I think I used to enter that way to get to my office, but I must have had to walk around the building to the left to get to the main entrance, since the outside door to my office only opened from the inside. I'm still having trouble figuring out exactly which corner of the building this shows. Memories have faded over the past 37 years or so.
Below is a map of the compound. The TDC building was #19 on the map. I believe the main entrance to the building was just above and to the left of the #19. The tennis courts shown to the right in the above photo are at #17 on this map.
If anyone remembers this any better than I do, or if you can identify anything else in the photo, please let me know.
9 comments:
Don,
If you're having trouble, welcome to the club. I STILL can't find the huge Signal Compound STRATCOM HQ building or motorpool.
Maybe by the time this map was made, we were gone. Things did change pretty quickly.
John
Don-
When I was up to Taipei 1970-1974 time frame from CCK, the Fire Dept. was located in Bldg. #13 manned with local national firemen but the supervisors were Navy Seabees. Also Bldg. # 26 was temporary billeting. I wonder what the date of the map of the HSA East compound is you have posted.
Gene
Gene:
That map was in the USTDC phone directory that was published sometime in the late 1970s, but it's hard to say when it was drawn. The compound changed over the years, especially in the late 1970s leading up to closure. Here's a link to a map found in the Taiwan Report, the book for incoming personnel, around 1973: https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_LzsVxw2OVeM/SKh_oQtpZgI/AAAAAAAABcI/5rCSjo2tAjw/s800/TW%20Report%2011.jpg
Don
Don,
This is my recollection: To get to the front entrance of the main TDC building, you would have entered through the back gate (going up the steps you see in the picture.) You then would have turned left to go around the building to the front entrance.
John Quinn
I think the Stratcom warehouse
was in right side of building 20 with a small AAFES office and warehouse on the left side of
#20. I use to walk around #20 to the back of TDC to the Comm center to pick up the AAFES messages.
I have some of the same memories as John's. If you entered the rear entrance, there was a Chinese MP always posted there -- on the right I think. You turned left, walking up an enclosed incline, then a 90 degree right turn pointed you north, in a corridor toward the front of the building. There were offices on the right of that corridor, but I don't think there were any on the left. At the far end, the corridor made another 90
degree right turn, heading east. The first thing I remember on the right side after that turn was a wide staircase leading to the second floor (or deck for the Navy types). Opposite, on the left was an office, probably the J-1 spaces. Next on the right was the "quarterdeck" where a senior NCO was always on duty, and across from that, on the left was the main entrance. I don't recall what else was on the right as you continued walking, but the corridor turned 90 degrees left and ran along the west wall of the building's east wing. There were offices on the right side but only windows on the left.
My memory of the upper floor is less clear. I recall a secure vault and a small auditorium with theater seating, but can't be sure exactly where they were. And of course the admiral and general had their offices somewhere on that floor; I think the general’s was in the front of the building, somewhere near the main entrance.
Les D.
The north end of building 20 was where I worked. It was called Taiwan Telephone Detachment. The south end housed what the Army would call the S1; Post boxes; Ree-up Office and such. The South Corner of those tennis Courts, were the Base Ball Field & hot-dog stand. I played teams from all over Taiwan there. To the left of the little entrance of the main TDC buildings were the Motor Pool. I remember when it would "snow" from the mulching of 'confidential papers' from TDC HQ. That Motor Pool was moved from the South West corner of USACC HQ. That area was turned into a AAFES Car Rentals. I was there from 1972 to '74 went to Korea and returned from 1975 to '78. I has a blast there, Taiwan will forever be the best tour of my Military career.
The north end of building 20 was where I worked. It was called Taiwan Telephone Detachment. The south end housed what the Army would call the S1; Post boxes; Ree-up Office and such. The South Corner of those tennis Courts, were the Base Ball Field & hot-dog stand. I played teams from all over Taiwan there. To the left of the little entrance of the main TDC buildings were the Motor Pool. I remember when it would "snow" from the mulching of 'confidential papers' from TDC HQ. That Motor Pool was moved from the South West corner of USACC HQ. That area was turned into a AAFES Car Rentals. I was there from 1972 to '74 went to Korea and returned from 1975 to '78. I has a blast there, Taiwan will forever be the best tour of my Military career.
That photograph is exactly as I remembered it, as if it was yesterday. As I have seen it everyday from 1972 to '74. Then from from 1975 to '78. I worked the 'outside-plant' of TTD. Installing/repairing telephone cable and telephones, all over Taipei US & ROC Military Installations. One of those cars on the right or left could have been mine, since I had a '75 Plymouth Duster. Purchased it for approximate $3K brand new and sold it for $10K. I couldn't afford a car on my 1st tour. To the immediate right of that little entrance to TDC, were a tailor-shop and other shops.
Pete
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