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February 7, 1955 -- Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Islands


330-PS-7147 (USN 709402): Vice Admiral R. P. Briscoe, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Operations and Readiness, holding a press-conference at the Pentagon on the evacuation of the Tachen Islands, February, 2 1955. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 330-PS-7147 (USN 709402): Vice Admiral R. P. Briscoe, Deputy Chief of Naval Operations, Fleet Operations and Readiness, holding a press-conference at the Pentagon on the evacuation of the Tachen Islands, February, 2 1955. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

80-G-658104: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Burning village on hillside. Photographed by PH1 James Shea. Photograph received on 2 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 80-G-658104: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Burning village on hillside. Photographed by PH1 James Shea. Photograph received on 2 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

Seventh Fleet ships, Task Force 502, began the evacuation of Chinese nationalists from the Tachen Islands.  Approximately between 29,000 to 30,000 people were transported by U.S. Navy ships and landing craft to Taiwan aftter the islands had been under attack by Communit Forces.   During the evacuation, an AD-5W from USS Wasp (CVA-18) covering the evacuation was damaged by anti-aicraft fire when it flew over Chinese territory. Ditched, the three-man crew was resscued by Nationalist Chinese patrol boats.   


80-G-658107: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Islands off China. Chinese soldiers load ammunition in LCVPs. Photograph received March 1955. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 80-G-658107: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Islands off China. Chinese soldiers load ammunition in LCVPs. Photograph received March 1955. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

330-PS-7151 (USN 654922): AD1 R. K. Drennan, crew member of the AD-5W recently shot down by Communist gunfire and ditched near the Tachen Islands, is transferred by highline from USS Naifeh (DE 352) to USS Wasp (CVA 18), February 16, 1955. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 330-PS-7151 (USN 654922): AD1 R. K. Drennan, crew member of the AD-5W recently shot down by Communist gunfire and ditched near the Tachen Islands, is transferred by highline from USS Naifeh (DE 352) to USS Wasp (CVA 18), February 16, 1955. Official U.S. Navy photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

80-G-658113: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Chinese National soldier fell overboard and was rescued by Boatswain’s Mate Second Class Bobbie F. Conine, USN. Photographed by PH1 James Shea. Photograph received 5 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 80-G-658113: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Chinese National soldier fell overboard and was rescued by Boatswain’s Mate Second Class Bobbie F. Conine, USN. Photographed by PH1 James Shea. Photograph received 5 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

U.S. Navy ships involved in the Tachen Evacuation:  USS Yorktown (CV-10), USS Kearsarge (CV-33), USS Essex (CV-9), USS Wasp (CV-18), USS Midway (CV-41), USS Pittsburgh (CA-72), USS Braine (DD-630), USS Isherwood (DD-520), USS Mullany (DD-528), USS Stoddard (DD-566), USS O’Brien (DD-725), USS Walke (DD-723), USS Harry E. Hubbard (DD-748), USS Bausell (DD-845), USS Richard B. Anderson, USS Agerholm (DD-826), USS Rodgers (DD-876), USS Ingersoll (DD-652), USS Ernest G. Small (DD-838), USS Ammen (DD-527) USS Knapp (DD-653), USS Cogswell (DD-651), USS Naifeh (DE-352), USS Estes (AGC-12), USS Union (AKA-106), USS Washburn (AKA-108), USS Henrico (APA-45), USS Bexar (APA-237), USS Lenawee (APA-195), USS Horace A. Bass (APD-124), USS Balduck (APD-132), USS Askari (ARL-30), USS Colonial (LSD-18), USS Catamount (LSD-17), LST 516, LST 772, LST 8uss gh55, LST 803, LST 1159, USS Helena, USS Toledo, 2 LSMRs and 3 LCUs, plus support units. 


80-G-658119: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Chinese soldier is being sprayed with DDT. Photograph received 2 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 80-G-658119: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Chinese soldier is being sprayed with DDT. Photograph received 2 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

80-G-654920: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Islands off China. Long line of Chinese civilians and military personnel wait on beach to board ships of the Seventh Fleet. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 80-G-654920: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Islands off China. Long line of Chinese civilians and military personnel wait on beach to board ships of the Seventh Fleet. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.

80-G-658120: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Chinese soldiers get first sight of Formosa (now Taiwan). US Navy vessel is probably USS Lenawee (APA 195), 2 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
Caption: 80-G-658120: Evacuation of Chinese from Tachen Island off China. Chinese soldiers get first sight of Formosa (now Taiwan). US Navy vessel is probably USS Lenawee (APA 195), 2 March 1955. Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.
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Published: Tue Apr 21 09:43:25 EDT 2020