More Typhoon Gloria Photos from 1963

A couple of years ago, Bill Amborn (formerly at USTDC/J24) sent me some photos that he took of Typhoon Gloria flooding in 1963.  Today he sent me a few more great Typhoon Gloria photos that he recently had developed from some old negatives.  He has annotated each of them for your information.

More Memories

A few days ago I received a very nice note from Allen Rawden, who was at TDC during 1976-1978. He wrote:

Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.

Fell into your USTDC blog and have spent the better part of the day there.  I was stationed at USTDC/SPINTCOMM from June of 76 to September of 78. During 20 years in the Navy, my best tour. Not even a contest.

I first lived in the Hostel near the Chung Shan Bei-Lu gate. Then moved to Tien-Mou for a brief time and finally to an apartment in the night club area south of the east compound. ;And no, I'm not going to try to spell the name of that area...

I too did not take many photos, none of TDC itself. I guess, being a CT, we were no in the habit of taking photos of work. In fact I have none of any duty station for my 20 years. Back to Taiwan....

I still have the brass bell given at my going away ceremony, my nametag, the command plague (which is in VERY bad condition)and my Chinese-American Friendship medal (And yes, Navy were authorized to "retain and wear" this ribbon as long as your request was submitted and approved by CINCPACFLT....and yes, I still have the paper work on that.

During the early 90's I was stationed at Pensacola. Also there was my Tien Mou room mate who had worked in the maintenance shop. We were having a personal inspection and the Captain had stopped at John (CTM1 Hodgdin), and stared for quite awhile at the thing. He didn't say anything, but then he got to me about 10 people further down the line. That's when he said, "OKAY, WHAT THE HELL IS THAT THING??" And yes, that afternoon I was getting a copy of my service record entry for the Command Master Chief.

Anyway, again thanks for the great blog and the rush of nothing but good memories.

Then CTOSN/3 Allen Dean Rawdon

Allen also included this scan of his typhoon card from back in the day.  The reverse side was written in Chinese and we were required to carry them in case we ever had to drive during typhoons.  I only recall driving one time in Taipei and that's when I had to drive a TDC van up to the radio station and back during a typhoon.  What with the pouring rain, high winds, Taipei traffic, no experience driving on the streets of Taipei and driving a panel van, I can tell you it was very interesting!

1953 Flooding of MAAG Compound

I decided to take a "sabbatical from sabbatical" because of material sent my way from old friend Sarj Bloom.  These images of flooding after a 1953 typhoon are all in the archives of the ROC Government Information Office and can be found at this link.

What makes these of interest to regular readers of this blog is that they show the west compound (the Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) compound) in 1953.

The first photo appears to have been taken at the entrance to the west compound (facing out and to the northeast).   In the distance, to the left of the picture, you can see the roof of what appears to be the Story House, which is still there today.  I originally thought it might have been taken from the east compound, but I now think the angle of the Story House indicates otherwise.  All opposing views are welcome in the comments section.

I believe the next picture is facing outward from inside the west compound entrance toward Chung Shan North Road.

This picture was taken outside the MAAG compound entrance, where crews appear to be pumping water out of the compound.  Note the building slightly to the left in the distance.  It appears in the next photo as well.

This photo was taken further inside the gate, probably about where the chapel eventually stood to the left.  If you look straight ahead, you'll recognize that same cement sign that has shown up in many photographs of the west compound on this blog.  I believe the building to the left of that sign was the hospital in those days.

Memories of 1963-64

Bill Amborn was at TDC during 1963-64 and provided this account of Typhoon Gloria:

I was assigned to TDC from the States and arrived as a PFC in the army in late August 1963.  I was billeted at Yangmingshan first.  I took a few snapshots of the TDC compound during Typhoon Gloria as I was in it those few days.  I just ran across the photos which I'd sent to my parents.

Being the new guy in my unit I was one of three of us to stay in the compound in our little office during the typhoon.  The photointerpreters, part of J2, were downstairs and boy, did we get flooded.  As the water started coming up we put sandbags outside the steel door leading out and sat around and played cards.

