Taipei Air Station - What's Left Today?

The Fuji Film logo, green and red signs above, is the approximate area of old Fox Studio seen below.

I spoke with the shop keeper at the Fuji store, she was young and had no knowledge of the old days. I went next door to a jewelry shop and the owner was not familiar with Fox Studio, but he locked up the store and took me to a dentist a few doors north who seemed to remember the old Taipei AS. He told me, "it has all changed." I left it at that, gave him a copy of the Fox Studio photo and went on my way.

This photo courtesy of Rick Ferch - TAS 1964-1965

Looking south on Roosevelt Road, standing in front of Fox Studio.

Fox Studio was where many of us had ID photographs taken for our Identification Cards and Badges. As I remember, getting my photo taken at Fox Studio was the first thing I did in the morning after I arrived at Taipei AS and began in-processing at our personnel office.

I spent a couple of days at National Taiwan University, NTU, this week looking around and taking video and still photos.

In the next few blog posts, I will guide you through the old area, to show you what remains of our presence that once was Taipei Air Station.

The old Taipei Air Station I once knew is gone, nothing remains.

But, our history still has roots in the few buildings still standing of the re-build that took place in the 1970s.

I begin our video look today on Roosevelt Road. I rode the MRT and came up to street level on the right hand side of Roosevelt Road and begin walking south, toward the Circle on Roosevelt Road.

I talk about the road going under the circle on Roosevelt Road, I believe that the only vehicles that can use the underground tunnel are buses, as I noticed a double star painted on the street along with Chinese characters.

Lets begin our walk here on Roosevelt Road.

Continue to the Circle on Roosevelt Road

and then

Move on from Roosevelt Road to the area of the old Barracks and Mess Hall at Taipei AS now a huge parking lot.

Three videos for you to review. I apologize for the sound quality, I took these films with my Canon Power Shot SD700 IS camera.

I suggest you crank up your audio to full blast so you can hear my commentary, it makes viewing more interesting.

Of course, I need your thoughts on what I have incorrectly said and what information I may have left out.

Please leave your remarks below.

If you have ideas for more videos from Taipei, let me know , either by email to Taipeiairstation@yahoo.com or leave a remark below in the comments.

On my next Blog Post, we will look at the area from a 10th story window. Then we'll take a look inside the NCO Club and the Headquarters building.

Tsi Gen.....

Summer at Taipei Air Station

Here is an aerial shot of the barracks and pool circa 1968 time frame.

Our pool sure looks inviting. Ummm....

With the temperature at 91 and climbing, it's summer time in Taipei!

Sea Dragon R&R Center - Revisted

You can get a good idea of where things were "back in the day" on this Google Earth Map.

Be sure to double click on the map & pictures to get the super size view!

John Crum found this map in the "Guide to Taipei Booklet" which points out the approximate location of the Sea Dragon R&R Center, circa 1967. This map locates the club on the right side of Chung Shan North Road a few hundred yards south of the gate coming out of the HSA West Compound.

This area is also in one of the old "Bar" location maps on the Shu Linkou Air Station web site.

Yesterday, I took my Canon Power Shot camera and recorded 3 video pieces of the area I believe, the old Fleet Reserve Association Club and Sea Dragon R&R Center, once stood.

Many thanks to all who have written regarding the old R&R Center. I think we have put this mystery to bed.

Here are the links to the video I took in what has to be the old club area.

Pin pointing the exact location may be impossible until someone sends in a photo showing the club in relationship to Chung Shan North Road.

Crank-up your audio level to full-blast if you want to hear my thoughts as I walk through these videos. Also if you have the download speed, open up the window all the way, it's a much better view of the areas.

Video 1 begins along the sidewalk on Chung Shan North Road walking south toward Taipei Air Station next to a Tatung University building.

Video 2 starts from the old club area, moves a block south to the probable location of the old gasoline station.

Video 3 picks up around the old gas station area across the street from Florida Bakery and proceeds to Min Quan West Road - My video card filled-up as I crossed Min Quan Road and the film abruptly stops.

Many thanks to everyone who has contributed to solving this mystery. Not many of us frequented this club, in the early days it was kind of a hang-out for the ex-pats, mostly retired military living in Taipei, older guys for the most part. Then it changed to the R&R Club and those folks on R&R pretty much had the place to themselves.

I hope you will send in more photographs of the old clubs, I will update the blog as more information arrives.

Guide Book to Taipei from 1967

John Crum, who's contributed many photos and information to this site, sent these photos yesterday.

John said his wife was going through some drawers and found this guide in amongst some books.



I've been looking for something on the Riverside Mongolian BBQ since I started this blog. Most of you who were stationed in the Taipei area probably visited here at least once. I know it was a favorite of many. We're still missing a photo of this restaurant. Do you have one?


I don't recognize the International Art Gallery, but I do know the Caves Book Store. Don, who runs the USTDC Blog speaks of the Caves Book Store often.




Not real sure about this ad, which was the back cover of the booklet. Maybe it was for the general public.

As I recall, most of the military folks used the American Express Bank on the military compounds.




Nice ad. Most of us visited the Ambassador for one reason or another during our sojourn in Taipei.



I never visited this hotel. It looks new...

More to come.