US Taiwan Defense Command: Chen Family Photos

Monday, May 23, 2011

Chen Family Photos - Part 2

This is the conclusion of yesterday's posting of Chen family photographs. Many thanks to Scott and to the Chen family for providing these rare images.

As always, if you recognize any of the individuals in these photos, please leave a comment or drop me an email.

4 comments:

Victor said...: After taking a look at the name plates on the podium in the 7th photo, I think I've recognized a few people.

George Whelan Anderson, Jr.(first from right in the front row) Flag Officer of Task Force 77
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Whelan_Anderson,_Jr.

Karl L. Rankin (third from right in the front row) U.S. Ambassador to Taiwan
http://www.life.com/image/50391373

Yu, Bo-Chuan余伯泉(first from right in the second row) Deputy Chief of General Staff of ROC
http://tw.myblog.yahoo.com/genliudinghan-memorialhall/article?mid=69&prev=70&l=a&fid=13

Since Rankin left Taiwan in Dec 1957 and there are 48 stars only on the U.S. national flag, I believe the photos were taken in the 1950s.; 23 May, 2011 20:04
Anonymous said...: Victor,

You can see VADM Doyle (USTDC Commander Jul 1957 to Jul 1958), hence this photo must have been taken between Jul 1957 and Dec 1957.

Scott; 24 May, 2011 07:52
Victor said...: I think the person second from left in the front row in the 7th photo is Wang, Shu-Ming王叔銘, Chief of General Staff of ROC, July 1 1957-June 30 1959.
http://zh.wikipedia.org/wiki/%E7%8E%8B%E5%8F%94%E9%8A%98; 25 May, 2011 00:48
新聞老鳥 said...: In the Seventh photo, there's a Chinese navy general who's totally hidden by the American navy general standing first from the right in the front row. The name plaque of this Chinese navy general says 「馬副部長」（Deputy Minister Ma）。

This invisible navy general is Ma Ji Drong （馬紀壯）who was Deputy Minister of Defense Department from August 21 1955
to January 31 1959.

Wang Chun; 27 May, 2011 00:30

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

Monday, May 23, 2011

Chen Family Photos - Part 2

4 comments:

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