(1.) The intersection of Min Chuan East Road and Hsin Shen North Road (foreground-left to right) traveling from the vicinity of the Taipei International Airport (see map above). 1970 view looking west on Min Chuan East Road towards the King's Hotel (center background-sign atop blue and white bldg) located at the intersection of Min Chuan East/West Road and Chungshan North Road...the two "main drags" of the club district. (Several Dawg Flighters rented newly built apartments near the Taipei International Airport in 1970/71.)
Hotel Stone House, located at 68 Min Chuan East Road, is shown in the foreground on the far left (black oval sign). The Kennedy Hotel is on the opposite side of the street on the far right. Not visible in the distance just before the King's Hotel are the Lily Club on the left and the Duke Club across the street on the right.
(2.) The same area and view in 1970 of Min Chuan East Road at "night"...the night view was much more "familiar" to the Dawgs. In the foreground are the Hotel Stone House (lighted sign) on the far left and the Kennedy Hotel (lighted sign) right across the street on the far right. The King's Hotel is the high-rise building in the left background with perimeter lighting and the lighted sign on top.
(3.) 1971 shot of the Bowling Alley located somewhere around Tung Hwa (Dun Hua) North Road (ref. maps above) not far from the Taipei International Airport located at the end of Min Chuan East Road (photos below).
TOP ROW: (1.) 1970 shot of the rear of the Taipei International Airport passenger terminal overlooking the boarding gates and tarmac (see next photos). (2.) Shot taken from inside the terminal (previous photo) of a Japan Air Lines jetliner on the tarmac at the Taipei International Airport. (3.) Shot taken from inside the terminal of a Hong Kong based Cathay Pacific Airways jetliner on the tarmac. (4.) Circa 1970 Cathay Pacific Airways poster.
MIDDLE ROW: (1. & 2.) Circa 1970 shots of the main-level of the passenger terminal at the Taipei International Airport, Min Chuan E. Road, where American GIs based on Taiwan arrived and departed the island. (3.) November 1969 shot of the passenger terminal at the Taipei International Airport.
BOTTOM ROW: (1. & 2.) 1969 photos of GIs in the terminal departing Taiwan. (3.) 1969 shot of the terminal.
TOP ROW: (1.) 1966 shot of the passenger terminal at the old Taipei International Airport (Sungshan Airport) located on Min Chuan East Road. The airport also served as a ROC airbase. During WWII it was a Japanese airbase, the Matsuyama Airdrome.
(2.) A 1966 shot of the terminal's upper-level. (3.) Circa 1965 shot of the Taipei International (Sungshan) Airport looking north on Dunhua North Road. (4.) 1966 shot of "The Mandarin Flight", a Taiwan Civil Air Transport (CAT) plane, on the tarmac. Shown are CAT stewardesses lining the moving stairway to the plane for a photo shoot. (5.) Circa 1966 "The Mandarin Flight" CAT advertisement. (6.) "The Mandarin Jet" CAT advertisement 1967.
BOTTOM ROW: (Photos 1., 2., 3., & 4.) 1966 shots of a Taiwan Civil Air Transport (CAT) plane "The Mandarin Flight" and CAT stewardesses on the tarmac at the Taipei International Airport. CAT, founded in 1946, was Taiwan's first air carrier. (5. & 6.) Circa 1966 CAT posters.
Note: Taiwan's Civil Air Transport (CAT) suspended all international passenger flights shortly after the airline's only jet in 1968, a leased Boeing 727, CAT flight B-1018, nosed into a tea plantation near Shulinkou while on approach to the Taipei International Airport on the rainy and foggy night of February 16, 1968, killing 22 of the 63 persons aboard. Shulinkou firemen and volunteers aided in the rescue efforts (Click Here for 1968 crash photos and details). The Taiwanese government closed down CAT in May 1968. China Air Lines (CAL), founded in 1959, subsequently became the official state airline.
(Left Photo) 1966 shot of a CAT Convair 88-M at the Taipei International Airport. photo by L. Duffin
(1.) October 10, 1970 shot of a Double Ten Day (Chinese "Independence Day") archway over Chungshan North Road near the Linkou Club looking south toward the King's Hotel.
Note: Double Ten Day, Chinese Independence Day, falls on 10 October (10-10) each year. "It was on this day in 1911 that a revolt broke out leading to the overthrow of the Imperial Manchu rule and founding of the Chinese Republic. Considered as 'Free' China's biggest national holiday, it is comparable to our own Fourth of July. There are parades, military formations and social gatherings throughout Taiwan in celebration of this day."
