US Taiwan Defense Command: A Bridge Less Complicated

Wednesday, November 25, 2009

A Bridge Less Complicated

Regular contributor Stev Pitchford provided these photos from September 1959, showing the Chung Shan North Road bridge that many of us remember. It was replaced by the busy interchange shown in my last post. I understand that all of the old spans have been removed and I assume that the footings are gone also.

As I said earlier, I often walked across this bridge. It was common for food vendors to park their carts at either end, and the first time I ever tasted dried squid was from one of those carts. That was also the last time I ever tasted dried squid. Apologies to all those who enjoy this delicacy, but it just didn't appeal to my western sense of taste.

Now a plate of delicious "pot stickers," on the other hand . . . .

6 comments:

Misty said...: The old bridge is in pieces on the north bank of the river where the old swimming pool used to be. I have a vague memory of reading an article where some politician had promised that the old bridge would be restored. Actually, the old bridge isn't the first version as there was a cast iron bridge before that, also built by the Japanese. The bridge you know was built for Hirohito's visit. I am sure someone will correct me on one of these points but as there isn't much written in English about the bridge, historical facts are hard to come by.

I think collectively people who remember the bridge miss it. Today that whole area is traffic hell.; 25 November, 2009 16:40
Stev said...: I remember that squid. It was like chewing on a salty rubber band.; 25 November, 2009 19:29
Victor said...: http://funp.com/push/?tag=%E6%98%8E%E6%B2%BB%E6%A9%8B&hot&stars=1#p=305720 明治橋最初是鐵製桁架橋(1901年-1912年) 橋面木造 (Meiji Bridge was built in 1901. It was first a cast iron bridge with wooden floor.)
西元1912年木造橋面改建成鐵筋混凝土橋面工程(In 1912, the wooden road was replaced by the concrete road.)
1923年日本皇太子(昭和天皇)至台灣路過明治橋不禁讚嘆(Hirohito visited Taiwan in 1923 and highly praised the elegance of the bridge.)
1933年改建鋼筋混凝土拱橋(RC拱橋) (The bridge was reconstructed to a reinforcing concrete arc bridge in 1933.)
西元1946年明治橋改稱「中山橋」(Its name was changed to Chungshan Bridge in 1946.)
西元2002年12月20日宣佈拆除(The bridge got torn down in Dec 2002.); 25 November, 2009 20:02
Don said...: Misty (or anyone else who's in Taipei), if it's possible to take a couple of photos of the pieces of the "Hirohito" bridge, I'd really like to post them here for all to see.

Thanks a bunch!; 28 November, 2009 13:23
Victor said...: Don,
The following is what I've found about "the pieces of the Hirohito bridge" via www.google.com.tw. http://www.bunny.idv.tw/blog/downloads/2006/05/%E4%B8%AD%E5%B1%B1%E6%A9%8B_1.jpg; 29 November, 2009 23:53
Misty said...: Sorry, I'm not in Taipei otherwise I'd take a stroll down there to see what was goin on.

I did find this image though.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/weihsi/3549293212/

Notice the bridge to nowhere? You have to love Taipei planning.; 30 November, 2009 14:32

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, November 25, 2009

A Bridge Less Complicated

6 comments:

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