US Taiwan Defense Command: The Official Word in March 1978

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Official Word in March 1978

I found the following article in the March 28, 1978 edition of the Lodi (California) News-Sentinel. This was only about nine months before President James Earl Carter announced the US withdrawal of all American forces from Taiwan, but the feeling at TDC was that "...we're probably two years away from folding up." It's just my opinion, but I think at that point in time, they really believed it.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...: Yet again, here we see how the non-President Carter made one of the biggest mistakes in US foreign policy. It is a shame he made such a foolish decision. In the end, he got duked by the Chicoms. And now, the US has nothing to negotiate with the Chicoms... Carter should have been put on trial.; 16 April, 2010 05:55
Anonymous said...: I'm never sure whether I'm more angry at Carter for WHAT he did, or for the ham-handed, ignorant WAY he did it. How many other U.S. allies must have wondered if they too would one day be treated in such a shabby fashion?
And I chuckled when I read the prediction that TDC had two more years of life before the plug would finally be pulled. When I left in July 1978 I told my replacement that I doubted he would complete a two-year tour, but I figured he would at least make it through the first year. It turned out I was wrong too.; 16 April, 2010 18:23
Anonymous said...: When did Lin Kou close, Feb
77?; 17 April, 2010 07:29
Don said...: Yes, Linkou closed in 1977. To see what it looked like in the years following closure, go to this page at the "Dawgs" website: http://shulinkou.tripod.com/dawg2h.html; 17 April, 2010 08:47
Anonymous said...: In addition to the bungling of the Taiwan issue, let's not forget the total inept way Carter handled Iran. A 48 hr ultimatum of full retaliatory force to free the US Embassy would have completely changed the dynamics of Islamic fundamentalism. IMHO, Carter was a very honorable man, but clearly out of his league as President. I was glad he only lasted one term...

J Hurst; 19 April, 2010 06:16

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

Friday, April 16, 2010

The Official Word in March 1978

5 comments:

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