FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Karl G Taylor, Sr ~ July 30, 2012

Serving The Best Troops and Veterans In The World !! | StarCMC

[Kathy in Alaska]

Our Troops Rock!  Thank you for all you do!

For the freedom you enjoyed yesterday... Thank the Veterans who served in The United States Armed Forces.

Looking forward to tomorrow's freedom? Support The United States Armed Forces Today!

~ Hall of Heroes ~

Karl G. Taylor, Sr.
Information from here.

           

Karl Gorman Taylor, Sr. (July 14, 1939 – December 8, 1968) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the United States' highest military decoration – the Medal of Honor – for his actions in Vietnam in December 1968.

Karl Taylor was born on July 14, 1939 in Laurel, Maryland. He graduated from Arundel Junior High School in 1953, then attended Arundel Senior High School for three years until 1956. After leaving high school, he was employed by a construction company as a Tournapull-Scraper Operator. In 1961, he received a high school equivalency diploma from the Armed Forces Institute in Madison, Wisconsin.

He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps along with his brother, Walter William Taylor, at Recruiting Station Baltimore on January 15, 1959. Upon completion of recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island, he went on to infantry combat training with the 1st Infantry Training Regiment, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. After completing infantry training in July 1959, he was assigned duty as a rifleman, section leader, and a platoon guide, successively, with Company A, 1st Battalion 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division. He was promoted to private first class on July 1, 1959; to Lance Corporal on March 1, 1960; and to Corporal on October 24, 1960. From January until February 1962, he attended the Drill Instructor School at Parris Island, then served as a Drill Instructor at 2nd Recruit Training Battalion until January 1963.

After this enlistment tour was over, Cpl Taylor returned to inactive duty for three months and was with the 4th Marine Corps Reserve and Recruitment District at Philadelphia. On March 26, 1963, he returned to active duty at Marine Corps Base Quantico, and served as Assistant Police Sergeant and, later, Police Sergeant, Guard Company, Service Battalion, Marine Corps Schools. He was promoted to sergeant on December 1, 1963.

Transferred to the 3rd Marine Division, in August 1964, Sgt Taylor saw a one-year tour of duty in the Vietnam war as rocket section leader and platoon guide, with Company G, 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines. Reassigned to Sub Unit #2, Headquarters Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in August 1965, he served as an instructor for the NCO Leadership School until the following November.

Upon his return to the United States in January 1966, Sgt Taylor returned to Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, for duty as Candidate Company Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Sergeant of Company A, Officer Candidate School. He was promoted to staff sergeant on September 1, 1966. In February 1968, he returned to the Far East and the 3rd Marine Division, this time for duty as platoon Sergeant and Company Gunnery Sergeant of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment. While participating in Operation Meade River on December 8, 1968, he was mortally wounded, while charging an enemy machine gun bunker to allow his platoon to rescue wounded Marines. He was able to take out the enemy position just before he was killed. For this action, he was awarded the Medal of Honor.

On February 16, 1971, President Richard Nixon, in a White House ceremony, presented SSgt Taylor's Medal of Honor to his family — his wife, daughter, age 8, and two sons, age 7 and 4.

He was buried in Independence Cemetery at Independence Township, Washington County, Pennsylvania.

 

The President of the United States in the name of the Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to

STAFF SERGEANT KARL G. TAYLOR UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a Company Gunnery Sergeant during Operation MEADE RIVER in the Republic of Vietnam on the night of 8 December 1968. Informed that the commander of the lead platoon had been mortally wounded when his unit was pinned down by a heavy volume of enemy fire, Staff Sergeant Taylor along with another Marine, crawled forward to the beleaguered unit through a hail of hostile fire, shouted encouragement and instructions to the men, and deployed them to covered positions. With his companion, he then repeatedly maneuvered across an open area to rescue those Marines who were too seriously wounded to move by themselves. Upon learning that there were still other seriously wounded men lying in another open area, in proximity to an enemy machine gun position, Staff Sergeant Taylor, accompanied by four comrades, led his men forward across the fire-swept terrain in an attempt to rescue the Marines. When his group was halted by devastating fire, he directed his companion to return to the company command post; whereupon he took his grenade launcher and, in full view of the enemy, charged across the open rice paddy toward the machine gun position, firing his weapon as he ran. Although wounded several times, he succeeded in reaching the machine gun bunker and silencing the fire from that sector, moments before he was mortally wounded. Directly instrumental in saving the lives of several of his fellow Marines, Staff Sergeant Taylor, by his indomitable courage, inspiring leadership, and selfless dedication, upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

/S/ RICHARD M. NIXON

 

Please remember, the Canteen is family friendly and we exist to support and honor our troops and their families, as well as our Allies Troops and theirs.  Thank you to every Soldier, Sailor, Airman, Marine and Coast Guardsman out there for doing what you do to keep us safe.  We are ever in your debt.  And thank you, too, to the families and friends who support them.  God bless our troops.

[luvie]

Thanks, Galz, for yet another story about one of our great American heroes! So many! God rest this hero’s soul!

[ConorMacNessa]

FREEDOM ISN’T FREE!

---

---

It Is Purchased With The Blood Of Patriots!

---

“Freedom Isn’t Free”

By DDR Kelly Strong USCG (ret)

I watched the flag pass by one day,
It fluttered in the breeze.
A young Marine saluted it,
And then he stood at ease.
I looked at him in uniform
So young, so tall, so proud,
With hair cut square and eyes alert
He’d stand out in any crowd.


