FReeper Canteen ~ Hall of Heroes: Karl G Taylor, Sr ~ 20 May 2019

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[Kathy in Alaska]

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~ 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.

[radu]

Sounds like a pretty good day there. I think your wind moved up here. LOL! We got just a brief shower late this afternoon and that was it. Our temp got up to around 82 but it’s been very muggy all day.

It sounds like da kittehs were out roaming around all day. You can always count on ‘em being home in time for supper though. :-)

You’re pretty much on target regarding the corn. At the rate it’s growing, it won’t be long before it’s over my head.

[Kathy in Alaska]

Good evening, Luv...good to read about another hero. Thanks for honoring him.

[mylife]

Drove over the Audie Murphy Memorial bridge this AM, lined with flags.

God Bless theses guys.

[mylife]

I love the Story of Chesty Puller, surrounded and under heavy fire, a young fevered subordinate reported “Sir! we are surrounded!”

Chesty said “Good, that greatly reduces the equation”

[luvie]

Those kittehs have foodar when mealtime is concerned. LOL! And I can count on Miss Grey to be the first one at the door when it’s being opened. The next two are nearly always Sugar and Shadow. The Three Amigos. :)

Sorry it was muggy, but the corn is lovin’ it! I wonder if the weather is going to get as bad in the plains area of the country as everyone has been predicting. They are even saying that WE are in the zone. EEK. I hope not!

You should have lots of storm chasers to watch tomorrow and the next few days.

[Kathy in Alaska]

In first....The Mayor grabs the gold!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And in second....Janey snags the silver!!

[Kathy in Alaska]

And rounding out the top three....DUMBGRUNT bags the bronze!!

[radu]

Foodar is part of cats’ genetic make-up. LOL!
Grey is so cute when she stands at the door when she knows you’re going out with supper. Such an intense look on her face.

At least it wasn’t too hot today so the mugginess wasn’t intolerable. Tuesday on this week will be a different story though. Highs in the 90s to go along with the humidity. ugh1

I did see on the news this evening that things will be nasty in the center of the country again tomorrow, and the bulls eye included your area. Not what anyone in that part of the country wants or needs. No plans or appointments tomorrow so I’ll have the chasers’ site up to keep an eye on things while I do housework.

I should take a string out to the field and tie it around a corn stalk. Then measure it each day to see how fast it grows. I swear the corn’s noticeably taller from one day to the next. I think I’ll do it now while I’m thinking about it.

[MoochPooch]

Evening, Kathy. Thanks for another inspiring bio.

[mylife]

H%NN84J71

??

[radu]

ROTFLMBO!!! Where the heck did you find this?

[mylife]

WALT Radio!

Just look up “Walter M Sterling on Sundays” on the internets.

http://waltersterlingshow.com/

He cracks me up.

[radu]

Checking out one of his previous shows now. :-)

[mylife]

I miss your show.

[mylife]

live radio is difficult, but magical.

[mylife]

Welcome to the club.

Don’t forget your decoder ring.

[luvie]

Ha! That’s such a good idea! Listen to it growing while you’re out there. :)

She is intense when she looks in the door on her hind legs. And she always wins the race to the door. Morning and evening. She’s like the scout of the cats. LOL!

[radu]

Yep, it can be difficult for the host but magical for the listeners.

Back in the good old days, I was a huge Art Bell fan and listened every night. You never knew what was going to happen and some nights were a real hoot.

[mylife]

In Ohio they actually drag a camp stove out there and bend the ears down into the water with string

I just do it in the microwave and butter