.

He checked the area in Google Maps and highlighted what he believes to be the same gray building on the hill in the background of the top photo.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...: The grey building was opened in 1966 with a bowling alley and an ice skating rink mentioned in the following post.
http://ustdc.blogspot.com/2007/11/more-photos.html
The bowling alley is still running its business today but the ice rink got closed many years ago.; 18 February, 2009 23:08
Don said...: I'm pretty certain that this is where the "TDC Nooner's League" used to go bowling (at noon, obviously) every Thursday. Every once in a while, one or two of us would return to work after bowling.; 19 February, 2009 09:04
Anonymous said...: Don,
I don't suppose this is where the TDC Nooners League bowled every Thursday, since you mentioned that the bowling alley they went to was in Tienmu instead of Shihlin, and you don't remember anything about an ice skating rink? In the grey building, the ice skating rink is on the first floor and the bowling alley is on the second.; 19 February, 2009 18:15
Don said...: Honestly, Victor, I have no idea where we bowled. All I remember is that we usually went from the bowling alley to the Club 63 -- now The American Club -- after we finished our games. I don't recall a skating rink, but after 30 years, I'm sure that I've forgotten more than I remember.

But you're probably right because I think I would remember a first floor ice rink and a second floor bowling alley and I have no memory of that set-up at all.

Thanks for clearing that up for me.; 20 February, 2009 04:30
titojohn said...: There was a bowling alley located in the HSA West Compound which would have made it a more convenient location for a TDC Nooner's League; not to mention the proximity to Club 63 for refreshments after bowling. :); 20 February, 2009 22:14
Don said...: Well yeah, John, but that was just a short walk from the office and they might very well expect us to come back to work after bowling!; 21 February, 2009 09:31

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

Wednesday, February 18, 2009

Shih Lin Area Today

6 comments:

Taipei

US Central Time Zone