Jim Taylor is a native of California.
He joined the Army in 1956 and, notably, he is a “Mustang,” having served his first 10 years working his way up through the enlisted ranks to Staff Sergeant before he was commissioned as an Army officer in 1965.
Deployed to Vietnam in November 1967, he was serving as a First Lieutenant in Troop B, 1st Squadron, 1st Cavalry Regiment, Americal Division (yes, “Ameri-Cal” being a contraction of “American New Caledonian Division”). Other Medal of Honor recipients who served with the Americal Division in Vietnam include PFC James “Doc” McCloughan, BG Joseph Stringham, and LtCol Charles Kettles.
On 8 November, alerted that his commander was wounded in action and evacuated, Jim was ordered to fly out to the combat zone and take command and stand up a search-and-destroy mission. Once there, he consolidated his troops, evaluated the situation, and prepared to attack the enemy positions at first light.
Prior to launching the attack the next day, another troop commander was appointed and Jim resumed his role as executive officer, responsible for coordinating the evacuation of wounded, calling in air and ground support, and backfilling supplies. In the fierce combat the next day, he would distinguish himself as a courageous leader.
A year after his actions, Jim received a letter from his wife indicating he was being recommended for the Medal of Honor, but he did not consider that to be correct. However, he knew that recommendation was in motion when he was pulled back from the front lines, and he protested the reassignment from his position as commander of Headquarters Company, 123rd Aviation Battalion at Chu Lai, South Vietnam.
On 19 November 1968, he was presented the Medal of Honor by President Lyndon Johnson.
His Medal of Honor citation notes:
His troop was engaged in an attack on a fortified position west of Que Son when it came under intense enemy recoilless-rifle, mortar, and automatic-weapons fire from an enemy strong point located immediately to its front. One armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit immediately by recoilless-rifle fire and all five crewmembers were wounded. Aware that the stricken vehicle was in grave danger of exploding, Taylor rushed forward and personally extracted the wounded to safety despite the hail of enemy fire and exploding ammunition. Within minutes a second armored cavalry assault vehicle was hit by multiple recoilless-rifle rounds. Despite the continuing intense enemy fire, Taylor moved forward on foot to rescue the wounded men from the burning vehicle and personally removed all the crewmen to the safety of a nearby dike. Moments later the vehicle exploded.
As he was returning to his vehicle, a bursting mortar round painfully wounded Taylor, yet he valiantly returned to his vehicle to relocate the medical evacuation zone to an area closer to the front lines. As he was moving his vehicle, it came under machine-gun fire from an enemy position not 50 yards away. Taylor engaged the position with his machine gun, killing the three-man crew. Upon arrival at the new evacuation site, still another vehicle was struck. Once again Taylor rushed forward and pulled the wounded from the vehicle, loaded them aboard his vehicle, and returned them safely to the evacuation site.
Taylor’s citation concludes: “His actions of unsurpassed valor were a source of inspiration to his entire troop, contributed significantly to the success of the overall assault on the enemy position, and were directly responsible for saving the lives of a number of his fellow soldiers. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military profession and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.”
In retrospect, Jim says: “Vietnam is something I don’t like to talk about. Everything that happened … it was a tough time.”
He reached the rank of Major before retiring in 1980.
In a recent interview, he spoke of what the Medal of Honor has meant to him: “Once you receive the medal, you’re not Jim Taylor anymore. You’re ‘Maj. James Taylor, the Medal of Honor recipient.’ Sometimes I wish I could be incognito for just a little bit. I’d like to be able to walk into a room and have people just say, ‘Hey Jim, how you doing?’ Once you receive the medal, you’re always in the spotlight, but that is something you have to accept. The biggest challenge upon receiving the medal is to live up to the medal.”
As a member of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society (for membership, you only need a Medal of Honor), beyond his oath “to support and defend,” Jim proudly abides by the Society oath: “To form a bond of friendship and comradeship among all holders of the Congressional Medal of Honor. To protect, uphold and preserve the dignity and honor of the medal at all times and on all occasions. To protect the name of the medal and individual recipients of the Medal from exploitation. To provide appropriate aid to all recipients of the medal, their widows or their children. To serve our country in peace as we did in war. To inspire and stimulate our youth to become worthy citizens of our country. To foster and perpetuate Americanism.”
As with many recipients, he continues to devote the bulk of his time and energy to inspiring the next generation of American Patriots: “The values of the medal are courage, sacrifice, patriotism, citizenship, integrity, and commitment. Now it’s my mission to promote these, to encourage our countrymen, especially our youth, to understand the cost of freedom and to strive to live those values and become worthy citizens.”
Indeed, “Freedom Isn’t Free” is much more than a patriotic slogan for those who have fought for American Liberty and the freedoms too many take for granted today.
I invite you to listen to Jim’s message to young Americans, “Stand Up and Go Forth.”
Aging with the rest of his generation of Vietnam Vets, Jim says: “These days, the first thing I do when I get out of bed is thank God for letting me wake up. When you get to my age, you do that.”
In October 2024, Jim joined other Medal of Honor recipients with a rare public presidential endorsement — for Donald Trump.
CPT James Allen Taylor: An ordinary man faced with extraordinary circumstances, he summoned the greatest measure of courage to place his life in imminent peril to save others. Your example of valor — a humble American Patriot defending Liberty for all above and beyond the call of duty — is eternal.
“Greater love has no one than this, to lay down one’s life for his friends.” (John 15:13)
Live your life worthy of his sacrifice.
(Read more Profiles of Valor here.)
Semper Vigilans Fortis Paratus et Fidelis
Pro Deo et Libertate — 1776
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