US Taiwan Defense Command: Best Taiwan Blog Award 2011

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Best Taiwan Blog Award 2011

Many thanks to all the readers of this blog who took the time to cast votes in Taiwanderful's 2011 Taiwan Best Blog Awards competition. For the second year in a row, the USTDC blog won the popular vote in its category and, for the first time, also won the "Peer Judged" category that's voted on by other Taiwan bloggers.

I made fewer blog entries this year, mostly because my wife and I had a very busy year, including our move to a new place. Things are beginning to return to what passes for normal around here and I'll try to do better in 2012.

This blog has always focused on the personal experiences of those who served in and around USTDC from 1955 to 1979. I felt it was important to record those memories so that today's youngsters might have a better understanding of who we were and what we did. I could sure use your help in accomplishing that goal. Though your family members may sometimes tire of hearing your old "war stories" about your time in the Taipei area, I promise that I will not. Please take a few minutes to jot down those memories and e-mail them to me to share with other readers. The e-mail address is near the top and bottom of the column to your right. Be sure to let me know if I may publish your name along with your comments. If you have any photos of those days, please attach them to your message as well.

I want to wish a very happy new year to my readers here in the States, those in Taiwan, and all those around the world. I am deeply grateful for each and every one of you.

5 comments:

titojohn said...: Congratulations Don! You are doing a great job here in keeping the memory of USTDC alive. I really appreciate your efforts maintaining this blog.

John; 01 January, 2012 01:08
Stev said...: I second Titojohn's comment.; 01 January, 2012 12:55
Craig Ferguson said...: Congrats. I'm one of the organizers of the Taiwanderful blog contest. I'll be in touch via email in the next day or so with details on claiming your prize.

Craig; 01 January, 2012 20:17
Anonymous said...: Don't change a thing. Keep up the
good work.

Jim Sartor; 02 January, 2012 07:43
Taipei Signal Army said...: I can't wait until Dec. 2012, Don. TSA enjoys voting for you and, word is, 3 times in a row and you actually get to KEEP the trophy.

Go Tigers------------John; 04 January, 2012 14:59

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

Saturday, December 31, 2011

Best Taiwan Blog Award 2011

5 comments:

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