I am bringing these films back to the Taipei Air Station Blog for those who have not seen them.
They're worth watching again!
Larry Kelley served in the US Air Force assigned to Shu Linkou Air Station..
The 3 videos he filmed were shot around the Shu Linkou Air Station area, on the hills above and outside of Taipei.
These films will remind all of us of how life was 50 years ago.
Sit back, put your feet up, relax, take a few minutes to watch each of these films.
Video 1 begins in a taxi cab making its way toward Shu Linkou.
Video 2 begins in the tea fields of the Linkou area, moves on to find US Air Force men on a march,
(that march must have been a 1st.)
(that march must have been a 1st.)
The Air Force men run across Nationalist Army soldiers dug-in defensive positions amongst the fields of Linkou.
Video 3 continues in the fields surrounding Linkou.
I really enjoyed these films, they touched my heart.
Those of us who were fortunate enough to have served in Taiwan can appreciate the tremondus changes that have taken place in the past 50 years.
I appreciate those men who came before us. Each one of us who served in Taiwan left some part of our lives in Taiwan......
Thank you to Larry Kelley for sharing his beautiful films...
14 comments:
Wonderful footage, thank you. I was chatting with a taxi driver (my age ~55) in TaiZhong, last week. Out of the blue he said "If it were not for the US's help, there may not be a Taiwan, today." Similar comments from a fisherman I met a few years ago, in Kenting. That alone should be enough to make you guys feel proud for serving in Taiwan back in the day...
Gads there Kent ! The music and the video sure pulled at my heart strings. Touching videos. During Larry Kelley's time, I think their attitude towards Taiwan was heart felt. Fast forwood 9-10 years, during my time, after I married Kate, I realized how poor Taiwan was, and tried to treat Taiwan and her people with a little more respect and compassion. Her people didn.t have much back in those days. It was obvious when one came across a CAF guard out in the boondocks, in their little crete shacks,no electricity, with their WWII single bolt action carbines and their ammo wrapped carefully in newsprint.(During times in the day, they had to don their gas masks and fix bayonets). Sometimes I think I thought I was better then them, I was above them. Look at all a 19yr old kid from the States had and they didn't. It was an education later, to be humbled by it all.
I spent my first six months in Taiwan at the remote DF site a half-mile from the base. We had Chinese NCOs who stood in those little guard shacks (telephone booths). They carried unloaded WWI Springfield .30-06 rifles, and had three rounds of ammunition sealed in waxed paper with a red wax seal in their shirt pockets. I used to patrol the perimeter with an M1 Carbine just to make sure that everybody knew we had some capability to defend ourselves.
As far as I know, no Air Force troops ever hiked or marched at any time during the three years I served at Linkou. Members of the 76th ASA (Army) used to hike in full field gear quite often, but not the Air Force. The Chinese Army used to conduct maneuvers all around the site every day, and we often had to chase them away because the metal in their tanks and heavy weapons would distort our DF bearings. We used to have a "base defense team" and a "contingency team." I wonder if the films showed these airmen, or if this was filmed after I left Taiwan in 1963.
How very odd!! My name is Larry Kelley and I served at ShuLinKou in 1965-66. I never had a camera of any sorts--have often wished I did. I have never met, in 70 years, another Larry Kelley--most spell the last name Kelly. I recognized a little of the videos--that one small village on the way back up the hill and some idiot with me yelled "quadi, quadi" which we were told meant "faster, faster". I thought we were going to die when the driver sped up down those narrow streets!
My name is Larry.I was stationed at Shu Lin Kou Air Station,6987 RSM. Nov.02,1959to mid Dec.1960.I had never been out side of the USA before this assignment.I had been stationed at Travis AFB for two years before to getting my Linkou assignment.My mode of transportation across the Pacific was on a civilian contracted air craft.We made four hops to the Philippines(Hawii, Guam, Wake Island, P.I.) 8hr30min,8hr,7hr,6hr.Upon arrival at Clark I was told that I had to find my way on from there. It took three days. If I had been a Sgt. I could have gotten an earlier Hop. It was a C-47(Gooney-bird)it had metal seats along the sides(no padding),the windows raddled. When smoking,the smoke whipped around our head and out the loosely set windows. mallard_r_91767@yahoo.com
Hi everyone. Some Taiwanese posted these videos on Youtube lately so I found this blog by googling the photographer's name. Yes, I am from Lin Kou Taiwan and currently living in Louisiana. It is really nice to see what my hometown looked like before I was born. I even recognize that area in the film where you can overlook the rice field to the ocean. My grandma's brother lived near that area! Nowadays Lin Kou is a district of New Taipei City and full of pricy, tall apartment buildings. Anyway, as P.S. said, thanks for helping us guarding this island. Wish you guys all the best!
AF translator in 1959. Never marched, spoke to an officer, made my bed, shined my shoes, or suffered an inspection. All we had to do was show up for work. AF ruled that because of the inclement weather, we could wear any kind of outer garment or shoes. One guy I knew wore cowboy boots and the silk like dragon image jacket. I am sure that when an Army guy looked into our barracks, he was appalled at the disorganization.
I was there 1966 thru 1967 was such an amazing time in my life. Would be nice to reconnect with men from that time period. God Bless and thanks for all that served. Jim Walker. Baker flight.
A MILITARY BRAT'S PERSPECTIVE: My dad, Ed Mitchell, was the 1st Sgt (E-8) at the Army's ASA detachment, July 1962-Nov '63. I was 14 when we hit Taipei, and our home was 4' under water in the living room in Typhoon Gloria, Sep '63. I wasn't in the USAF until 1967 and didn't serve at Linkou, but I got a military brat's view from my occasional visits.
Besides the incredible chow hall, what I remember was working there at coolie wages of 50¢ hr, slave wages even back then, doing whatever they came up with.
One day I came to work and the Taiwan Trots came to a boil. The Trots is something no one has mentioned in these Comments. Wow! I think it involved time travel, because I was for days eliminating food I hadn't even eaten yet.
After that I got REAL careful about how and where I ate. I joined the USAF in '67, and when stationed at Utapao AFB, Thailand, I recalled the Taiwan Trots so vividly I only ate at a rice stand once (JUST fried rice), when we were travelling way off base on our own, a day away from any chow hall.
I was there (176th USASA) 57, 58 and 59. Best years of my life. Now, at age 81 it is all behind me except for the memories.
I was there for special training in 1974, Army TDY from Misawa Air Base... arrived on December 31, 1973...Air Force guys picked us up at airport, dropped gear off at the Air Station, brought in the new year in downtown Taipei... best assignment ever,.l. The mess hall was amazing...
I'm Taiwanese and was born 1965. I enjoy visiting the website. The pictures and stories here are somewhat like a time machine and bring me back to the past. Any chances, hope you guys visit Taiwan again!
I was there at Linkou and also at Tainan in the early 1960s. I loved Taiwan and wound up married to a Taiwanese lady. Great people and the street food was amazing. Now 82 years old so memories are all I have left. Enjoy yourselves, it's later than you think!
Jim Ketchum San Dimas, California 058/056
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