MAAG-Military Assistance Advicory Group. Anyone know about it?

[madison46]

I'm trying to find information about MAAG-TAIWAN.

[madison46]

I'm trying to find information about MAAG-TAIWAN. I figure most on FR know about MAAG from Vietnam, but I'm trying to find out the organizational structure of MAAG or how to find what units were under MAAG's umbrella in the early 60's. I have no idea how to find out that information. I don't know if units kept their unit designation and just fell in with MAAG as such, or if they became part of some structure in MAAG. I mean, was there a MAAG 3rd ID so-to-speak or did they just grab some artillery unit from the this unit, and engineer company from that unit? If so, how can I find out who was under MAAG?

I appreciate any help.

Thanks,
Kevin

[newgeezer]

"Advicory"? Perhaps you meant, "Advisory."

[Khurkris]

can't tell ya...its a secret.

[BenLurkin]

Wait a minute - earlier we had a post about people who were "to smart" to be teachers. Don't be so quick to judge. 8^)

[lilylangtree]

loose lips sink ships

[madison46]

Yep. fat finger syndrome ;-) Thanks.

[easytree]

I served in Taiwan in 1971-72 with I believe MAAG. We supported US Navy ships on port calls to Taiwan. We were based on a Taiwanese Navy Station in Taipei and supported the Taiwanese Navy with training.

[madison46]

Did you maintain your unit designation ### USN or were you redesinated ### MAAG? I'm looking mainly at Army units around Tianan. ASA (Army Security Agency ) had units throughout Taiwan, but not in Tainan. Pretty much any other Army Unit in Taiwan in the 60's seem to be MAAG-Tiawan/MAAG-China.

Thanks !

[opbuzz]

Google MAAD Taiwan

[madison46]

Already googled. No 'real' information or information was related to history of our involvement in Vietnam. Guess I'm looking for something like A Company of 1st Regiment, of 1st Division MAAG and MAAG had the 1st, xnd, xth Divisions under the command of the Pacific Command.

Something like that...if even that is a correct analogy.. Thanks

[FormerlyAnotherLurker]

Try:
http://www.searchmil.com/cgi-bin/search.dll?q=MAAG+

Didn't drill down to Taiwan but...

[bert]

In the Philippines there was JUSMAG with headquarters in Manila. As I recall they operated pretty much independently of the other bases. I'm recalling mid-late 60's here. JUSMAG=Joint US Military Advisory Group.

The NAVFAC engineers at OICCSWPAC provided some support for their construction efforts. I worked there.

The had operational bases in several locations, especially in Mindano.

At the time, there were communist groups collectively known as Huks that needed attention by the military.

Here's a poop sheet.... http://usembassy.state.gov/posts/rp1/wwwfjusm.pdf

[elhombrelibre]

We have military advisory or liaison groups with most governments. They usually work out of the US embabssy. Their missions are different, but would typically include military sales and assistance. Hope that helps.

[madison46]

Thanks...I'll take a look.

[DirtyDoc]

During the mid 60's I was assigned to Naval Hospital, HSA (Headquarters Support Activity), Taipei. We supported the MAAG out fit that was there. I'm sorry I can't give you to much more information. The MAAG had the control of all the enlisted clubs, and officers clubs. The enlist club was called the 56 club.

[madison46]

That may help..If Tainan had some clubs, then the small MAAG unit (heard it was small) in Tianan could have been running it. Now to find out the name .... ;-)

[Herodotus]

I googled [[ "Military Assistance Advisory Group" Taiwan ]] and came up with 200 + hits.

It appears to have been set up in 1951, and grew in size and importance in the 1950s after the Korean War, particularly as at this time Red China was interested in tweaking the islands of Quemoy and Matsu. Some of the documents imply that the MAAG-Taiwan was being used in part as the cover for spy flights over China, during which a number of aircraft (including U-2s) were used. The Army Military History Institute at Carlisle Barracks has some information in its bibliography on China; it's a document on their site, and the link is awkward to post from Google.

Now, there were MAAGs sent to many countries, and it is not likely that the dispatch of U.S. forces there occurred on anything like a battalion or up level (i.e., 3rd BN of the X Brigade of the Y Division did not go). During particular crises there _were_ whole units sent out, but you will likely find that these were air wings or naval groups (the 7th Fleet routinely zipped around the Straits of Formosa to prove the point).

http://www.ussyorktown.com/yorktown/coldwarasia.htm
This link suggests that at the height of the Quemoy-Matsu crisis there were Regimental Combat Teams sent out at one time or another. These included the 29th RCT from Okinawa and eventually the 75th Ranger Regiment. Whether these came under the command of the MAAG commander is unknown to me.

Anyway, this should help you to get started. Finding out information on Signal Corps participation might be trickier. There is a Signal Corps history in the series put out by the GPO; information on Army Security Agency stuff is likely to be classified unless you can dig it up out of popular accounts like James Bamford or the various authors who have written on spy flights (Harold Lackmar comes to mind).

Freepmail me if you have more questions.

[DirtyDoc]

I did some checking and I thing the real name for the organization was the United States Taiwan Defence Command, MAAG. Hope this helps. DD

[madison46]

Thanks to both of you. I'll look at those.

Herodotus,

Already been down the ASA path. They have a very large web presence. I've probably been in contact with 50 of them from the 60's. Very tight nit group. Nothing for ASA in Tainan really. They had what they called 'down island' detachments (A,B,C,D etc..) but that was Tiachung, Ke??chung and couple of other places. Bigest was Shu Lin Kou in Taipei (sp)...hehhehe Been down this path as you can tell. Just some new info about MAAG (Looking for my wife's father) being the place to look came to us.

Thanks, Kevin

[Herodotus]

If you get your materials together and master the information, the National Archives can be a useful place to look as well.