(2.) October 10, 1969 shot of a Double Ten Day archway over Chungshan N. Road near the Linkou Club looking north towards the Taipei Zoo
(3.) The view (Oct. 10, 1969) looking south toward the King's Hotel from the opposite side of Chungshan North Road as shown in the previous photo. The red Double Ten Day archway over the street shown in the previous photo is visible in right background.
(4.) Oct. 10, 1969 view from in front of the Taipei Zoo looking south on Chungshan North Road toward the MAAG/HSA East and West Compounds. Chungshan North Road, Taipei's main north/south boulevard, stretched beyond the MAAG/HSA Compounds to the club district downtown. The red Double Ten Day festival archway shown in the previous photos is visible in the distance (center background). The East/West Compound and Linkou Club were located just beyond that archway.
(5.) 1969 photo shows the heavy smog, caused by air pollution and temperature inversions from the surrounding mountains, that prevailed throughout the entire metropolitan area of Taipei.
(Left Image) Circa 1968 postcard showing the entrance to the old Taipei Zoo. image credit: unknown
1966, 1970 and 1971 photos of the old Chungshan ("Yuan-shan") Taipei Zoo located on Chungshan North Road a few blocks north of the Linkou Club and East/West Compound. "After thirteen years of planning and construction, the former zoo was officially closed on August 15, 1986, which marked the end of the Yuan-shan era. The new Taipei Zoo, located in the Muzha district in the southern part of Taipei, held its grand opening on New Year's Day the following year (1987). The four main functions of the Taipei Zoo are conservation, education, research and recreation. More than four million visitors attend the Zoo on an annual basis; it has also hosted several international conferences on conservation-related topics. In addition, Taipei Zoo has planned and executed several city-wide educational activities pertaining to wildlife conservation themes over the years."
source: Taipei Zoo website (click here)
(TOP ROW Above) (1. & 2.) At the northern end of Chungshan North Road was the original Taipei Zoo located behind the billboards in the 1967 (photo. 1) and 1970 (photo 2.) shots.
The Zoo entrance is visible in right background in photo (1.) taken in 1967 and on the far left (at flag) in photo (2.) taken in 1970.
(2.) 1971 shot taken while exiting the Zoo with a view of Chungshan North Road looking in the direction of the Chungshan Bridge leading to the 63 Club, Grand Hotel, Tien Mou and Pietou (mountains-background).
(3.) 1970 view of the Taipei Zoo grounds on the left from across the Keelung River. ShuLinKou Air Station was up on the mountain in the distance.
(MIDDLE ROW Above) (1.) 1971 shot of Max Wagner giving some water to a sad caged chimp at the Taipei Zoo. (2.) The all concrete Elephant area. (3.) Grassless Rino area with a view of Taipei in the background.
(4.) 1971 shot of an American Bison at the Taipei Zoo. Taipei is visible in the upper left corner.
(BOTTOM ROW Above) (1.) 1966 shot of a camel and another animal (foreground) in their small cages at the "wretched" old Taipei Zoo. (2. & 3.) 1967 shots of the Persian Cat exhibit.
(Article on Right) 1967 Taipei Municipal Zoological Garden information (old zoo). source: "Guide to Taipei", 1967 edit., courtesy of "TaipeiSignalArmy.blogspot.com"
(1.) 1970 shot of Bill "Marty" Martin and Dick Ferretti on the Chungshan North Road Bridge that crossed the polluted Keelung River. They were walking from the Linkou Club and Taipei Zoo to the Grand Hotel, 63 Club and Martyrs' Shrine, which were just a short walk ahead. The large billboards located in front of the Taipei Zoo (see photos above) are visible in the left background over Marty's shoulder. The Grand Hotel (next photo) is just off to the right of the photo.
(2.) Sequential 1970 shot taken from the Chungshan Bridge (previous photo) of the Grand Hotel (original building), located at 1 Chungshan N. Road, Sect. 4, which overlooked the north side of the city.
(3.) The road through this tunnel, located near the 63 Club and the Grand Hotel, led to Shih Lin, Peitou and Tien Mou (1970 photo).
(1.) 1973 shot of the main Grand Hotel building shown under construction. The new building was adjacent to the original structure, which is visible on the far right. Construction on the main hotel building started about 1971 and was completed on Double Ten Day (10-10-73) 1973. The Grand Hotel is located at 1 Chungshan North Road, Section 4
(2.) 1976 shot of the new main Grand Hotel building and ornate entrance,
(3.) 1976 shot of the main Grand Hotel building and gardens with the hotels' original building shown on the left.
