The United States Taiwan Defense Command (USTDC; Chinese: 美軍協防台灣司令部) was a sub-unified command of the United States Armed Forces operating in Taiwan from December 1954 to April 1979.
History
The United States Taiwan Defense Command was originally formed as the Formosa Liaison Center (founded in 1955 after the signature of the Sino-American Mutual Defense Treaty of December 1954 and the First Taiwan Strait Crisis of Sept. 1954). In November 1955, the FLC became the Taiwan Defense Command. The command reported directly to the Commander-in-Chief Pacific (CINCPAC). The command was composed of personnel from all branches of the U.S. armed forces and had its headquarters in Taipei. The first commander of the USTDC was Alfred M. Pride, Commander, U.S. Seventh Fleet.
USTDC was a combined arms theater headquarters for the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of hostilities, the USTDC commander would have coordinated with the Government of the Republic of China in the defense of Taiwan and the Pescadores. In the event of such a contingency, three existing service commanders would have reported to the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command commander. The 327th Air Division commander would be the air component commander, the Taiwan Patrol Force commander would be the naval component commander (the Taiwan Patrol Force being drawn from the United States Seventh Fleet), and the Chief of the Military Assistance Advisory Group China would be the Army component commander. The 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing, Thirteenth Air Force, at Clark Air Base in the Philippines had reinforcement air defence functions for Taiwan for a period.
The 24th Tactical Missile Squadron was stationed at Tainan Air Base on 7 May 1957. It was equipped with MGM-1 Matador missiles. The deployment was completed in October. The 17th Tactical Missile was also equipped with MGM-1 Matador missiles The squadron also completed its deployment at Tainan Air Base in November of that year. After 1958, its designation was changed from 17th Squadron to the 868th Tactical Missile Squadron, and it continued to station at Tainan Air Force Base until June 1962.
On 25 February 1958, the U.S. Air Force built a Mark 7 nuclear bomb storage facility at Tainan Air Base, and began to deploy Nuclear bomb in Taiwan in 1960. The last batch was withdrawn on 31 July 1974.
On 10 September 1958, as part of the U.S. response to the 1958 Quemoy Crisis, disassembled F-104A Starfighters of the 83d Fighter-Interceptor Squadron[1] were airlifted by C-124s to Taoyuan Air Base, Taiwan, where they were reassembled as part of Operation Jonah Able. The first F-104A was operational 30 hours after arriving and by 19 September the entire squadron was operational. In October 1958 the men of the 83rd FIS were relieved by the men of the 337th Fighter-Interceptor Squadron under the command of Col. James Jabara and in December the F-104s were again disassembled and loaded aboard C-124s for return to the 83rd FIS at Hamilton Air Force Base, California.
In September 1958, the number of US troops stationed in Taiwan increased from 5,500 in 1955 to 20,000.
In May 1967, Carlos Talbott of the U.S. Air Force became chief of staff of the command. From July 1968 – September 1970 the chief of staff was Brigadier General John A. Des Portes, U.S.A.F. In September 1970, Clarence J. Douglas, also of the Air Force, assumed duties as chief of staff.
The increase in the B-52Arc Light sortie rates over Vietnam necessitated relocation of additional KC-135's which provided PACAF fighter support. In February 1968 the United States Air Force Strategic Air Command 4220th Air Refueling Squadron deployed to CCK AB, Taiwan bringing KC-135 tankers formerly based at Takhli RTAFB, Thailand and Kadena ABOkinawa.
During the peak period of the Vietnam War from 1968 to 1969, the number of US troops stationed in Taiwan gradually rose to 30,000.
With the withdrawal of the Republic of China from the United Nations in 1971 and the change in the U.S. policy toward China, the U.S. military gradually reduced the number of troops stationed in Taiwan. Subsequently, Washington and Beijing clearly stated in the 1972 Shanghai Communiqué that the U.S. would gradually withdraw all troops and military installations from Taiwan. In April 1973, after all the US troops withdrew from South Vietnam, the number of US troops stationed in Taiwan decreased to 12,000.
In 1972 the US president ordered the withdrawal of all nuclear weapons from Taiwan.[2]
On 31 August 1973, the F-4D fighter detachment belonging to the 523th Tactical Fighter Squadron withdrew to Clark Air Base, and was replaced by a detachment dispatched by the 90th Tactical Fighter Squadron until 31 July 1974.
10 June 1974, Brigadier General David O. Williams Jr., Chief of Staff of the U.S. Taiwan Defense Command, formulated a drawdown plan for the U.S. troops stationed in Taiwan until 2 May 1976.[4]
In September 1974, there were only 5,800 US troops stationed in Taiwan. On 26 March 1975, the US military advisory team stationed in Matsu, Kinmen, was withdrew, and the withdrawal of the 7th Fleet Detachment from the Zuoying Military Port in Kaohsiung, Taiwan.
On 7 January 1976, with the dissolution of 327th Air Division, and Taipei Air Station was shut down,[5] the number of US troops stationed in Taiwan was reduced to 1,400. As of the end of 1977 (31 December), the size was 1,200, including 949 military personnel. And the rest of the civilian staff.
In January 1976, Chiayi Air Base was to be shut down and the 6215th Support Squadron was disbanded.
On 26 May 1976, the newly appointed commander of the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Taiwan was demoted from major general to brigadier general, and on 26 September 1977, was demoted to colonel.
In August 1977, the newly appointed commander of the United States Taiwan Defense Command was demoted from Vice admiral to Rear admiral.
As of 30 September 1978 (the end of the fiscal year), the number of US troops stationed in Taiwan was 753. According to the number of services, they were 357 in the Air Force, 209 in the Navy, 176 in the Army, and 11 in the Marine Corps.
On 1 January 1979, the United States and the People's Republic of China established diplomatic relations.
On 1 March 1979, the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Taiwan was dissolved, the last commander, Colonel Hadley N. Thompson, depart Taiwan on 26 April 1979.
The Command held its final flag retreat ceremony during the afternoon of 26 April 1979. Rear Admiral James B. Linder was the last USTDC commander to depart Taiwan on 28 April 1979, and the last U.S. soldier left Taiwan on 3 May 1979.
The USTDC commanded a total of about 9,000 troops, including 4,000 infantry troops drawn from Army and Marine battalions, including an airborne battalion of the 82nd Airborne Division, 4 attack submarines, 5 navy frigates, 7 navy missile boats, a naval air wing comprising a Marine bomber squadron of 18 Douglas A-4 Skyhawk ground attack aircraft, 21 transport and SAR helicopters, 12 Kaman SH-2 Seasprite ASW helicopters and nine Lockheed P-3 Orion maritime patrol aircraft; a joint Army-Marine artillery group comprising a brigade fielding 203 mm and 155 mm self propelled and towed guns plus one battalion of MGR-1 Honest John rockets and MGM-29 Sergeant surface-to-surface missiles, and two Marine tank battalions fielding the M48 Patton tank.