DOUBLE TEN DAY

On October 10, 1962 I was in the Army and stationed in Taiwan near Taipei. While on a pass I visited Taipei for some "cultural education". I was walking down the street when I heard a tremendous roar of a very large crowd. Military music blared from an area about 6 blocks away. I hurriedly went in the direction of the noise and as I turned the corner I was met with an amazing sight. There were thousands of people in a very large square cheering a very small figure on a balcony of a very large building at one end of the quadrangle. It turned out to be Chang Kai Shek, the leader of Nationalist China. The celebration was "Double Ten Day", a very important date in Chinese history. I will never forget that sight and every year the memories come back on this day. It won't happen for another 10 years. I hope to be around to celebrate once again.