History of the US Air Force in Taiwan - Part 8

1962

1 January.      The Area Procurement Office, 6213^th Spt Sq, was activated at Taipei AS during November 1961 and became operational this date.

3 February.    US Taiwan JOC participated in BLUE SKY exercise.

6 – 12 March.  18^th Tactical Fighter Wing aircraft deployed to Kung Kuan AB.  While there they participated in exercise FLYING TIGER.

10-17 March.   8^th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed aircraft to Kung Kuan AB.

25 March.       6214^th Tactical Group and 6214^th Air Base Squadron were redesignated 6214^th Air Base Group and 6214^th Support Squadron respectively per PACAF SO G-96, 21 Dec 61.  The same order also discontinued the 868^th Tactical Missile Squadron and 6214^th Materiel Squadron at Tainan Air Station.

April.   Base swimming pool at Tainan Air Station was opened.

1 April.            6214^th Air Police Squadron was designated and organized at Tainan Air Station per PACAF SO G-20, 27 Feb 62.

11 April.          US Taiwan JOC participated in BLUE SKY exercise and operation BUZZ SAW.

8-11 May.       US Taiwan JOC participated in world wide command post exercise WHIPLASH.

10 May.          All ATF Thirteen (P) (Taipei area) military personnel records were transferred from Clark AB Consolidated Base Personnel Office to 6213^th Support Squadron, Taipei Air Station.

15 May.          A Rescue Coordination Center (RCC) was officially established in the Taiwan COC.

21 May.          The 405^th Fighter Wing at Clark AB assumed the responsibility for maintenance of officers and airmen records for all personnel assigned to 6214^th Air Base Group.

29 May – 1 June.  Thirteenth Air Force inspected the 6214^th Tactical Group at Tainan Air Base.

1 June.            An Information Office was established in the Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov).  Also the Tainan Defender Newspaper, formally published at Tainan Air Station, was published by this office from 13 July until 14 December 1962 when its publication was discontinued due to manpower shortage.

5 June.            Tainan Branch of Bank of Taiwan was authorized to maintain an account in New Taiwan Dollars (NT) for official account of Accounting and Finance Officer, Tainan Air Station.

5 June.            The Accounting and Finance Office was activated and physically located in the office of the US Army Military Attaché, US Embassy, Taipei.  It operated under the jurisdiction of the 405^th Fighter Wing Finance Office until 1 October 1962 when it was transferred to the 6214^th Air Base Wing.   

16 June.         Taipei Air Station dial telephone exchange became operational.

27 June.         Taipei Air Station acquired 3.9 acres of land adjacent to the station for construction of a dormitory, mess hall and motor pool area.

27 June.         President Kennedy stated during a press conference today:

“One possibility is that there might be aggressive action against the offshore islands of Matsu and Quemoy. In that event, the policy of this country will be that established seven years ago under the Formosa Resolution. The United States will take the action necessary to assure the defense of Formosa and the Pescadores. In the last crisis in the Taiwan area in 1958, President Eisenhower made it clear that the United States would not remain inactive in the face of any aggressive action against the offshore islands which might threaten Formosa.” 
Editor Note:  Read President Kennedy’s press conference remarks HERE.

1 July.             Commander, 2165^th Communications Squadron assumed the responsibilities for Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov) Communications and Electronics (C&E) staff function.

8 -13 July.       Thirteenth Air Force inspected the 6213^th and ATF Thirteen (P).

11 July.           Major Fred H. Reiss assumed command of 6213^th Support Squadron per 6213^th Spt Sq SO G-13, 11 Jul 62.

12 July.           US Taiwan JOC participated n BLUE SKY exercise.

13 July.           The newspaper TAIWAN DEFENDER was transferred from 6214^th Air Base Group, Tainan AB to Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov) at Taipei Air Station.  ATF Thirteen (P) had this newspaper previously from Jan 59 (founded by ATF Thirteen (P)) to Mar 60.

25 July.           US Ambassador to China, Alan G. Kirk; Vice Admiral R. L. Melson, Commander, US Taiwan Defense Command; and Major General Kenneth O. Sanborn, Chief, MAAG Taiwan visited Taipei Air Station for a briefing.