(4.) 1970 photo of the ornate facade and entrance (far left) of the Grand Hotel's original building.
Note: "The Grand Hotel is a 5-star hotel established May 1952 and expanded several times. In 1968, the hotel was rated as one of the world's top ten hotels by "Fortune" magazine. The swimming pool, tennis court, and the membership lounge were constructed in 1953, and Golden Dragon Pavilion and Golden Dragon Restaurant opened in 1956. The Jade Phoenix Pavilion and Chi-Lin Pavilion opened in 1958 and 1963, respectively. The main Grand Hotel building was completed in 1973 on Double Ten Day." [Wikipedia, May 2008]
(1.) Early 1971 view looking east from Min Tsu Road of the Linkou Club (green bldg on right behind bus) across the intersection of Chungshan North Road. The Hotel Linkou is the tall building behind the Linkou Club. The Hotel Roma, which opened in 1970, is on the corner on the left. The MAAG (Military Assistance Advisory Command)-HSA (Headquarters Support Activity) East and West Compounds (see photos below) were located right around the corner to the left.
(2.) 1970 view looking south on Chungshan North Road right around the corner from the Hotel Roma and Linkou Club. A ROC guard (far right) is shown standing in front of the East Compound's main gate. The MAAG-HSA West Compound was across the street off to the left of the photo.
(3.) The opposite view (May 1971) as the previous photo looking north on Chungshan North Road. Shown is a ROC Guard (far left) standing in front the East Compound's Main Gate, which is just off to the left of the photo.
The new Hotel Roma is the building on the left just beyond the guard. A large new building is shown under construction (right background) on the corner at Chungshan N. Road and Min Tsu Road.
(4.) Circa 1972 shot taken from the East Compound of the same area shown under construction in the previous photo. Shown is the completed new building on the corner (right) with the "Linkou Books and Records Co." on the first floor, the adjacent new building to its right, the Hotel Roma (far left), and the East Compound's service entrance (left foreground).
(Image on Left Below - click to enlarge) Commissary under construction, 1957. (Image on Right Below - click to enlarge) 1972/73 East Compound diagram.
(1.) 1969 view of the MAAG-HSA East Compound's main gate from across Chungshan N. Road. The West Compound's main gate is off to the left. Shown are the ROC guard and guard shack (center), USAF Post Office APO 96263 (far right), and Navy Exchange (background-left of Post Office). The red/yellow roof (foreground) is the Taipei city bus line stop.
(2.) Another 1969 shot of the MAAG-HSA East Compound's main gate, Post Office (far right), and Navy Exchange (center background) taken from across Chungshan North Road in front of the West Compound.
(3.) 1976/77 shot of the front section of East Compound and Chungshan N. Road taken from the adjacent Hotel Roma. Shown are the service entrance road (lower left corner), Navy Exchange, Commissary (center), and Theater/Library (far right).
(4.) 1976/77 view of the East Compound from the East-West Movie Theater and Library (off to left) looking toward the main gate on Chungshan N. Road. Shown on the left are the Navy Exchange and Hotel Roma (background). The Commissary is just off to the right (photo below).
(5.) December 1976 shot of Christmas trees for sale outside the Navy Exchange.
(Top Row Above) (1.) 1968/69 shot of the Navy Exchange (NEX) main entrance. The NEX sold everything from refrigerators to new cars. (2. & 3.) NEX photography and cosmetic departments, 1972/73. (4.) Commissary, 1972/73
(Bottom Row Above) 1972/73 photos: (1.) Theater and Library. (2. & 3.) Pacer Field, located in the back section of the East Compound, was home of the Shulinkou "Devil Dogs" championship flag football and softball teams (shown in both photos). (4.) Mr. Lou's Tailor shop in the rear of the East Compound located near the rear gate located just off Min Tsu Road a couple of blocks beyond the Linkou Club. (1972/73 photos)
(Left Image) 1972/73 East-West Compound diagram. (Right Image) Hot Dog & Beer Cart in the Navy Exchange parking lot, 1971.
(1.) 1968/69 shot of the MAAG-HSA West Compound's main gate located right across the street from the East Compound's main gate.
(2.) 1967 shot of a food vendor on the sidewalk (looking north) in front of West Compound located on the far left behind the fence. The compound's entrance is located at the red and white car exiting in the background.
