USTDC

Photo of USTDC courtesy of Les Duffin

Wednesday, February 10, 2010

American Club in China

As I've mentioned several times, the building that used to house the Club 63, the largest enlisted club in the Taipei area, is now home to The American Club in China, an upscale private club that caters to the international business community.

Some of you may remember that The American Club used to be located right next to the HSA east compound, just to the left of the hostels.  I received some photographs from Les Duffin that he took from the roof of the hostel closest to Chung Shang (ZhongShan) North Road.  The first photo shows the back of the American Club and its tennis courts.  I lived in the second hostel (which you can see the corner of here) and I remember looking down on those courts just about every day.

 

The second photo is what Les believes was the main Entrance to the club. 

By the way, since my room in the hostel faced west toward Chung Shan North Road, the only way I could have seen those tennis courts from above (short of climbing up on the roof) would be from the back of the hostel.  It seems to me that there was a window on the landing of the stairway that faced east (the back side). Does anyone remember if that was the case?

3 comments:

Misty said...

Wow rare photos indeed. These are the first photos I have seen of the old club. I was begining to think it was something I had imagined.

You are correct that is the entrance to the club.

The top picture would place the entrance to the left. You can just see the covered walkway leading up the stairs.

BILL-USACC said...

I got to Taiwan in early 73 and the 63 club was in a different location. Any idea when the club moved down by the Grand Hotel?

Thanks
Bill

Don said...

Bill, if you're talking about the enlisted club and not some local watering hole, the 63 Club was always located over by the Grand Hotel as far as I know. Its official name was the Club 63, which came from the APO (postal) address, which was APO 263, San Francisco. That was later changed to APO San Francisco 96263 to conform to ZIP code standards.

The Club 63 became the China Seas Club when the Navy took over its operation, I believe during 1973 or 1974.

After President Carter pulled US military forces out of Taiwan in 1979, The American Club, which was a private club unaffiliated with the military, moved from its facility by the east compound to the former China Seas Club building.

I think I have my facts straight here, but if anyone disagrees, please feel free to contradict me.