History of the US Air Force in Taiwan 1956 - 1957

1956 - Continued

May.                A contract was made for construction of 53 bamboo huts for Taoyuan AB was started in June and completed in August.

21 May.           The first bread prepared on Taiwan was delivered by the “American” bakery in Taipei.  This replaced bread shipments from Kadena AB, Okinawa.

(Ed note:  I always thought it was the Florida Bakery, whose storefront shop was on Chung Shan North Road)

1 July.             ATF 13 (P) had 54 Officers, 95 Airmen and 34 civilians assigned.
 

August.           A construction project at Tainan AB consisting of Bamboo Huts for living quarters was started in June and completed in August.  Twenty additional huts were completed in December.
 

August.           Construction of 53 Bamboo Huts for living quarters was completed at Taoyuan AB.
 

September.      The Special Operations Section, ATF 13 (P), which was established on 25 June 1956, began operation this month and for the remainder of the year prepared for project DARK EYES.
 

October.          ATF 13 (P) participated in exercise HAPPY RETURNS.
 

22 October.     Agreement signed between GRC and US on CAF Squadron.
 

21 November. To facilitate planned construction for  Kung Kuan AB, the first action to develop Kung Kuan AB as a major base on Taiwan for US occurred between May 1957 and April 1958 when basic operational and support facilities were constructed for Bare Base Operations at cost of US $25,585 million ($12.500 million in MAP funds.)  The next construction was in 1965.
 

1957

1 January        ATF 13 (P) had 43 Officers, 110 Airmen, and 31 civilians assigned.
January – December.  The following united deployed aircraft to Taiwan: 
                                    Dec 56 – 4 Feb 57       311th Fighter Bomber Sq
                                    8 Feb – 8 Mar             16th Fighter Interceptor Sq
                                    5 Apr – 16 May           334th Fighter Day Sq
                                    9 May – 7 Jun             335th Fighter Day Sq
                                    8 Jun –- 5 Jul              7th Fighter Bomber Sq
 

16 January.     ATF 13 (P) participated in project STRONG BOX which was a redesignation of project PIGTAIL, a rotation of Fifth Air Force units to Taiwan. Project STRONG BOX was terminated on 1 September 1957.
 

1 February – 5 April.  336th FDS deployed to Taiwan on a Mobility Exercise.
 

21 February.   335th FDS deployed to Chiayi AB on a 10 day Mobility Exercise.
 

March 1957.   First Historian assigned to ATF 13 (P)
 

22 March.       Agreement was signed between the US and GRC for Project DARK EYES.  Diplomatic notes on the “Matador Agreement” between US and GRC, in which the GRC extended the “MAAG Agreement” (see 1 November 1952 above) privileges, exemptions and immunities to “one flight of Matador missiles.”
 

5 April.           Brigadier General Fred Murray Dean assumed command of Air Task Force Thirteen (Provisional) per Department of the Air Force Special Order 39 dated 27 February 1957; vice Brigadier General Benjamin O. Davis Jr., relieved.
 

May 1957 – April 1958.
                        Runway construction at Kung Kuan Air Base will cost approximately, $3,500,000 three and one half million US Dollars.
 

4 – 5 May.       A token force of the 588th Tactical Missile Group rotated to Hsinchu AB and gave a demonstration of the TM-61 weapons system for high ranking officials.  This force returned to the US in November after the 17th Tactical Missile Squadron had reached Hsinchu AB on 21 October 1957.
 

8 May.             Vice Admiral Stuart H. Ingersoll, Commander USTDC publicly stated that a US Guided Missile Matador unit had been assigned to Taiwan.
 

24 May.           A mob protesting against a General Courts Martial acquittal of a US Master Sergeant in the alleged manslaughter of a Chinese, sacked the US Embassy and the US Information Service in Taipei and injured several Americans.  In Washington, China’s Ambassador Hollington K. Tong called at the US State Department to deliver China’s apology for the incident. This was not regarded by the Chinese as an expression of any general anti-American sentiment in Taiwan but was a spontaneous protest against what was widely regarded as a miscarriage of justice.  Air Task Force Thirteen (P) took precautionary measures against possibility of attack by these anti-American rioters.
 

1 July.            Detachment 2, 6002d Air Intelligence Service Group was attached to ATF 13 (P) for collection, guidance, monitorship and logistical support.
 

1 July. The 327th Air Division was constituted on 22 June 1957 and activated on 1 July 1957 at Andersen AFB, Guam.  Detachment 1, HQ 7th Air Force (Advance) was discontinued on 1 July 1957 and its personnel were assigned to the new 327rh Air Division.
 

1 July.             Colonel William R. Cameron assumed command of 327th Air Division at Andersen AFB, Guam.
 

19 July.           President and Madame Chiang, General Wang and other Chinese personnel viewed a fire demonstration of the 588th Tactical Missile Group TM-61.
 

3 August.        Colonel Charles D. Slocumb Jr. assumed command of the 327th Air Division at Andersen AFB, Guam.
 

4 August.        Lieutenant Colonel Glen E.W. Mann Jr. assumed command of the 327th Air Division at Andersen AFB, Guam.
 

September.      Due to inclusion of Taiwan in Project SEAWEED, Project STRONG BOX was terminated by PACAF message PFMLP 11222.
 

27 September. Colonel Charles R. Meyer assumed command of 327th Air Division at Andersen AFB, Guam.
 

October.          The Directorate of Communications and Electronics was discontinued at ATF 13 (P) and was replaced be a Division of Communications and Electronics under the Director of Operations.
 

October.          Chiayi Air Base was selected as base for USAF Rotating Units to Taiwan.
 

 

20 October.     Detachment 2, 6200th Air Base Wing (Tainan ABG) was activated to support the missile squadron at Tainan per Thirteenth Air Force General Order 22 dated 14 October 1957.  The 17th Tactical Missile Squadron was moved to Tainan from the US on 8 November 1957, its echelon at Hsinchu Air Base joined it there.
 

20 October.     Lieutenant Colonel Carl C. Lee assumed command of Tainan Air Base Group per ATF 13 (P) PAM 120, 31 October 1957.
 

1 November.   PACAF notified ATF 13 (P) that the 802nd Engineering Group would construct buildings at Tainan AB in support of missile unit.
 

4 November.   Tactical Materiel Control Center (TMCC) was discontinued.
 

21 November.        F-100D aircraft from Nineteenth Air Force on operation MOBILE ZEBRA arrived at Chiayi Air Base for demonstration and briefings of Chinese Air Force Officers.
 

23 November.        RF-101 aircraft of operation MOBILE ZEBRA arrived at Toayuan Air Base for demonstration and briefing of US Ambassador to Chine, Karl L. Rankin, General Wang Shu-ming, Chief of General Staff and other Chinese Officers on the deployment of a Composite Air Strike Force (CASF) to Taiwan.
 

6 December.         Lieutenant Colonel Louis J. Labarre assumed command of Taiwan Air Base Group per ATF 13 (P) PAM 131, dated 11 December 1957.
 

27 December.       ATF 13 (P) participated in FEAF’s project SEAWEED at Tainan, Taoyuan and Chiayi Air Bases.
 

End 1957

To be Continued.
 

Please take a minute to write to me if you have information I have not included during this time period or you find a mistake. 
 

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