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| Marine Corps League, SSgt Karl G. Taylor, Sr. Detachment 1084 |
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MARINE CORPS LEAGUE
Members of the Marine Corps League join together in camaraderie and fellowship for the purpose of preserving the traditions and promoting the interests of the United States Marine Corps. This is accomplished by banding together those who are now serving in the United States Marine Corps and those who have been honorably discharged from that service; voluntarily aiding and rendering assistance to all Marines and former Marines and to their widows and orphans; and by perpetuating the history of the United States Marine Corps through fitting acts to observe the anniversaries of historical occasions of particular interest to Marines.
STAFF SERGEANT KARL G. TAYLOR, SR.
Karl Gorman Taylor, Sr., was born July 14, 1939, in Laurel, Howard County, Maryland. He graduated from Arundel Junior High School in 1953, then attended Arundel Senior High School for three years (1953-1956). After leaving high school, he was employed by a construction company as a Tournapull-Scraper Operator. In 1961, he received a high school equivalency test from the Armed Forces Institute in Madison, Wisconsin.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps along with his brother, Walter William Taylor, at the Recruiting Station, Baltimore, Maryland, on January 15, 1959. Upon completion of recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training regiment, Parris Island, South Carolina, he went on to Infantry Combat Training with the 1st Infantry Training Regiment, Marine Corps Base, Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. 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 (Rein), 6th Marines, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force, Camp Lejeune.
From January until February 1962 he attended the Drill Instructor School at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot, Parris Island, South Carolina, then served as Drill Instructor of the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Recruit Depot, Parris Island, until January 1963.
After this enlistment tour was over, Staff Sergeant Taylor returned to inactive duty for three months and was with the 4th Marine Corps Reserve and Recruitment District, at Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. On March 26, 1963, he returned to active duty at Quantico, Virginia, and served as Assistant Police Sergeant and later, Police Sergeant, Guard Company, Service Battalion, Marine Corps Schools.
Transferred to the 3rd Marine Division (Rein), in August 1964, Staff Sergeant Taylor saw a one year tour of duty as Rocket Section Leader and Platoon Guide, with Company G, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment. Reassigned to Sub Unit ..2, Headquarters Company, Headquarters and Service Battalion, Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, in August 1965, he served as Instructor, Non-commissioned Officer (NCO) Leadership School until the following November.
Upon his return to the United States in January 1966, Staff Sergeant Taylor returned to the Marine Corps Schools, Quantico, for duty as Candidate Company Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Sergeant of Company A, Officer Candidate School.
In February 1968, he returned to the Far East and the 3rd Marine Division (Rein), Fleet Marine Force, this time for duty as Platoon Sergeant and Company Gunnery Sergeant of Company I, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment.
Staff Sergeant Taylor was cited for his courage and inspiring leadership on December 8, 1968 during Operation Meade River when he charged across an open rice paddy toward an enemy machine gun position. Firing a grenade launcher as he ran and in full view of the enemy, Staff Sergeant Taylor succeeded in reaching the machine gun bunker and silenced the enemy fire moments before he fell mortally wounded.
President Richard M. Nixon awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor to the family of Staff Sergeant Karl G. Taylor during a joint-service ceremony at the White House on February 16, 1971.
His Medal of Honor citation reads:
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 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.
Staff Sergeant Taylor was the husband of the former Shirley Ann Piatt and the father of 3 children Karl G. Jr., Kevin G., and Sheryl A. He was the son of Arthur G. and Anna H. Taylor. |
| Marine Corps League, SSgt Karl G. Taylor, Sr. Detachment 1084 (6 Members) |
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