Double 10 Celebration in Taipei - 1965 - UPDATED 5 July 2013

More photographs from Ed Boyce.  Ed was assigned at APO 96263 located in the HSA East Compound.

Today, we feature, the Double 10 celebration parade and festivities around the city which took place on 10 October 1965.

Ed took the color photographs from atop the Union Building, also called the MSA Building. 

The building was a guard post of the Marine Guard Detachment from the US Embassy, Taipei.

There were various entities of the US Government with offices in the building.

 Next door to the Union Building was the  US MAAG Taiwan Headquarters building.

The Union Building (in English, just above the door.) 

Taiwan and US flags on the roof.

What do the Chinese characters say, just below the flags?

The roof was crowded with folks looking down on the street as the parade passed by on Double 10 Day, 10 October 1965.

The HQ MAAG Taiwan building is just next to the Union Building, off to the right side. 

Look at the street light pole in this photo and the black and white photo just above.

This will set your bearings as to where this photo was taken from.

Ed would have been stood close to the Taiwan flag pole or more toward the corner of the roof.

   

This is the same corner.  There are some Chinese characters painted on the street.

Lots of brass standing around the corner, also, it appears one of the military men is looking into a book of paperwork, possibly verifying the units passing his position.

Impressive looking unit.  

Don't recall seeing anything like these vehicles loaded with officer's any time in the past.

This photo would have been taken looking down the side of the Union Building.

These folks were one of the Taiwan military bands.  .

As they move to the right, notice the trucks backed up on the top left side of the photo.

If you look at the first color photo above, you can just see one of these same trucks.

I would guess, the band was to be positioned in another area of the Presidential Palace (MND Building).        

Here's a good question:  Who are all those folks sitting down around the dark tables in the center top of this photo?

         

I apologize for having this "out of focus" photo in the story.  

It captured a few interesting things, so we included it.

First, the photo shows a "fly-by" of jet aircraft. 

Just about everyone watching the parade's closing,  would have been anxious to see the aircraft fly-bys.

Secondly, the green grandstand seating was a permanent part of the roof fixtures on the Union Building.

We noticed the Taiwan and US flag poles earlier.  Look closely, there are at least six other US flag poles just to the front of the grandstand.  I can't see any chairs in the grandstand in this photo, but other photos I have, show folks seated atop the grandstand.

It is my understanding, just off to the left of this building, past the MAAG Headquarters Taiwan building, and around the corner to the left, sat this building, seen below.

 The Friends of China Club - photo courtesy of Bruce Rayle.

Being close to both the Union Building and the MAAG Headquarters, this club always had folks visiting it's bar and restaurant from the various US military and civilian organizations.

What always seems to occur when office folks get together?

SHOP TALK...

I read in a story, a few years ago, that talked about this building being a key "listening post" for those interested in what the US was up to.  I don't have the dates the club was operational. It's gone today.

"Loose lips sink ships"  - is an American idiom meaning "beware of unguarded talk".

If you're an old hand, you will remember, just about everyone "drank" back-in-the-day.  Drinking was part of our military social structure.  Clubs were everywhere. 

After a couple of drinks, you were happy, felt good and thoughts just slid out of your mouth along with information that should have remained locked-up in the office files.

More photos of celebrations in Taipei.

What's the name of this theater?  It's somewhere in Shihmen.

Most of us stopped for a bowl of hot noodles at least once during our Taiwan tour.

 Many of us made it a daily snack stop.

One of Ed's friends.  The passers-by are not amused.

Down the road where the bus is pointed, was the location of the US Embassy.

Behind, you can see the North Gate, just to the left, the Main Post Office.

To the photo back, the shopping arcade buildings.

Ed's friends stepping up onto the sidewalk to check-out the shops.

One of the shops in the arcade. 

 Everyone of us stopped to shop in one of these type of stores at least once during our Taiwan tour.

This owner offered a little bit of everything.

Here's the North Gate again.  Just to the right, the old Main Post Office building.

Straight ahead, up the road on the opposite side of the North Gate, stood Taipei Main Railroad Station, surrounded by more shopping areas.

The area around this photo looks to be close to the HSA area.

The pedicab driver is catching a nap, but always ready jump up and peddle a fare to their destination, after the argument on price.

Everyone is having a great time watching the giraffe feeding. 

 You can't feed the giraffe at the new Taipei zoo.

This was the old zoo,  located  on the left, at the top of Chung Shan North Road, just before the Keelung River bridge.

The new zoo is located quite a distance from downtown Taipei.  

There is a Taipei Metro Line that takes you right to the front entrance of the zoo, so it's easy to visit the new zoo.

This picture was taken on the Grand Hotel side (north side) of the Keelung River, down the street from Club 63,  looking west.

Notice the Children's Park just along the opposite side of the river.

The bridge in the distance, has been rebuilt, and it is now used exclusively by the Taipei Metro, on the line that carries travelers to Beitou and Tamsui toward the west.

If I'm wrong on this photo, please correct me.

Our last photo.  This one was taken from the top of the zoo hill.

In this photo, you can see the MAAG Officer's Club.I believe it's the building with the large water tank(s) just to the left of the black pole in the center of the photo.

Farther and just across Chung Shan North Road, is the Hostel many of us resided in.

You can just make out the NEX roof.

I don't know the name of the large multi-story building, I believe it was a new hotel.

  I'm wondering which hotel it was?  Anyone know?

Maybe you can identify other points of interest.  

Thank you to Ed Boyce for sending over his photographs.

If we don't document our time in Taiwan, it will be lost.

If you run across some old photos, please consider Emailing us.

These days, in photographs above, during 1965-1966 were great days for those assigned to Taiwan.

Hope you enjoyed the sites.

Hsi Gen my friends... 

UPDATE  -  5 July 2013

Double 10 Parade - 1965

When I opened my flatbed scanner today, I found this photograph.  I checked and discovered it had not been included in this story.

Looks like an important photograph.

Wonder who the folks on the balcony of this building are, probably the families of the higher ranking officers involved in the parade.

What building is this?

I'm guessing a building associated with the Taiwan Ministry of Defense?