20 August.           Brigadier General Gladwyn E. Pinkston assumed command of Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov) per USAF SO A-1233,  25 June 1962 and 6213^th SO G-14, 23 August 1962.

30 – 31 August.         Lieutenant General Thomas S. Moorman, Vice Chief Commander in Chief, PACAF, visited Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov).

1 – 9 September.      The 656^th Tactical Hospital. Clark AB, Philippines conducted a deployment to Kung Kuan AB for training purposes.

9 September.            CAF reported one of its U2 high-altitude reconnaissance aircraft, purchased from Lockheed Corporation, in 1960, was missing on a routine mission over the Chinese mainland.

11 – 24 September. Detachment 1, Thirteenth Air Force participated in exercise 
HIGH HEELS II.

19 September.          The Interservice Support Agreement between Naval Support Activity (NAVSUPPACT) Taiwan and Thirteenth Air Force was signed and sent to PACAF for approval.

6 – 20 September.    US Taiwan JOC participated in world wide command post exercise HIGH HEELS II.

8 October.      Major General Glen W. Martin, PACAF Deputy Chief of Staff, Plans and Operations, visited Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov).

15 October.    Taipei Air Station was given right of entry to (2,062 Ping in size) (36 square foot per Ping) of land adjacent to its area from Taiwan University.  This land was required for expansion.

15 October.    Commander, Chinese Air Force and Command, Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov) signed host tenant agreement between their respective headquarters for deployment of aircraft to Taiwan.

1 – 9 November.       656^th Tactical Hospital from Clark AB, Philippines deployed to Kung Kuan AB to participate in field exercise.

8 – 9 November.       Major General Theodore R. Milton, Commander, Thirteenth Air Force and his staff paid a command visit to Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov) headquarters at Taipei Air Station.  This was a follow-up visit made 25-27 Jul 62.

7 December. SECNAVNOTE 5450 changed the name of US Naval Support Activity, Taipei to Headquarters Support Activity Taipei (HEDSUPPACT, Taipei).  Prior to this the unit was established in 1951 as Headquarters Commandant which commanded all support elements of Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) Taiwan.  In 1955 it was changed to Taiwan Base Command and was jointly staffed, MAAG funded.  The command was placed under Taiwan Defense Command (TDC) in 1959.

12 – 13 December.    Secretary of the Air Force and Mrs. Eugene M. Zuckert with Major General and Mrs. Glen W. Martin visited Air Task Force Thirteen (Prov), Chinese Air Force, US Ambassador to China, and the president of the Republic of China.

19 December.           US Taiwan JOC participated in BLUE SKY exercise.

21 December.           US Taiwan JOC participated in exercise NEW BOY IV.

Bend With The Wind - 1960 Booklet for Wives

This booklet turned up in one of my file cabinet drawers recently, I don't remember it.

The booklet was prepared by the American Embassy with the cooperation of the DOD and US Information Service in Taipei, dated May 1960.  The booklet was probably published as a result of after action reports relating to the serious typhoons which ravaged Taiwan in 1959 causing many deaths and flooding.

 The booklet was tailored toward wives and families.

...."This booklet has been prepared to let you know the best thing to do if some emergency occurs and your husband is too busy at his job to help you."

"In the event of some kind of emergency, you can use this booklet as a folder for those papers you will want to carry with you.  It has been designed to fit the average lady's handbag."   

Add caption

Hang on to that stock of bamboo......

That's the booklet.  It was printed 52 years ago.  My God, are we getting old or what?

But, most of the booklet is current, things don't change that much.

Do you have a booklet or photos from Taiwan.

I would be happy to post them right here on the blog.

Please email me with your thoughts.  TaipeiAirStation@yahoo.com

Winter - and Bugs Too

  

            Winter weather is upon us, and reading the current news stories about Taiwan temperatures we can expect almost everything – including a freeze in the event that the climate of 50 odd years ago should repeat itself, when it dropped down to below zero.

However, winter in Taipei is not so much a matter of being uncomfortably cold as it is a case of being coldly uncomfortable.  Here, the winds blow with a sneaky effect, picking up vagrant drops of rain and dropping them down your neck with the coyness of a particularly unpleasant little boy dropping a garter snake down the back of his schoolmate’s dress.

