History of the US Air Force in Taiwan 1961

1961

January – December.  The Provisional Signal Detachment 8678, AAV, was redesignated as the US Army Signal Communications Agency, Taiwan (USARSCAT.)

17 January.    The consolidated flight operation, the MATS liaison and the BX facility were moved into a new terminal building at Sung Shan AB.

1 -14 February.   39^th Air Division deployed aircraft to Kung Kuan AB in support of ATF Thirteen (P) OPORD 124-59-20, 15 Dec 60.

1 March.         The Directorate of Safety was established in the 6214^th Tactical Group at Tainan Air Station.

14 – 28 March.  18^th Tactical Fighter Wind deployed the 15^th Reconnaissance Sq to Kung Kuan AB in support of ATF Thirteen (P) OPORD 124-59-21, 27 Jun 61.

1 April.            Aircraft of 405^th Fighter Wing, Clark AB were first deployed to Tainan AS, Taiwan.  Det 1, 405^th Fighter Wing activated.

12 April.          Base theater at Tainan AS was destroyed by fire.  Loss of building and equipment, which included the Education and Personnel Offices plus the Bowling Alley, totaled  $100,000.   

             

 18 – 25 April.   18^th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed a detachment of 12^th Tactical Fighter Squadron aircraft to Kung Kuan AB in support of ATF Thirteen (P) OPORD 250-61-1, 1 Mar 61.

19 April.          Tainan AB lost its assigned C-47 aircraft when it crashed on take-off from Hong Kong.  There were 14 fatalities.  

11 – 24 May.  39^th Air Division deployed a task force of reconnaissance aircraft to Kung Kuan AB in support of ATF Thirteen (P) OPORD 250-16-2, 5 Apr 61.

2 May.             New communications building (Cotton Building) at Taipei Air Station was completed and occupied.  (Project TAW-259-0).

15 May.          Vice President Johnson on his visit to Taiwan issued a joint communiqué with President Chiang reaffirming Sino-American unity.

3 – 10 June.   405^th Fighter Wing deployed task force of the 509^th Fighter Squadron to Kung Kuan AB in support of ATF Thirteen (P) OPORD 250-61-3, 3 May 61.

July.                 The 8^th TFW deployed aircraft to Kung Kuan AB.

1 July.            Det 1, Shu Linkou AS, Det 2, Tainan AS and Det 3, Kuan Kuan AB of the 2165^th Communications Squadron were established.

1 July.             USTJOC assumed the responsibility of manning the four remotely located GRC’s in the Taiwan area with American weapons controllers.  Det 3, Shihmen; Det 4, Makung Island; Det 5, O Laun Pi; and Det 6, Kaohsiung; Thirteenth Air Force, were designated and organized at locations indicated per PACAF SO G-45, 7 Jun 61.  This same order also assigned the detachments to 6214^th Tac Gp for operations, administration, logistics and courts-martial control.

14 July.           Taiwan COC operated by Air Task Force Thirteen (P) and Chinese Air Force moved into a new underground operating location.

22 July.           Col Dudley P. Eaton assumed command of 6214^th Tactical Gp at Tainan Air Station per 6214^th Spt Gp,  SO G-5, 22 Jul 61.

1 August – 30 September. 

405^th Fighter Wing task force deployed to Kuan Kuan AB.

                                     F-102 aircraft of 509^th FIS were deployed from Clark AB to Kung Kuan AB in Operation BIG TRUCK.

1 September.            6214^th Tac Gp assumed operational responsibilities from Air America for the LOX plant  ( Ed. Note. Liquid Oxygen source) at Tainan AS.

11 September.          Typhoon PAMELA hit Taipei.  No damage to USAF.

11 – 16 September. US Taiwan JOC participated in exercise HIGH HEELS.

6 – 11 October.         Air Task Force from 8^th Tactical Fighter Wing deployed to Kung Kuan AB.

10 October.    B-57, F-102, RF-101 and F-100 USAF aircraft participated in Double Tenth Day at Taipei with a flyby.

11 October.    A BLUE SKY exercise was participated in by US Taiwan JOC.

13 October.    6213^th Spt Sq lost a T-33 aircraft when it crashed at Hsinchu AB.  No fatalities.

21 October.    868^th Tactical Missile Sq was Host Squadron for 6214^th Tactical Gp “open house.”  They simulated an actual missile launching of the Matador Missile.  Gen Sanborn, ATF Thirteen (P) command and Gen Chen, Chief of Chinese Air Force, were among visitors.

31 October 61 – 31 January 62.  Det 1, 6214^th Tactical Group at Kuan Kuan AB was commanded by Major Lester C. Pagliuso.

2 – 3 November.  US Taiwan JOC participated in Exercise NEW BOY II.

December.     The newspaper TAIWAN DEFENDER published by Tainan Air Station was judged best PACAF newspaper in category II.

12 – 14 December.  Personnel of US Taiwan JOC participated in a conference on OPERATION FACELIFT at Clark AB, Philippines.

13 December.           New operations building was completed at Kung Kuan AB for use of Det 1, 6214^th Tactical Group.

31 December.           Responsibility for Flight Operations was transferred from 6213^th Spt Sq to Det 1, Thirteenth Air Force.