USTDC

Photo of USTDC courtesy of Les Duffin

Saturday, September 5, 2009

Trash Trucks in Taipei

I changed up some of the Taiwan blog links listed in the right hand column here, dropping those that were more focused on present day Taiwan politics. I spend enough time grumbling about my own government and decided that reading the daily criticisms of Taiwan's government by Americans who happen to live there was not particularly helpful.

One of the new blogs is called New Hampshire Bushman, which was rated as one of the best (English) Taiwan blogs last year. In a recent piece, the author (MJ Klein) included a short video of a Taiwan trash truck. Does anyone remember if they had these musical wonders when we were there?

7 comments:

MJ Klein said...

thanks Don!

Don said...

You're quite welcome, MJ. I really enjoyed reading about the frustrating path to getting your Chinese drivers license. When I arrived in Taipei back in 1973, I just presented my American license and received a Chinese license. Quite different from today's rules!

Anonymous said...

That's great, MJ. First day in the guest house in '77 and I thought the same thing (I imagine most American kids did). My new friend said, "Nah, that's just the garbage truck." Made absolutely no sense until it was explained.

MJ Klein said...

forgot to mention Don, that isn't Taipei. we live in a small town in Hsinchu county called "Hukou."

yes, the rules have changed. everything is now linked to the ARC. you have to be a registered alien, which makes sense.

thanks

Don said...

Yeah, my title was misleading. I had it in mind that I was asking others about the trash trucks in Taipei where we were, and that bled over into the title.

Thanks for clarifying that.

beni said...

I served at USTDC in 1959-61, in J-5 (Communications) as a USN Radioman, and TDY (TAD) on Matsu for one combat tour in 1959-60 with the US Army's (MAAG's) Matsu Defense Command Advisory Team.

My younger brother, Doug Benadom, also served with me at USTDC in 1960-61,

I'm looking for online photographs of the massive garbage dump in Taipei as it looked anytime during the 1950s and 1960s, and for photographs of the concrete streetside garbage receptacles that were in use before Taipei had garbage trucks.

--Beni
email: unlisted@umich.edu

ferrotaiwan said...

My name is David Ferro, my grandfather was Edward Ferro he was hired by Kennedy-Van Saun as a consultant, around 1960. He worked at the Frankford arsenal in Philadelphia for 40 years prior.

After being hired by KVS he spent 2 years in Formosa (Taiwan) where he over saw the development of a artillery factory. It approximately completed in the early 60’s.
The name of the project was the 61st.? I think…


I was looking for any information about this project and my grandfather.
My grandfather recently died at the 97. He shared many great stories and pictures with me of his time in Taiwan. Any information would be greatly appreciated.

THANK YOU,
David Ferro
E-mail mario33844@aol.com