The White House announced Friday that the president will award the Medal of Honor to Army Capt. Larry Taylor for his heroic actions during the Vietnam War.
Taylor, who was an AH-1 Cobra pilot between August 1967 and August 1968, is credited with the daring rescue of a small patrol of soldiers who were surrounded by the enemy in Vietnam. He made the rescue amid enemy fire and despite the fact his helicopter wasn't designed to carry extra people.
A press release from the White House says that Taylor will be presented with the award — an upgrade of a previously awarded Silver Star — by President Joe Biden at a ceremony Sept. 5.
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Taylor's heroic actions took place more than 55 years ago on June 18, 1968, near the hamlet of Ap Go Cong.
According to details released by the White House, then-1st Lt. Taylor was leading a helicopter light-fire team deployed in support of a reconnaissance patrol that had been surrounded.
“He and his wingman strafed the enemy with mini-guns and aerial rockets,” the statement said. Amid the “intense ground fire, the two Cobra gunships continued to make low-level attack runs for the next 45 minutes.”
However, during the fighting, Taylor was told that the plan to rescue the soldiers with a UH-1 Huey helicopter had been canceled because it stood almost no chance of success.
“Running low on fuel, with the…