Later the water began gushing in above the sandbags and we got concerned about the thousands and thousands of maps we had of all of China and started to remove them from the lower shelves and put them up higher.  While we were casually working on this activity we heard a violent snapping sound and saw that the water pressure had bent the door.  Water was coming in like gang busters.  So we started scurrying as fast as we could bringing all the maps and tons of classified stuff upstairs.  The water kept coming up. Then it became obvious we were being weighed down by our fatigues so we stripped to underwear and continued.  Some of the duty people upstairs thought we were mad men.  Then the power went out and we had a few flashlights, etc, by which we kept carrying the equiment and papers upstairs.

In the end, before we had to stop, we were up to our shoulders in that wonderful, muddy water.  We saved everything needed to keep us operating after the clean-up and got the normal thanks for a job well done (nada).

Then the C-rations ran low and we had to go to one of the warehouses to get them.  So we peons stripped down to our scivvies and formed a line of guys to walk wherever we were led.  That way if the first guy fell in a hole or something, the second guy would know where it was.  Like walking in a mine field.  We got our boxes and carried them like you see African ladies carrying items - on our heads - because the water was up to our necks.  And so we traipsed back across.  During the walk back guys started talking about all the poisonous snakes and wondering (a) could snakes swim and (b) what's that over there?

Since stressful situations bring out the best and worst in us, one could expect being stuck in a building for a bit would do just that.  Sure enough, one of the officers was found to be stealing all the C-ration cookies.  That really got some of the guys hot and required some higher rank to assure us cookies would be equitably distributed.

Like everyone who went to Taiwan, I have a ton of memories, but the strongest one still is of walking over the bridge from TDC to Club 63 with Billy Cowan (Air Force) and Larry Dugan (Navy) and Billy telling us that Kennedy had just been shot.

Bill Amborn

8/63-5/64 USTDC

Typhoon Gloria Aftermath

I've posted a number of photos and comments about Typhoon Gloria that hit Taiwan in 1963.  There was tremendous damage from flooding and high winds from what was then the largest typhoon to ever hit the island.  The HSA and USTDC compounds were both flooded.  I remember seeing a plaque on the wall of either the commissary or the exchange that showed the high water mark from that typhoon.

Les just sent me some photographs of the east compound that he took after the waters had receded.  The first two show items being set out to dry from the exchange and the third shows the line of military personnel and their families lining up to buy flood damaged items at deep discounts.

Directly ahead in the third photo is the base theater and library.  The library was just to the right of the theater.

Taiwan Medals Recently Awarded to US Military

Vincent A. sent me the following article from the China Times:

Taiwan honors members of US Armed Forces

• Publication Date：12/15/2009
• Source： China Times

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.
Approximately 10 representatives from the U.S. Armed Forces attended the ceremony, as did William A. Stanton, director of the American Institute in Taiwan.
“We would like to offer you our great thanks for your magnanimous assistance, given as if to a brother,” said Kao Hua-chu, minister of national defense.
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.
One officer from the Pentagon made singular contributions to the Aug. 16-17 rescue operations, said Lin. He did not sleep for four straight days, because he had to keep in touch with the U.S. State and Defense departments by day, and at night he had to coordinate rescue operations with USPACOM, the Seventh Fleet and AIT.
The medals have a flag of the Republic of China on them. At first the MND considered including a U.S. flag as well, as a symbol of the friendship between the two nations, Lin said. But the MND thought it would be too sensitive to do so, and in the end decided against it.
“I am sure all the officers and military personnel who wear these medals will feel great pride that they participated in such a noble cause,” the legislator said.
Taiwan and the United States broke off diplomatic relations 30 years ago, and yesterday was the first time since then that Taiwan has ever given any medals to members of the U.S. military. The invitations to the American military personnel were given in secret.

Typhoon Amy Article

I've written a few times about typhoons that have hit Taiwan. If you enter the word "typhoon" in the search box at the upper left of this page, you should find all of those pieces.