The rain itself has the most unpredictable manner of starting and shutting itself off.  Should you decide the weather is worth a gamble, it will be certain to pour down in buckets; if you dress like a Maine sea captain preparing for a no’wester, the sun comes out with unmistakable vigor.

There is nothing invigorating about winter in Taipei.  It is merely gloomy and musty and no matter how cold it may get the mosquitoes never give up; they just get hungrier and more affectionate.  Winter also brings with it a particularly hateful assortment of creeping, crawling and flying sects.  Nothing is more loathsome than to wake up with one of these hairy, tarantula-looking affairs crawling on the ceiling like a preview of an invasion from Mars.  Worse, if you find them on your pillow.

One little animal which causes many ladies to scream and scram is the friendly little fellow they call the “pi-fu”; the little lizard that sits with beady eyes and coiled tongue snapping up wayward houseflies and mosquitoes who happen along.  If you realize that this little chap doesn’t bite, is a member of the familiar and chummy chameleon family and on top of that eats three times his weight in vermin daily, you can not only welcome him – you encourage him to stay.

Winter squalls are particularly disgusting in Taiwan.  All the raincoats in the world are useless in protecting you from the water that comes cascading down. It splashes up under your raincoat or slicker, and if you happen to be a woman – so much the worse.  It blows in from every direction including the positive parallel, seeking out the tiniest gap that exists in your clothing.

Taiwan houses are rarely heated so the average resident finds himself walking around the house in a coat and sweater arrangement most of the time.  Taiwan houses are made for you just to sit under the broad eaves, behind the panes of glass in the sliding doors and watch the rest of the world become soggy and miserable.

Experts argue for winter, saying that without it the crops would not grow – and this is undoubtedly true.  There may be those nature lovers who find nothing more exhilarating than to stride manfully out of a reasonably cozy living room or den, forsaking pipe and bowl as it were, to seek for the will-o-the-wisp called a “healthy walk.”

As for me, when I am out in the winter weather – when it gets its wateriest – I shut my eyes, practice Yogi and pretend that I am basing away on the sunny beaches to be found in Hong Kong, Los Angeles, Hawaii and so many other places in the world.  It is a nice way to escape the worst of the season – and maybe with a little luck, time will fly by and spring will come to spread the story of the summer which is only shortly to follow.

Reprinted with permission. 

COPYRIGHT 1955 BY JOE BROOKS
******************************************************************************************************************

Joe Brooks wrote a column for the China Post newspaper in the mid 1950s.

Joe later later published this and other articles in his book, 

"From A Yankee Notebook"

Find more information about Joe Brooks and this series of articles HERE

Please leave your Comments below, or e-mail me ~~   Taipeiairstation@yahoo.com

Return to Taiwan Tour - On the Bus - Day 7

Our second day in Kaohsiung, waking up on a sunny Sunday morning.

After breakfast, we loaded up in our bus and drove north to Kangshan (Gangshan) to visit  the ROC Air Force Academy.

Main Gate to Gangshan

A large area displaying old aircraft is just to the left.  Notice the C-47.

      



















The first aircraft to the front as we entered the display area was this Boeing 720.

Off to the right of the B-720, the circular walkways begin.

The next photo will bring the area into focus.

Here's the area as seen from Google Earth.  The B-720 is the largest aircraft in the photo.

Just toward the top of this photo, the B-720 is pointing to the ROC Air Force Museum. As you walk outside the display area just to your left is a white line, which leads to the museum.

Walking to the left side of the circle from the B-720, these old aircraft.

One of my personal favorites, the C-46.

While stationed at Hurlburt Field, (Eglin Field 9) back in the early 1960s, we had a number of these old aircraft as well as other WW II. aircraft in our base active inventory.

Impressive, and smartly painted.


The museum keeps these aircraft clean and brightly painted.

The museum displays a number of aircraft flown to Taiwan from the PRC by defecting PLA pilots.  Every pilot and defecting crew member that made it to Taiwan was given a gift of gold and a position in the Taiwan Air Force.


