US Taiwan Defense Command: The Birth of USTDC -- November 1, 1955

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Birth of USTDC -- November 1, 1955

Bill Thayer sent me this Associated Press article from October 23, 1955. It shows that Vice Admiral Alfred M. Pride, who was Commander of the US 7th Fleet, announced that the Formosa Liaison Center was being changed to the United States Defense Command on November 1st of that year. VADM Pride was Commander of the US Seventh Fleet from December 1, 1953 until December 19, 1955. This link goes to the history of the Seventh Fleet and it shows VADM Ingersoll holding that position after VADM Pride.

Also, note in the article that when they created USTDC, they renamed the Military Assistance Advisory Group from MAAG Formosa to MAAG Taiwan and the name of the radio station from Voice of MAAG Formosa to Voice of MAAG Taiwan.

From the second article displayed here -- also from Bill -- it appears that the Commander of the US Seventh Fleet was concurrently Commander of USTDC because those two commands were not separated until early in 1957. That may mean that VADM Pride was technically the first COMUSTDC, at least for about 19 days until the arrival of VADM Ingersoll, though I don't know if VADM Pride was actually designated as such.

Click on either article to view the full text of each.

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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

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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.

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USTDC

Thursday, May 20, 2010

The Birth of USTDC -- November 1, 1955

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