Taiwan Awards Summary

Last month I posted a request for information on a ribbon that was presented to COL William Kinkead, who was a logistics officer in MAAG Taiwan during the late fifties or early sixties.  Someone identified it as the "Kinmen Defense Ribbon."

However, I recently received a note from Lloyd Evans, who heads the 823 Badge of Honor Association USA, and he provided an excellent overview of the medals and other honors that the Taiwan government has presented to certain American military personnel over the years.

Before 1979 silver plaques and plates with acknowledgements of meritorious service and the then the OISCM (Outer Island Service Commemorative Medal – for service on Taiwan’s outer islands: Matsu, Kinmen [aka Quemoy], Taiping Island and  Pratas Islands) as well as the Honor Medal for 823 Bombardment (8/23/59 – 1/1/59 – aka Second Taiwan Strait Crisis – medal awarded in a joint US/ROC ceremony on 10/10, the 40^th anniversary of 823 [1998])) and the US-ROC Mutual Defense Commemorative Badge 1955-1979 awarded subsequent to the 823 award (1998) and on or about 2000 to US servicemen. Then in 2009, the Ministry of National Defense presented roughly 600 medals to members of the United States Armed Forces Dec.14, in recognition of the help and support given to Taiwan in the aftermath of Typhoon Morakot. The 600 medals, which carried the words “In commemoration of the Typhoon Morakot rescue operations,” were handed out to all those who participated in the search and rescue operations. Close to 500 navy personnel were on board the USS Denver, an amphibious transport dock stationed off the coast of Taiwan during the humanitarian mission, said Legislator Lin Yu-fang, who also attended the ceremony. Other medal recipients included members of the U.S. Pacific Command and the U.S. Seventh Fleet. Military personnel stationed in Japan, representatives of AIT, as well as members of the U.S. Defense Department were also given medals, Lin added.

Lloyd Evans

Chairman

823 Badge of Honor Assoc. USA