Eternal Father, Strong to Save
(Click)

I thought how many men like him
Had fallen through the years.
How many died on foreign soil
How many mothers’ tears?
How many pilots’ planes shot down?
How many died at sea
How many foxholes were soldiers’ graves?
No, freedom isn’t free.


Taps
(Click)

I heard the sound of Taps one night,
When everything was still,
I listened to the bugler play
And felt a sudden chill.
I wondered just how many times
That Taps had meant “Amen,”
When a flag had covered a coffin.
Of a brother or a friend.



I thought of all the children,
Of the mothers and the wives,
Of fathers, sons and husbands
With interrupted lives,
I thought about a graveyard
At the bottom of the sea
Of unmarked graves in Arlington,
No, freedom isn’t free.


God Of Our Fathers
(Click)

Many Thanks To ExTexasRedhead For Finding This Poem!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Publius...((HUGS))...enjoy your last night of the
Seattle Chamber Music Festival.

[ConorMacNessa]

AMERICA – LAND OF THE FREE . . .

BECAUSE OF THE BRAVE!!!!

SEMPER FI AND OORAH!!!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[ConorMacNessa]

GOD BLESS AND PROTECT OUR TROOPS AND OUR BELOVED NATION!


TATTOO
(Click)

Must retire – the 0500 Reveille approaches relentlessly.

The Bugler, his grim visage replete with an evil sneer, already mounts the parapet.

Do poor Tom some charity, whom the foul fiend vexes!

---

Good night, God bless you, and God bless the United States of America!

Godspeed our Troops around the Globe – especially those in harm’s way – by virtue of their service and sacrifice we continue to live in Freedom!

Genuflectimus non ad principem sed ad Principem Pacis!

Listen, O isles, unto me; and hearken, ye people, from far; The LORD hath called me from the womb; from the bowels of my mother hath he made mention of my name. (Isaiah 49:1 KJV)

[luvie]

Nite, Conor! Have a good week! See ya in the morning! :)

[BIGLOOK]

Aloha again Night Owl! ((HUGS))

Lots of cute young wahines yesterday.....my son came down with his squeeze and we all went for a walk in Lilioukalani Park....more like a run but it was fun and by chance there was sun.

Hoping you got out to see the Thunderbird's show. You really don't want to pass up something like that!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Mac...*HUGS*...hope you are feeling better today, that your new meds aren’t fighting you.

[SandRat]

Evenin', Kathy...((HUGS))...bookcase is SLOWLY progressing.

Zeus and I both were mugged.

[Old Sarge]

Howdy, ma, and all the Lovely Ladies! Thank you for today’s thread, Star, as always!

A few hours ago, I returned from a weekend at the Redneck Riviera! The Bride had the weekend off from the Police Academy, and The Grrlz and I drove up there to have a little fun. Got the guided tour of Panama City, Mexico Beach, and Tyndall AFB.

The weather went south on us Saturday, so the beach time was limited to a romantic walk in the surf and some shopping at the Margaritaville-style shops along the shore.

And, having not seen The Bride for several weeks, we set aside some time for comradely good fellowship.

I also got introduced to some more of The Bride’s rather large extended family. That promises to be a not-soon-ending effort.

though I’m wishing that I had more time to see and do there, it’s nice to be home safe and sound!

[luvie]

Howdy ((((SARGE))))

Glad you all had a good time and got home safely! :)

[The Mayor]

Freep mail me to be on or off the Daily Bread ping list

Bad News And Good News
July 30, 2012

Recently I had a conversation with a woman who had experienced a very difficult situation. The stress had affected her health, so she had to visit the doctor frequently. But with a smile on her face, she told me that she has been able to use this painful circumstance as an opportunity to share Christ with her doctor.

In the book of Philippians, we read how the apostle Paul used his difficult situation—imprisonment—to preach the gospel. The Philippian believers were grieved because Paul had been arrested for preaching Jesus, but he told them that his bondage had “actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel” (1:12). The whole palace guard and others knew why he was in jail—because he preached Christ. Whoever came in contact with Paul heard about Jesus—whether soldiers (who guarded him 24 hours a day, 7 days a week) or others outside. As a result of using his bad news to share the good news, some of the guards may have even become believers (4:22). Just because Paul was confined didn’t mean that the gospel was confined.

As Jesus-followers, we can allow our pain to be a platform to share the gospel. In our bad news, let’s find an opening to share the good news.

We often think if life were smooth
We would a better witness be;
But God knows best—that faith midst trials
Can honor Him more powerfully. —Cetas

Pain can be a platform to share Christ.

Read: Philippians 1:12-22

I want you to know, brethren, that the things which happened to me have actually turned out for the furtherance of the gospel. —Philippians 1:12

Bible in a Year:
Isaiah 10-12

[luvie]

Building a bookcase? :) How kewl!

[SandRat]

Restoring (American Restorer), a 100+year old one. When I finish it I’ll have the matching desk to restore.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mac, for the Missing Man Setting as we remember those who have given their all that we may gather safe and secure.

[luvie]

Very nice project to work on! We need before/after pics. :)

[wjcsux]

Hi Kathy ((HUGS!!)) Thanks for telling us about SSgt Taylor. He was truly one of our Great Nation’s best!

[Kathy in Alaska]

Thanks, Mac, for the Star Spangled Banner....very nice. Singing along.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening/morning, Sarge...((HUGS))...sounds like a good time was had by all. Glad you and The Bride set aside some “us” time.

Glad you are safely home.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good morning, ML...((HUGS))...have an excellent Monday.