Minutes. As we recognize him for his courageous actions in vietnam in june of 1968, we honor the sacred calling and sense of higher purpose that he and his crew embodied that day. For the sake of those they rescued from distress. Thank you for the shining example of valor and Selfless Service captain taylor displayed. As the medal of honor is placed around his neck, may your grace and peace rest upon him in a new way and on his family, his friends, all who also assembled here today, to acknowledge an extraordinary act of service to the nation and his comrades in arms. Make captain taylors bravery rekindling all of us a spirit of sacrifice and steadfastness of purpose and may this occasion renew our shared commitment to serve and support one another no matter how challenging the circumstances. We pray all these blessings in your holy name. Amen. Please be seated. Thank you. What a distinguished group of americans. Former medal of honor winners. Thank you for being here. Folks, in a few days, young women and men from across the country are going to arrive at fort worth, georgia to attend Ranger School on the toughest military courses in the world. For nearly 20 hours every day theyll run, march, swim, and climb some of the most challenging obstacles under the most grueling of conditions. But most importantly, theyll learn how to lead, study the stories of our greatest nations warriors, and include the story of a pilot who, 55 years ago, risked his own life to save a group of young soldiers like them. The pilot we honor today, captain larry taylor. The medal of honor is our nations oldest and highest recognition of valor. Now, when i called larry to let him know he finally was receiving this recognition, his response was, i thought you had to do something to receive the medal of honor . Let me say that again. He said, i thought you had to do something to receive the medal of honor . Well, larry, you sure as hell did something, man. If you ask anyone here, im pretty sure theyd say you did something extraordinary. That includes our secretary of the defense, secretary austin, the secretary of the army warmer, chairman milley, and senator blackburn, and also senator haggerty, who all have joined us today. I also want to thank previous medal of honor recipients who have come to recognize their brother in arms, paris davis, walter marm, and james mcclean, and leroy petry. Gentlemen, youre the very best the nation has to offer. We owe you. The same goes for Sergeant David hill, vietnam veteran, former firefighter, and as the last surviving member of larrys mission, the driving force behind his medal of honor nomination. On behalf of our nation, thank you all for being here. And finally, tony. Larry learned many ranks and call signs throughout his military service. He earned them. Captain, dark horse, mustang, and probably a few we cant say out loud. Best left out of the president ial record, i guess. [laughter] but i believe, i believe that larry is most proud of being called your husband. And its an honor. Its an honor to have you both here as we give this heroism its full recognition that it deserves. Born in the volunteer state, raised by a world war ii veteran, duty defined Larry Taylors life from his earliest days. As a young man, he volunteered to join the college rotc unit at the university of tennessee, knoxville. Then after graduating in 1966, he commissioned as an armor officer. Larry had dreamed of leading men into battle on what he called chariots of steel. But it didnt take many days on the ground for larry to realize he belonged in the sky. He wanted to be a pilot, not just any pilot, a cobra pilot, flying the newest, fastest, Deadliest Army helicopter at the time, a gunship built for only two people and their ammo. And so when larry was offered a spot to fly in the fighting first in vietnam, he jumped at the chance. It was there that thenlieutenant taylor would go above and beyond the call of duty. Quite literally. June 18, 1968. It was pitch black, no moon, no stars, no light beyond the glow of lieutenant taylors cockpit controls, when he heard a whisper come through his radio. Were surrounded. Were surrounded. Thats what he heard. The call had come from a four man Army Patrol Unit just northeast of saigon. A unit that included Sergeant David hill. Earlier that day, the men had set out to recon the area. But in the dark, the men found themselves in the middle of the viet cong stronghold. Nearly 100 enemy soldiers now encircled their unit. The men picked up the radio and made a call. It was no longer a recon mission. They needed a rescue mission. Without hesitation, lieutenant taylor and his copilot began racing toward them. Over the radio he laid out the game plan. He would use his cobra to give the unit cover until a rescue helicopter could extract them. There was just simple problem. One it was pitch black. Lieutenant taylor couldnt determine exactly where they were. So he asked his men to launch a flare, a move that revealed their location to him but also to the enemy. Lieutenant taylor knew the risk, but he was ready. Over the radio he said, lets get to work. The flare went up and the fight was on. The enemy fire lit up the night. Within taylor lieutenant taylor and his copilot dove down, positioning nearly parallel with the viet cong fighters. They flew dangerously low levels for more than a half an hour firing thousands of rounds of rockets to cover the ground on which the men were. Then lieutenant taylor heard a sound and that only meant one thing, his helo was hit, and then it was hit again and again and again. At that point, according to army standards, he could have left the fight. Lieutenant taylor had his own sacred standard. Quote, you never leave a man on the ground, end of quote. He tried to find an escape route for the unit. His cobra taking more rounds. And he did. He kept trying to radio for rescue knowing that he and his men below were almost out of time and ammunition. On his last try, he learned that any attempt to save the men had been called off. The rescue helicopter was not coming. Instead, lieutenant taylor received a direct order. Return to base. His response was just as direct. Im getting my men out. Im getting my men out. Lieutenant taylor would perform the extraction himself. A maneuver never before accomplished in a cobra. Remember, the cobra was only a gunship only. It had no cabin for passengers. But that was the least of his problems. First, lieutenant taylor needed to give his men a way out of the rice patty where theyd been pinned down. He