USTDC

Photo of USTDC courtesy of Les Duffin

Thursday, February 11, 2010

Typhoon Gloria Aftermath

I've posted a number of photos and comments about Typhoon Gloria that hit Taiwan in 1963.  There was tremendous damage from flooding and high winds from what was then the largest typhoon to ever hit the island.  The HSA and USTDC compounds were both flooded.  I remember seeing a plaque on the wall of either the commissary or the exchange that showed the high water mark from that typhoon.

Les just sent me some photographs of the east compound that he took after the waters had receded.  The first two show items being set out to dry from the exchange and the third shows the line of military personnel and their families lining up to buy flood damaged items at deep discounts.

Directly ahead in the third photo is the base theater and library.  The library was just to the right of the theater.

5 comments:

George said...

Like to buy one of the two Chevy's with the fins in the third photo when they dry out....I'll pay more than new showroom price (when they are dry of course)!!

Don said...

Yeah, George, I expect you would!

Those look to me like 1960 models, which would have retailed new for somewhere around $3,000. A fully restored one today could easily cost ten times that amount.

Heck, you take one and I'll take the other one. How 'bout that?

George said...

OK Don, I'll take the blue one and leave the red for you....enjoy it on cruise nights.

Lawrence Westfall said...

That plaque was at about the 5 foot level after going up about 6 feet of stairs.

John said...

I was in Taipei in August 1963 during Typhoon Gloria. I was 10 years old and my family had just moved there.(my US Navy father had just been posted to Navy Section MAAG in Taipei). We were still staying at the Grand Hotel on a hill overlooking downtown Taipei (about 1 mile from the Exchange & Theater in the photos). Immediately after the typhoon, downtown Taipei looked like a large lake with the tops of buildings sticking up out of the water. I remember going to a movie at the theater about a month after the typhoon and you could still see the high water mark inside the theater.