Biden Awards Medal of Honor to Vietnam Vet Who 'Defied Orders'

What's the story?

• President Biden awarded First Lt. Larry L. Taylor, 81, the Medal of Honor at the White House on Tuesday, highlighting his "conspicuous gallantry" for rescuing four of his fellow soldiers during the Vietnam War.
• The Medal of Honor is awarded to members of the military who demonstrate bravery and courage "at the risk of their own lives above and beyond the call of duty."
• Only 3,515 army personnel have received the Medal of Honor out of 40 million who have served since the Civil War.

What did Lt. Taylor do?

• While providing support for a long-range reconnaissance patrol in June 1968, Taylor rescued four soldiers while they were taking intense enemy fire near Ap Go Cong. The soldiers were surrounded by nearly 100 enemy soldiers at the time of rescue.
• The helicopter that was previously sent to rescue the soldiers had abandoned its attempt, citing a high likelihood of failure.
• Taylor was flying in his two-person Cobra helicopter, which was nearly out of ammunition and not designed for rescue missions. He was ordered to return to base, but upon learning that there was no other rescue helicopter on its way, he refused. He landed in the middle of the firefight, using the landing lights on his helicopter to distract the enemy forces.
• He rescued the four soldiers, all of whom escaped by hanging onto the helicopter's skids and rocket pods. It was the first rescue carried out in a Cobra during the Vietnam War.
• Lt. Taylor joined the Army on June 5, 1966. He eventually rose to the rank of captain before being honorably released from active duty in the summer of 1970.

"That's valor"

• As he awarded the medal, Biden said:

“That’s valor. That’s valor. That’s our nation at its very best.”

• He continued:

"He refused to give up. Refused to leave a fellow American behind. Refused to put his own life above the lives of others in need. When duty called, Larry did everything to answer. He rewrote the fate of four families for generations to come."

Do you support the awarding of the Medal of Honor?

—Emma Kansiz 

(Photo Credit: AP/Jacquelyn Martin/Military.com)