Lest We Forget

A friend pointed me to this photo of a US Marines exercise in Southern Taiwan during March, 1960.  The description reads:

U.S. Marines pass amphibious vehicle on beach in southern Formosa during Operation Blue Star last week.  They took part in the biggest joint amphibious exercise staged by American and Nationalist Chinese forces.

Though I usually write about the day-to-day activities of the American military folks who were privileged to serve in Taiwan, I think it's important that we remind ourselves from time to time that the defense of the good people of Taiwan was our reason for being there.  It was a dangerous time for Taiwan.  In many ways, it still is.