(3.) Circa 1970 shot of the sidewalk (looking south) in front of the West Compound taken just outside its main gate looking to the right. The West Compound's welcome sign (buildings and facilities locator) is on the far right (see next photo). Chungshan North Road is shown on the far left and Min Tsu Road is visible at the large billboard (background). The East Compound and Linkou Club are off to left across the street.
(4.) Circa 1975 shot of the MAAG-HSA West Compound on Chungshan North Road (foreground) taken from a building in the East Compound. The Chapel and Linkou bus stop is located at the flags (center). The Gas & Service Station not visible) was across the street from the Chapel. The Snack Bar/Cafeteria, Bowling Alley, and Game Room were in a building (not visible) at the end of the street beyond the Chapel.
(5.) 1976 shot taken from the Hotel Roma. Shown are Chungshan North Road, the West Compound (upper left), and East Compound's main gate (lower right corner). The West Compound's Gas & Service Station is visible in the upper left.
(Left Image) 1972/73 MAAG-HSA West Compound diagram.
(1.-Above) 1972/73 shot of the West Compound and main gate (far left) located across Chungshan North Road (foreground) from the East Compound. The Chapel, which was also the location of the Linkou Bus stop, is shown on the left (flags and picket fence). The Gas & Service Station is shown on the right at the autos. (2.) 1972/73 shot of the Chapel and Linkou bus stop. (3.) !972/73 shot of the Embassy Shop (pictured), Double Ten Store (sold beer and soda) next door, and PMO were all located off to the right at the end of the street (ref. diagrams below). (4., 5. & 6.) 1972/73 shot of the Cafeteria/Snack Bar, Bowling Alley, and Game Room were all in the same building located in the rear of the compound. (7.) 1970 shot of Vehicle Rental located behind the Gas & Service Station and adjacent to Building no. 103 shown on the far right (ref. diagram above).
(Left Image) 1972/73 East-West Compound diagram. Source: "The Taiwan Report", 1973 edit. provided by L. Duffin
(1.) Circa 1970 photo with a view of Taipei looking south. The Hotel Diamond with its black sign on the upper side of its building is visible on the far right. The Central Hotel (see photos at top of this page) with its spaceship-like rooftop restaurant is visible in the upper far right background. Downtown Taipei and Shimending are in the distance in the center of the photo.
(2.) Circa 1970 photo with a view looking toward the northwest. The front section of the West Compound including the Gas & Service Station is visible in the lower left. The East Compound is on the far right. The roof of the Navy Exchange is visible in the lower right corner of the photo. The Linkou Club (not visible) is located on the lower far left behind the tall building in the foreground. The Taipei Zoo was located on the hillside in the background. The bridge to the 63 Club and Grand Hotel is off to the far right of the photo.
(3.) Looking a little further to the right of the previous photo is the East Compound's Navy Exchange's roof (lower left corner), Commissary (center), East-West Movie Theater & Library (right of Commissary), and Pacer Ball Field (far right). The Grand Hotel (hillside-upper center) and MAAG 63 Club (upper far right) are visible in the distance on the hillside. Min Tzu ("Tse") Road is just off the bottom of the photo. (ca. 1970 photo)
(4.) Looking further to the north and to the right of the previous photo. Circa 1970 panoramic shot of the back section of the East Compound and surrounding Taipei area taken from the Imperial Hotel. Shown are the East Compound's facilities inside the rear gate (foreground), the entrance road (center foreground) from the rear gate located on Min Tzu ("Tse") Road (not visible-just off the bottom of the photo), East Compound Welcome Sign & facilities directory (center at white bldg.), and Pacer Field (center). The 63 Club and the Martyrs' Shrine (gold roof-center) to its right are visible on the hillside in the distance. The East-West Theater is in the lower left corner (light gray bldg.).
(Right Photo-Click to Enlarge) Circa 1971 shot taken from the Hotel Roma, which was located on Min Tzu ("Tse") Road across from the Linkou Club, looking west on Min Tzu Road toward the Taipei International Airport in the distance (see maps at top of page). Shown are the East Compound's Navy Exchange (gray roof-lower left corner), East-West Theater (white bldg.-far left), U.S. Navy buses in parking lot, and East Compound's Rear Gate entrance road off Min Tzu Road (at black and white striped pole). The East Compound Welcome Sign and Pacer Field are off to the left of the photo. The Linkou Club and Hotel Linkou are just off to the lower far right of the photo. photo credit: unknown