During a dangerous mission on June 18, 1968, in the Vietnam War, Sgt. David Hill’s reconnaissance team was cornered by enemy forces in the vicinity of Saigon. Nearly 55 years later, the daring rescue operation led by 1st Lt. Larry L. Taylor, who flew a mission to save them in an AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter, is being recognized with a Medal of Honor, slated to be awarded on September 5th.
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Key Points:Â
- Sgt. David Hill’s recon team, called “Wildcat 2”, found themselves in a dire situation, surrounded by enemy forces during a night operation south of Saigon.
- 1st Lt. Larry L. Taylor piloted an AH-1G Cobra attack helicopter, not designed for rescue operations, to save Hill and his team, employing tactics that created a pathway for the team to escape.
- Taylor’s courageous efforts on that perilous night have earned him the prestigious Medal of Honor, set to be conferred on September 5th.
- Before this rescue mission, Taylor had an extensive service record with approximately 1,200 combat missions, where he experienced enemy fire in 340 of them and had been forced to land five times.
- Decades later, Hill and Taylor reunited, with Hill discovering Taylor’s previous Silver Star Medal award and then championing for the higher Medal of Honor recognition for Taylor.
