WASHINGTON, D.C.  - President Richard M. Nixon awarded posthum- ously the Medal of Honor to  the family of  SSgt. Karl G. Taylor during a joint-service ceremony at the White House on February 16, 1971.

SSgt. Taylor  was cited  for his courage and  inspiring leadership on  De- cember 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,  SSgt. Taylor succeeded in  reaching the machine gun bunker and silenced  the enemy fire moments before he fell mortally wounded.

At the time of his death, he was serving as Company Gunnery Sergeant, Company "I", 3rd Battalion,  26th Marine Regiment.  SSgt. Taylor had been  in  the  Marine  Corps  since  January  1959  and  was  serving  his second tour in Vietnam.

SSgt. Taylor was  the husband of the former  Shirley Ann Platt  and  the father of two sons,  Karl G., Jr., 7,  Kevin G., 4, and a daughter,  Sheryl A., 8.   Mrs. Taylor and the children live in Avella, Pa.   His parents  are Mr. Arthur G. Taylor of Jessup, Md., and Mrs. Anna H. Taylor of Can- ton, Ohio.

CITATION:

For  conspicuous  gallantry and  intrepidity at  the risk of his  life above and  beyond  the  call  of  duty  while   serving  at  night  as  a  company Gunnery Sergeant during Operation MEADE RIVER. 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,  SSgt.  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 compan- ion,  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 an-
other open area,  in proximity to an enemy  machinegun position,  SSgt. Taylor,  accompanied by  4 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 companions  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  to- ward  the machine gun position, firing  his weapon  as he ran.  Although wounded several times,  he succeeded in reaching  the machine gun bun- ker and silencing the fire from that sector,  moments before he was mor- tally wounded.  Directly instrumental in saving the lives of several of his fellow marines, SSgt. Taylor, by his indomitable courage, inspiring lead- ership,  and  selfless dedication,   upheld  the  highest  traditions  of  the Marine Corps and of the U.S. Naval Service.