Sarj Bloom recently sent this article from the Pacific Stars and Stripes, dated sometime in September 1962 with some photos that were taken during typhoon Amy. Some of these images were posted here previously.


You can see a short British Pathe' news film from 1962 about typhoon Amy at this link.

As bad as Amy was, twelve months later, in September 1963, came typhoon Gloria, which was the strongest typhoon to hit Taiwan at that time. However, there have been other, even stronger storms in the years since, with this year's typhoon Morakot being the deadliest in Taiwan's history.

Typhoon Destruction

I just want to say to the good people of Taiwan that you are on my mind and in my prayers this morning as you begin to recover from the terrible destruction of Typhoon Morakot.

I understand that the storm triggered the worst flooding in Taiwan in 50 years, dumping as much as 80 inches (two meters) of rain, driven by winds of 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour during this past weekend. More than 50 people have been confirmed dead with at least that many still reported as missing.

I am very sorry for your losses and I wish you all the best in the days ahead.

Typhoon Card

I've posted images of various Taiwan identification and ration cards, but Barbara recently sent me an item I hadn't seen before. She wrote:

Because of the nature of our work, we had to have special permission to be out and on the roads during typhoon conditions (something other people weren't allowed to do). I just found my "authorization card."

Walt actually had to use his once to pick up some of our people and take them home. There were no buses or cabs running during typhoon conditions.

Typhoon!

I've been following the news reports on Typhoon Sinlaku. As I write this on Saturday afternoon, the slow-moving typhoon is dumping rain all over Taiwan, and the forecast is for as much as nine or ten inches of rain by Tuesday.

Here in the States, of course, Hurricane Ike just nailed the Gulf Coast last night, especially the areas in South Texas. That storm, though no longer a hurricane, is projected to hook to the northeast, right up over East-central Illinois (where I happen to be located) and dump five or six inches of rain here. In this part of the country, five or six inches of rain represents a major flooding threat.

None of this is good news, but to sort of keep things in perspective, Sarj just sent me a batch of photographs that were taken somewhere in Taipei, probably sometime in the late 1950s or so. Sarj doesn't know who took these shots or the exact locations, but since some of the faces appear to be American, it seems likely that they're in the general vicinity of USTDC and the HSA compound.

More Floating Restaurant

A few weeks ago, Sarj Bloom provided photos of the floating restaurant that was once docked close to USTDC. Those photos showed the restaurant floating away with the help of Typhoon Gloria in 1963.

Long-time contributor Les Duffin just sent two photographs of the restaurant as it was before it became a typhoon victim.

USTDC Van

Sarj says this shot was taken behind TDC, next to the warehouse building, probably around October, 1961. That's him in the photo.

The van was used by USTDC personnel for various things. I remember driving a TDC van up to Grass Mountain -- I think to the radio station -- in a typhoon during 1973-1974. I didn't have a car in Taipei and that was my first and only experience with city traffic. I remember the driving rain and high winds as I maneuvered that big old van through traffic. I don't recall why I was sent up there, but I managed to avoid running into anything on the way up or back, so I guess I accomplished the mission, whatever it was.

Also, note the classy mid-fifties Pontiac convertible parked next to the van. Very nice!

Floating (Away) Restaurant

Sarj Bloom sent in some pictures of a floating restaurant that was located on the river near USTDC. These shots were taken during Typhoon Gloria in 1963. The restaurant was no longer there when I arrived in 1973.

Here are Sarj's comments:

I'm sorry about the quality of these pictures. They apparently came from 35mm film and I'm not even sure that anyone from our photo lab took them, though the lab was flooded during the typhoon and I may have made these prints in haste.

They show the restaurant floating away with the help of Typhoon Gloria. The sign was at least 15 or 20 feet high. I believe the last photo, showing the gate, was the entrance to TDC.

The restaurant was only there for maybe six to nine months, no longer than that. I left a month after the typhoon but I had a feeling that they would never rebuild.