Taipei Air Station - 1966 - - - " What you have in the end are memories"......... Photo Courtesy of Richard Reesh.

Saturday, May 30, 2009

Hsinchu in the 1950s - More Wonderful Photographs



Lieutenant Colonel Ellliot Aandahl, USMC Reserve
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LTC Aandahl served on active duty during World War II. on the Chinese mainland with a US Marine Corps unit involved in the surrender of the Japanese forces in Tientsin. His unit then moved on and into Beijing to secure the city for the Nationalist forces.
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After the war, he moved to Taiwan and begin a long history of service in Taiwan.

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The Aandahl Hsinchu story transpires over 20 years.

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Begin reading our first section here then click on "Family" and "Victory Church"

Tuesday, May 26, 2009

Taiwan September Trip - Transportation Document Available

Bus Company ticket window at Terminal 1

Folks flying into Taipei in September will arrive at various times during a three day window, Thursday through Saturday, 10-12 September 2009.

To help the majority of the folks arriving in the early morning hours on Friday, 11 September 2009, we will have representatives at the door of the arrival area. Once the China Airline flights from New York, Los Angeles and San Francisco have arrived on Friday morning, we will proceed to our Hotel in Taipei.

Folks who arrive prior to or after early Friday morning will need to purchase a bus ticket and come into town on their own.

To help everyone make their way to the Bus ticket window and purchase tickets with the correct Bus Company, we have written a short explanation and direction document which will smooth your apprehensions and worries.

Please e-mail us and ask for the Arrival in Taipei document. It will be e-mailed back to you immediately. An e-mail link is located at this link which goes into greater detail about our hotel and other arrival information.

See you in Taipei -

Saturday, May 23, 2009

Remembering The Fallen, Memorial Day 2009

Punchbowl National Cemetery, Honolulu

They died so we may remain free


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Let us, then, at the time appointed, gather around their sacred remains and garland the passionless mounds above them with choicest flowers of springtime; let us raise above them the dear old flag they saved from dishonor; let us in this solemn presence renew our pledges to aid and assist those whom they have left among us as sacred charges upon the Nation's gratitude, the soldier's and sailor's widow and orphan."

General John A. Logan in his General Order No. 11 of May 5th, 1868,

More on Memorial Day


Sunday, May 17, 2009

再見 - Goodbye, leaving home for school

Please click on photo.

Loren Aandahl and two of his three sisters, Lavonne and Meris, are pictured in the back of the family pickup truck outside of the Hsinchu railway station.

The sisters will be traveling from Hsinchu, their home, to Taichung, where they attend boarding school at Morrison Academy 馬禮遜美國學校.

This photo was taken by their father, the Rev. Elliot C. Aandahl in 1955.

More to come soon from the Aandahl family of Hsinchu.

Wednesday, May 13, 2009

1963 - Maneuvers and Life on the Hill

A series of three videos are posted on YouTube taken by one of our US Air Force men.

Great film, life as it was in 1963.

Some of our troops, both Army and Air Force, were there that day. Since these guys were not highly trained in field duties, and their weapons were not rifles, I wonder how it went that day.

The ROC Army troops were dug in, ready to defend their positions.


You will find the other two films listed on YouTube when you view this film.

The film can be seen here.



Thursday, May 7, 2009

New Hotel Reservation Deadline Set

Breakfast Dining Room entrance


Time is closing in on reserving your room at the Yo Chun Hotel in Taipei.


Please refer to new deadlines explained in our Hotel update HERE.

Saturday, May 2, 2009

New Materiel on September Trip to Taiwan

We were not granted a Group Discount at the Howard Plaza Hotel as I had originally thought.

The costs, when the 10% surcharge and taxes were added in, would drive the nightly charges above $150 US. Not the most expensive dwellings in Taipei, but much less expensive rooms are available and we have found a charming hotel very close to our old "stomping grounds" which will serve as our HQ Hotel for the trip.

There is no requirement that everyone stay at the same hotel, if you would rather stay at another hotel you certainly may. Some folks may want to explore by themselves and not hang with our group. We understand, please make your own decisions on this. For those who choose to stay with the group, we'll stay at the Yo Chun Hotel Regency located at 55 Min Quan West Road. We have a few photographs of the hotel and some information that you will need to review, please visit the site ->
http://mirach.lunarpages.com/~taipe2/index_files/Page638.htm