Karl G . Taylor , Sr . Karl Gorman Taylor , Sr . ( July 14 , 1939 – December 8 , 1968 ) was a United States Marine Corps staff sergeant who was killed in action during his second tour of duty in South Vietnam on December 8 , 1968 . He posthumously received the Medal of Honor , the nation ' s highest military decoration for valor , for his heroic actions before and at the time he was killed that day . Early life and education . Karl Taylor was born on July 14 , 1939 in Laurel , Maryland . He graduated from Arundel Junior High School in 1953 , then attended Arundel Senior High School for three years until 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 diploma from the Armed Forces Institute in Madison , Wisconsin . U . S . Marine Corps . He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps along with his brother , Walter William Taylor , at Recruiting Station Baltimore on January 15 , 1959 . Upon completion of recruit training with the 3rd Recruit Training Battalion , at Marine Corps Recruit Depot Parris Island , he went on to infantry combat training with the 1st Infantry Training Regiment , Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune . 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 6th Marines , 2nd Marine Division . He was promoted to private first class on July 1 , 1959 ; to lance corporal on March 1 , 1960 ; and to corporal on October 24 , 1960 . From January until February 1962 , he attended the Drill Instructor School at Parris Island , then served as a Drill Instructor at 2nd Recruit Training Battalion until January 1963 . After this enlistment tour was over , Cpl . Taylor returned to inactive duty for three months and was with the 4th Marine Corps Reserve and Recruitment District at Philadelphia . On March 26 , 1963 , he returned to active duty at Marine Corps Base Quantico , and served as Assistant Police Sergeant and , later , Police Sergeant , Guard Company , Service Battalion , Marine Corps Schools . He was promoted to sergeant on December 1 , 1963 . Vietnam War . 1st tour of duty . He was transferred to the 3rd Marine Division , in August 1964 . Sgt . Taylor saw a one - year tour of duty as rocket section leader and platoon guide , with Company G , 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines which included duty in Vietnam . Reassigned to Sub Unit # 2 , Headquarters Company , Headquarters and Service Battalion , Fleet Marine Force , Pacific , in August 1965 , he served as an instructor for the NCO Leadership School until the following November . 2nd tour of duty . In January 1966 , he returned to the United States and returned to Marine Corps Schools , Quantico , for duty as Candidate Company Platoon Sergeant and Platoon Sergeant of Company A , Officer Candidate School . He was promoted to staff sergeant on September 1 , 1966 . In February 1968 , he returned to the 3rd Marine Division in Vietnam , this time for duty as Platoon Sergeant and Company Gunnery Sergeant of Company I , 3rd Battalion , 26th Marine Regiment . Staff Sgt . Taylor was mortally wounded while participating in Operation Meade River on December 8 , 1968 as he was charging an enemy machine gun bunker with a grenade launcher to allow his rifle company platoon members to rescue wounded Marines . He was able to take out the enemy position just before he was killed . He was awarded the Medal of Honor posthumously for his heroic actions that day . Medal of Honor . On February 16 , 1971 , President Richard Nixon , in a White House ceremony , presented Staff Sgt . Taylor ' s Medal of Honor to his family — his wife , daughter , age 8 , and two sons , age 7 and 4 . Burial . Staff Sgt . Taylor is buried in Independence Cemetery at Independence Township , Washington County , Pennsylvania . Military decorations & awards . Staff Sgt . Taylor ' s military service ribbon s include : Family . Staff Sgt . Karl Taylor ' s son Kevin followed his father ' s footstep , enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1984 . In 1997 , he was with the Construction Equipment Repair Branch , MCB Quantico , Virginia . Medal of Honor citation . The President of the United States in the name of the Congress takes pride in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR posthumously to STAFF SERGEANT KARL G . TAYLOR < br > UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS for service as set forth in the following CITATION : 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 during 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 . / S / RICHARD M . NIXON