needed diversion. So despite the fact that he had no rockets or rounds left, lieutenant taylor drew the enemy fire himself using his landing light to trick the enemy into thinking he still had ammo. He started making runs on the viet cong fighters. The ruse worked a few times, but it was enough for the men to make it to the extraction point. There, still under heavy gunfire, lieutenant taylor landed. The men mounted the exterior of his helo, clinging to the skids, climbing on the rocket pods. Within seconds lieutenant taylor was back in the air, but the mission wasnt over. Lieutenant taylor saw his fuel light flickering. He had started off with 1600 pounds of gas. And now he had about six, not enough to make it back to base. Worse, the soldiers he was carrying were covering in wet mud. Even if he could make it back to base, his men would freeze or fall first. So he once more risked his own safety for his fellow teammates. He located a Friendly Area to set his bird down. The four men dismounted the helo and disappeared back into the pitch black night. No moon, no stars, no light beyond the glow of their faces. When they briefly turned and saluted lieutenant taylor for saving all four of their lives. He wouldnt see some of these men an until 30 years later at army reunions. By that time, lieutenant taylor had long become captain taylor. He had flown more than 2000 combat missions and he received a silver star, a bronze star, two distinguished flying crosses, and 43 air medals. Thank god, hes not putting them all on his chest, hed have trouble standing. Incredible. Just think about it, its incredible. But the greatest honor of all, families showed up at these reunions too. Theyd look for larry, theyd hug him. Theyd say you dont know me but you save my daddys life. In a few days, young soldiers about the same age as larry was during the dark night in vietnam. Theyll arrive at Ranger School. Like all of us today, theyre inspired by his story and they will be. But how, by how he refused to give up, refused to leave a fellow american behind, refused to put his own life above the lives of others in need. When duty called, larry did everything, did everything to answer. And because of that, he rewrote the fate of four families for generations to come. Thats valor. Thats valor. Thats our nation at its very best, and thats why its now my great honor to ask Lieutenant Colonel anne hughes to read your medal of honor citation. May god bless you all and may god protect our troops. Attention to orders. The president of the United States of america, authorized by act of Congress March 3, 1863 has awarded in the name of congress, the medal of honor to First Lieutenant larry l. Taylor, United States army, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. First lieutenant larry l. Taylor distinguished himself by acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty while serving with troop delta, first squadron, fourth cavalry, First Infantry Division on june 18, 1968 near the village of kong republic of vietnam. On this date, First Lieutenant taylor commanded a light fire team of two cobra helicopter gunships, scrambled on a nighttime mission in response to an urgent call for aerial fire support from a four man long range patrol team. Upon arrival, First Lieutenant taylor found the patrol Team Surrounded and heavily engaged by a larger viet cong force. He immediately requested illumination rounds and supporting artillery to assist with identifying the enemy positions. Despite intense enemy ground fire, he flew at a perilously low altitude, placing a devastating volume of aerial rocket and machine gun fire on the enemy forces and circling the friendly patrol. For over approximately 45 minutes, First Lieutenant taylor and his wingman continued to make low level danger, close attack runs on the surrounding enemy positions. When enemy fire increased from the village, he requested artillery rounds with lower illumination altitudes be fired on that portion of the village so that the burning rounds ignited the enemy positions with both cobra gunships nearly out of ammunition and the enemies Still Closing in on the patrol team, First Lieutenant taylor flew the patrol teams potential ground evacuation route, finding it unviable based on the heavy enemy ground fire encountered. Returning to the patrol teams location, he continued to circle it at a low level under intense enemy fire, employing his search light to make fake gun runs on the enemy positions to distract them from the patrol team. Running low on fuel and with the patrol team nearly out of ammunition, First Lieutenant taylor decided to extract the team with his two man cobra helicopter gunship, a feat never before accomplished. He directed his wingman to fire their remaining mini gun rounds on the patrol teams east flank. First lieutenant taylor then fired his own last mini gun rounds on the enemy positions, opening an avenue of movement to the east for the patrol team. He directed the patrol team to move 100 yards towards the extraction point where First Lieutenant taylor, still under enemy fire, landed his helicopter and instructed the patrol team to climb aboard anywhere they could. With the four man long range patrol team seated on rocket pods and skids, he evacuated them to the nearest friendly location, undoubtedly saving their lives. First lieutenant taylors conspicuous gallantry, his profound concern for his fellow soldiers, and his intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the United States army. Ladies and gentlemen, please [applause] ladies and gentlemen, please join me for the benediction. Most holy god, we thank you again for the shining example of valor and Selfless Service you have given us and captain larry taylor. Bless him richly as he takes his place in the pantheon of our nations most distinguished heroes. As we leave this ceremony, inspired by captain taylors legacy of courageous action under fire, empower us to commit ourselves to greater acts of service to one another and to our nation. We rely upon you, o lord, to keep us all strong in spirit and to give each of us the wisdom we need to fulfill our responsibilities, one to another. And now, lord god, we ask that you will bless and protect all of those serving our army and our armed forces today, as they preserve our precious freedoms, just as captain taylor did. And may the lamp of liberty continue to shine brightly upon the United States of america and upon our allies and our friends around the world. We pray these blessings in your holy name. Amen