Photograph courtesy of Rob at Stellar-Views.
2 July 1953 - In this photo, the first shipment of Republic F-84 Thunderjets, in route to the
Nationalist Government of the Republic of China on Formosa is being
delivered by the
U.S.
Air Force. These were the first jet-type aircraft to be delivered under the U.S.
Mutual Defense Assistance Program, photographed flying over Okinawa,
destined for the island
of Formosa.
A friend, Mr. Wang, recently wrote, pointing a June 1953 Taiwan newsreel which captured the ceremony in which U.S. authorities turned over a number of F-84 aircraft to the ROCAF government.
This film is dated 16 June 1953, in less than 2 years, it will be 60 years old.
The newsreel audio, in Chinese, was roughly translated by Mr. Wang:
Of all democratic countries that are
anti-Communist and anti-Russia, Free China is a strongest base in South
East Asia. While we're preparing retaking Mainland China, Taiwan's
position is getting more and more important.
Under such circumstances and ambiance, jet fighters from American Military aid arrived at Free China again.
In the Reception Ceremony, Chief of
the General Staff Jou Ji Zoe (周至柔、 Commander of Air Force Wang Shu
Ming (王叔銘)、 US Embassy charge d'affaires ad interim Mr. Howard P. Jones, who has a formal official Chinese name 鐘華德(Jorn Hwa De)he's the man with
the bow tie, and Commander of MAAG William C. Chase ( 蔡斯少將)took turns to
deliver speech. All together they celebrated this event.
We believe The Republic of China and The United Stated of America will cooperate further more to defeat our enemy in common.
In air field, General Jou in full pilot outfit stepped in the
cockpit first. US Embassy charge d'affaires ad interim Mr. Howard P. Jones (鐘華德) didn't want to be put
aside and he also wanted to have a taste of flying high in the sky.
One after another, jet fighters took off rapidly. They were so fast
that you didn't even take a good look at them and they flew away in
front of you.
We believe one of these days we will see these jet fighters in action
over Mainland China's airspace and let the enemy see how powerful we
Chinese Air Force are.
Here's is the video which was filmed at Tainan Air Station.
First MAAG Chief, Major General William C. Chase,
at Taoyuan Air Base 1 May 1951 walking beside
General Kwei Yung-ching (桂永清)
at Taoyuan Air Base 1 May 1951 walking beside
General Kwei Yung-ching (桂永清)
Read about General Chase, MAAG Taiwan Chief HERE
1 comment:
I would like to learn more about the delivery of the F-84G's from depots in Japan and the USA to the ROCAF - further their operations with the ROCAF. Please contact me at: pvde67@hotmail.com - thank you, Paul.
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