US Taiwan Defense Command: Linkou Hotel

Monday, June 22, 2009

Linkou Hotel

I received this photo from Linda Greth a few weeks ago. Linda and her husband, SFC Thomas Greth, were at USTDC from 1965 until 1969. Unfortunately, the photo arrived around the time that we were getting ready to go spoil our grandkids in Pennsylvania and I'm afraid that I just forgot about it -- not that I'm getting old or anything.

I have to say that this does not look at all familiar to me and I don't remember a Linkou Hotel during my time in 1973-1974. If you look closely (click on the photo to expand it), you'll see that the printing on the blades of the windmill say "Linkou Hotel" and the sign on the building says "Shu Lin Kou NCO Club."

Was this the original Linkou Club in downtown Taipei? Does anyone know where it was located in relation to the compounds? Any description of the place or any old memories that you'd like to share would be much appreciated.

3 comments:

Zhuxiu said...: Don,
This does not look like the Linkou Club that I knew in 1963-64. Perhaps it is of the back exit? The club was located on ChungShan North road across from HQ Support Activity and just next to the compound where the movie theater was. There was a covered walk-way that led to the club entrance. The Filipino band that played there then had a drummer named Nestor who let me sit in a few times.

Joe Miller, then CT3
Linkou Air Station, 1963-64; 22 June, 2009 21:51
titojohn said...: Don,
This looks like the rear entrance to the club. The front of the club faced in the direction of the Navy Exchange. The trees on the left hand side of the picture I believe are trees that lined Chung Shan N. Rd.

The Roma Hotel would eventually be a ways to the left of where you see that electric pole with transformer hanging off of it, and further down on Chung Shan N. Rd.

Those large light poles you see in the center of the picture appear to be in the vicinity of the HSA west compound.

Sorry for the rambling, hopefully my recollection is not too far off. If anybody has a better recollection, please chime in.

John Quinn; 22 June, 2009 22:35
Sarj Bloom said...: The only thing that looked familiar to me was the waffle type concrete wall to the far right. I think I remember such a wall at the front entrance????
I only went there a couple of times and spent all my clubbing time at the Navy Club down the street a few blocks and on the other side of the street. the Navy Club didn't have a front entrance it was the rear of some other building.
I don't know how I missed the back of the club?; 26 June, 2009 19:08

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, June 22, 2009

Linkou Hotel

3 comments:

Taipei

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