compiled by Don Chesnut, 2009
GROPACs were U.S. Naval Bases in the Pacific Theatre that were off-loading, on-loading and storage facilities during World War II. In 1945-1946 GROPAC 13 was at an old Japanese base in Tangku (Taku, Tanggu), China, at the mouth of the Hai River, or Hai He (Hai Ho) at the head of Bohai Strait in the Yellow Sea. GROPAC 13 served the Tianjin (Tientsin) and Beijing (Peiping) area of China. The Hai He river had a mouth bar that prevented large ships from going up the river and Tangku was as far as ships could go. The following are personal accounts and photos of service at GROPAC 13 or links to more information about it. If you served at GROPAC 13, please let me know so that we can add your personal account.
Don Chesnut (personal account)
Jim Mains (personal account)
Glen Marshall (two photos sent by Jim Mains)
Jack Blagman (under construction)
Edward Brennan (personal account)
Billy Jack Lusk (personal account)
Caleb Lee Lipscomb, Ph2 US Navy
Roger B. Jeanfairve (archive collection at Central Connecticut State University Veterans History Project)
Samuel W. Engelman (personal account)
Li HongLu (photos of Tanggu)
Outside links
- Wayne Squire's account (see pages 233-234)
- Robert Alvarez's account (not at GROPAC, but at Tangku, Tientsin and Beijing)
- Arnold Earl Lien obituary
- Ben House obituary
- U.S. Military operations in North China
- Purpose of GROPAC
- U.S. Marines in North China
- Photographs from Old Tientsin
- More photographs from Old Tientsin (also click on Next link for additional photos)
- Jim Green's webpage on the U.S. Marine core in north China