Ar least one pilot was awarded 100 kg of gold.  Other crew members a lesser amount.

Just how much is 100 kg of gold worth in today?

100 kg = 220.5 pounds = 3,528 ounces.


Gold price today (11 February 2012) is  US $1,722.00 per ounce X 3,528 ounces 



100 kg of gold today,   is worth:  US $6,075,216.00

Apparently in 1988 the gifting of gold rule was changed.  I can't find the details.

And, from what I have read, the chances of successfully flying a PRC aircraft to Taiwan today,  without being shot down or blow away by chasing PRC aircraft or missiles is virtually nil.


Read about defections HERE

Ted standing beside the T-33.

Take a look again at the beautiful Taiwan palm trees.

Bring back memories?

 























A favorite. Comfortable flying in the old days.


Have you flown in one of these? 

This aircraft was the Taiwan AF One or SAM aircraft prior to the arrival of the B-720.


We left the outdoor display area, walked across the street toward the ROC Air Force Museum.

The museum, a beautiful building....

Just inside, directly ahead, a very large mural on the wall.

The president's beautiful blue Cadillac convertible. 

The Cadillac explained.

Meeting everyone inside the museum doors...


Generalissimo Chiang kai-shek  蔣中正 / 蔣介石  

Impressive painting, I like his uniform....




The museum, two story, divided into different areas, representing the history of the CAF, both in China and Taiwan.

The museum is only open on Sundays and holidays.

We were greeted by the senior military officer of the museum (by chance) not scheduled. 

He was extremely kind to us, offering to personally show us the museum and help explain many displays.  

It was a wonderful tour and we really appreciated him taking time to provide us with a comprehensive tour of the facility. 

There were many historical photographs in the museum.


You might want to read a previous post concerning F-84 aircraft delivered to Taiwan .


 This photo says 42. 2. 18  (add 11 years) 1953 February 18.

It is my understanding, the F-84 aircraft did not arrive until early July 1953.

A number of ROC Pilots standing in this photo, along with US officers, including Chief MAAG Taiwan, Major General William C. Chase.  

 You can almost feel the heat rising from the tarmac.

Inside the museum, a bust of General Claire L. Chennault.

General Chennault was probably the most respected US officer in China and Taiwan.

General Chennault, often lovingly referred to as "the old man."

Here is just one of many General Chennault pages you might enjoy.

When you travel Taiwan, a MUST stop to visit,  the ROC Air Force Museum.

I feel remiss, we have not began to present any of the beautiful displays found here.

 

As we ended our escorted tour of the museum, each of us was presented a baseball cap, seen here, as a token of our visit to the museum.  It was a kind gesture by the museum staff.  Thank you.....

 Click on the cap to see the emblem more clearly.

It was getting toward lunch time, we had reservations at a restaurant in Kaohsiung and had to be on our way.  We loaded up in our bus and had a chance to relax for a few minutes.

Lunch today was at a restaurant that is a small museum in itself.

The building holds many store fronts that were picked up and moved into the restaurant.

There are booths all along the walls with the old store fronts in the middle floor area.

You might recognize some of these shops, they resembled others that existed all over the island back-in-the-day!

Japanese style bicycle, and old red motor bike parked along the wall.

Looks like a noodle stand, displaying cold drinks available.

One of the early Taiwan record player/radio consoles.

The restaurant is 2 stories, we walked through the street level area to the rear, then walked upstairs to the main dining room for lunch.  Our table was reserved.

It was crowded, being Sunday probably added to the lunch rush.

The walls were plastered with old movie advertisements, old films were being projected on two screens, you can see one screen to the upper left and one screen was on the wall to the right.

We had a large lunch, I was hungry and neglected to take a photo of our table before most of the food was gone.  The tea was special, really tasty.  I don't know how many times we asked our waitress to refill the tea pitcher.  

Lunch over, we are heading for the famous pagodas of Tsoying.

Back into our bus, and a time to lay back in the seat and let the meal settle down.

Wait, look out the window.

I've had enough fish and pork lately, it's time for a change.  

Tonight I'm having something from McDonald's.

That's as far as we're going today.

Our next post will finish up our visit to Kaohsiung.

See in day or two.