Alte Kameraden (Old Comrade)

Ever since the Shanghai Communiqué (1972) between the US and PROC, the US had reduced arms sales to Taiwan gradually while approaching China. Though the Nationalist regime was given more than six years notice, still it was stunned by the US decision to derecognize Taiwan in Dec 1978. After Reagan administration signed a Second Shanghai Communiqué (817 Communiqué) in 1982, the US continued rejecting all Taiwan’s request to replace outdated weapon systems under descending military alliance through the Mutual Defense Treaty (1954).

Under such a political isolation, the CAF unavoidably took part in regional goodwill operation for alleviating harsh realities. On Aug 9, 1972, 29 aircraft of the 6th Transport Wing delivered over 238,000 Lbs typhoon relief supply to Philippine; the Operation Mercy Voyage (慈航演習) was accomplished by 242 crews lead by the 6th‘s CO. On 0630 25 aging C-119s, 1 C-47, 1 C-123, and 2 HH-1H helicopters started taking off in a 10 minutes interval, and headed for Bashi Channel without any emergency transit field en route to Nichols AFB. When the whole fleet arrived safely, part of the supply was urgently transferred to Clark AFB under the request of their host president Ferdinand Marcos. After this successful diplomatic move, Philippine postponed her formal relation with Red Chins to 1975.

Without modern replacement, the C-119 Flying Boxcars (7 squadrons) had continued in service alongside the newer C-123 Providers (1 squadron) for two more decades. Meanwhile, as a precaution of the Communist flotilla with countless motorboats across Taiwan Straight in the next landing, 10 selected C-119s were modified to gunships in 1972. Though six .50 calibers and one 20mm cannon were installed on each of the old comrade, fortunately these indigenous AC-119s had never seen combat. Eventually this modification was removed.