USTDC

Photo of USTDC courtesy of Les Duffin

Saturday, August 21, 2010

Taichung Area MAAG

Today's entry is much longer than what I usually post here, but there was no practical way to space the material out over several days.  Besides, this is the first real posting I've done for quite some time.  Enjoy.

COL Thomas Baker kindly provided us these materials:  a photo of his father, Sergeant First Class Archie Baker, (retired as a Sergeant Major) standing outside the Taichung Club 36 NCO Club;  a welcome booklet compiled by the wives club of the Taichung Area MAAG;  the appreciation letters to the wives club; photo and farewell thank you card from the MAAG Area Commander, COL Arnold;  and lastly, a photo of COL Baker standing by the old location of the US Naval Hospital (photo taken July 24, 2010).

His father, Archie Baker, was stationed in Taiwan with the US MAAG at the Taichung MAAG Area Command from 1959-1962.

The photo shows his father standing outside the Taichung US NCO Club 36. SFC Baker was the NCO Club manager.

The MAAG Taichung, Taiwan newcomers welcome booklet was also provided by COL Baker.  His mother was a member of the wives club that assisted in the development of this booklet.  After the cover is a listing of pages from the booklet.  Just click on each to view a larger version.




 











 








 
The following memorandums are the appreciation letters from the US MAAG Chief and US Ambassador to the Taichung MAAG Area Commander, which were then forwarded to members of the wives club.



Farewell letter and photo of COL Arnold, the Taichung MAAG Area Commander.



COL Thomas Baker was born at the US Naval Hospital in Tienmou in 1960. These photos are of COL Baker standing at the present day location of the old US Naval Hospital.  The old US Naval Hospital was torn down and a new building stands on the same location.  The new building is an extension of the Veteran's Hospital).

COL Baker writes:  "After 30 years in the Army I am about to retire.  I recently had a chance to visit Taiwan; and what better way to end 30 years of service than to visit the location where I was born -- Tienmou.   I was born in 1960.  My father, SGM(R) Archie Baker was station in Taiwan in the late 50's and early 60's. From my mother's stories, he was first stationed somewhere in Taipei, then transferred to Taichung at the MAAG Area Command. He was the NCO club manager there.

I know my parents loved living there and had a fantastic quality of life.  I recently got to visit and a colleague stationed in Taiwan was kind enough to show me some sites and take me to Tienmou to the old location of the US Naval Hospital.  He actually lives right across the street from the old US Naval Hospital location where I was born. I was looking for some sort of shrine or plaque, but for some reason the Taiwanese didn’t think my birth was deserving (ha).   I even have a tattoo that verifies I was made in Taiwan.

It was great to visit Taiwan.  It is a wonderful place."


Thomas Baker

6 comments:

Victor said...

Several links I've found about the U.S. military presence in Taichung.
http://www.tcccpi.org.tw/anews_info.asp?id=116
http://www.tcccpi.org.tw/Manasystem/Files/anews/981118134839_美軍在台文史交流座談會邀請卡.JPG A workshop on Nov 22 2009 held by the Council for Cultural Affairs Taiwan about the history of the U.S. Military in Taichung.
http://djyimg.com/i6/911010612101966.jpg A photo of the old newsletters of the Ching Chuan Kang (CCK) Air Force Base.
http://djyimg.com/i6/911010612111966.jpg Old clubs in Taichung.
http://www.wretch.cc/blog/hexentw/10844550 (the last photo) Perhaps the only U.S. military housing that still exists in Taichung today. The location is at Sec 1 WuQuan West Road and WuQuan West 5th Street.
http://www.taiwanfun.com/central/taichung/articles/1006/1006TCTM003.htm New Leihu("Thunder Tiger") Park remembers a U.S. military presence in Taichung.

Victor said...

http://ustdc.blogspot.com/2009/09/new-naval-hospital-images.html
The image of the U.S. Naval Hospital in Taipei, and the exact spot where Thomas is standing in his photos. Please see the red square in the following.
http://www.wretch.cc/album/show.php?i=vicwk&b=2&f=1551082657&p=3

Anonymous said...

Victor,

Thank you for the information about Taichung. I live in Taipei, across the street from the old US Naval Hospital. You can contact me at us_maag_taiwan@yahoo.com

Scott

Anonymous said...

Does anyone remember the location of the NCO 36 Club in Taichung?

Wg said...

Good contribution, Col. I especially liked that you photo'd the booklet!

Dave said...

Thanks so much for posting the memories. My dad was State Dept learning Chinese there 1959-61; my younger sister was born in Changhua Christian Missionary Hosp in 1960. I think I saw the movie Pollyanna in the MAAG base theater but otherwise we stayed off base. No TV, no telephones.