Qingshui Dayang Oil Depot Introduction
In the 1950s, Taiwan and the United States signed a mutual defense treaty, which included the expansion of the existing Gongguan Airport. The airport was named "Qingquan Gang" Airport after the anti-Japanese hero General Qiu Qingquan, becoming the largest air force base in the Far East at that time. With the outbreak of the Vietnam War in 1962, U.S. military forces stationed the C-130 Hercules transport aircraft in Taiwan, using Qingquan Gang Airport as a logistics base. In 1966, seven fuel depots were built in Yangcuo Village, Qingshui District, near the base to supply fuel for U.S. fighter jets and B-52 bombers. As the Vietnam War ended and diplomatic ties were severed, this area gradually lost its strategic military significance. The Dayang Oil Depot is the only remaining historical building, witnessing the cultural context of the Vietnam War, standing like a massive structure on the Dadu Mountain plateau. The seven large oil depots occupy an area of about 16 hectares, each surrounded by a dike approximately 78 meters long and 1.5 meters high. The depots themselves have a diameter of about 28.4 meters and a height of about 16 meters, with an outer staircase of 66 steps and steel plate thickness ranging from 0.9 to 1.5 centimeters. However, in 2000, the military contracted a vendor to dismantle the oil tanks for scrap metal. Fortunately, through the efforts of civilian organizations and local government coordination, the last oil depot was rescued from the contractor, allowing for the preservation of historical and cultural assets related to the Vietnam War. The transportation method for the fuel involved U.S. military tankers docking in the Gaomei Sea, delivering fuel through underground pipelines along the Dajia River to a pumping station in Gaobei Li, and then transporting the fuel eastward into the seven oil tanks in Yangcuo Village. In 2014, the Dayang Oil Depot Leisure Park was completed north of Dayang Elementary School, with the Dayang Oil Depot being the most unique attraction within the park. The depots are usually not open for internal visits, as they are surrounded by fire walls, gates, and forests for security. Starting from April 1, 2022, the depot is open for free visits every Saturday from 10 AM to 12 PM. During open hours, please contact Mr. Zeng Wenjun of the Yangcuo Community Development Association for assistance in entering for a visit. Contact number: 0921-787803.
