TAIPEI AIR STATION

David McComb Remembers….

 

REMEMBRANCES OF TAIPEI AIR STATION

I was right out of tech school in 1966, when assigned to 2165 Communications Squadron, (later Group) at Taipei Air Station.    

 

 

Photo of Radio Complex Area, Taipei Air Station   (All photos courtesy of Davis McComb)

I worked in ground radio operations, getting to give a lot  of lonely guys those brief, occasional calls home on MARS.

Photo—MARS Radio desk at Taipei Air Station

Airman Smith pulling duty when this photo taken.

Photo—Taipei Air Station Barracks

There were two types of GIs: those that talked incessantly of being back in "the world," and those who let that wonderful  culture surround them. I made an initial commitment that I would  never refuse to eat something once. I think the only thing I couldn't take was beef fat!

Photo—Green Lake, located south of Taipei Air Station

Sam Brough, who had been there when I  arrived had already started to learn the language. His example
 motivated me to get a Chinese language tutor at
National Taiwan University for a ridiculously low rate.

 

 

Photo—Movie Theater a short distance outside the Taipei Air Station gate.

I became close with a family Sam introduced me to and before my  second tour finished (Taipei 66-68, 'Nam 68-69, then Taipei 69-70)  the matriarch "adopted me," giving me a gold ring.

     Christmas in the Taipei Air Station Barracks                                  Night view of  “main street” on Taipei Air Station taken from the outside                                                                                                                                      Barracks stairway looking toward the NCO club

I always said I'd love to return to Taiwan, but 38 years on with family responsibilities -- it's clear it will never come to pass.  Nevertheless, it was a life changing experience.

 My
Vietnam experience was just keeping my head down. It would  have been good to have availed myself of their culture, as well. I  recall touching down at Tan Son Nhut for the first time, seeing  the helmets, flak jackets, machine guns, revetments, sandbags against the *lower* floors of the barracks. My thoughts were, "get  me the hell out of here!" (Vietnam)

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