HONORED ON PANEL 8W, LINE 52 OF THE WALL
JACK EDWIN TAYLOR
WALL NAME
JACK E TAYLOR
PANEL / LINE
8W/52
DATE OF BIRTH
CASUALTY PROVINCE
DATE OF CASUALTY
HOME OF RECORD
COUNTY OF RECORD
STATE
BRANCH OF SERVICE
RANK
REMEMBRANCES
LEFT FOR JACK EDWIN TAYLOR
POSTED ON 1.6.2014
POSTED BY: Jerry Flynn
The Incident of Spec 4 Taylor's Death
Spec. 4 Jack Taylor’s unit temporarily assigned him to Zulu Company, which was primarily a USMC unit. One of the duties of Zulu Company was to reinforce Marine Corps infantry units that occasionally came under fire within out area of operation. Jack was serving with his reactionary platoon on such a mission the night of his KIA.
As Jack’s unit was returning to base, at a point on Highway 1 just outside of MMAF's perimeter wire, two Vietnamese men on motorcycles bolted across the road in front of the truck in which Jack, and his squad were riding. The surprise caused the driver to lose control, overturning the vehicle. Six-by trucks were famous for being top-heavy, and easily flipped. The Vietnamese knew this, and they used this very tactic to cause Jack’s truck to overturn. Jack and two Marines died at the scene. This was not an accident but a hostile act.
I was Corporal of the Guard for the perimeter position where the incident occurred. When I arrived, in addition to the dead and injured Americans, there were four Vietnamese down. The Marine in a tower overlooking the scene, shot and killed the two Vietnamese men who were on the motorcycles. Two of the injured Americans were still shooting at Vietnamese men who were attempting to loot the dead and wounded Americans. They had apparently wounded two others in addition to the two who were on the motorcycles. The two wounded Vietnamese men died later at the scene. The Corpsmen refused to treat them until they had finished treating and removing the dead and injured Americans.
I did not know Jack Taylor other than by sight. Spec. 5 Gary J. Zinghy, who, in spite of his severe injuries, was one of the two soldiers still firing when I arrived on the scene. Gary Zinghy gave me Specialist Taylor’s name. The incident happened around midnight, July 25, 1970. Because of the midnight timing, the Marine Corps reported it as occurring on 26 July, and the Army recorded it as 25 July.
As Jack’s unit was returning to base, at a point on Highway 1 just outside of MMAF's perimeter wire, two Vietnamese men on motorcycles bolted across the road in front of the truck in which Jack, and his squad were riding. The surprise caused the driver to lose control, overturning the vehicle. Six-by trucks were famous for being top-heavy, and easily flipped. The Vietnamese knew this, and they used this very tactic to cause Jack’s truck to overturn. Jack and two Marines died at the scene. This was not an accident but a hostile act.
I was Corporal of the Guard for the perimeter position where the incident occurred. When I arrived, in addition to the dead and injured Americans, there were four Vietnamese down. The Marine in a tower overlooking the scene, shot and killed the two Vietnamese men who were on the motorcycles. Two of the injured Americans were still shooting at Vietnamese men who were attempting to loot the dead and wounded Americans. They had apparently wounded two others in addition to the two who were on the motorcycles. The two wounded Vietnamese men died later at the scene. The Corpsmen refused to treat them until they had finished treating and removing the dead and injured Americans.
I did not know Jack Taylor other than by sight. Spec. 5 Gary J. Zinghy, who, in spite of his severe injuries, was one of the two soldiers still firing when I arrived on the scene. Gary Zinghy gave me Specialist Taylor’s name. The incident happened around midnight, July 25, 1970. Because of the midnight timing, the Marine Corps reported it as occurring on 26 July, and the Army recorded it as 25 July.
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POSTED ON 5.22.2006
POSTED BY: Bill Nelson
NEVER FORGOTTEN
FOREVER REMEMBERED
"If you are able, save for them a place inside of you....and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.....Be not ashamed to say you loved them....
Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own....And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind...."
Quote from a letter home by Maj. Michael Davis O'Donnell
KIA 24 March 1970. Distinguished Flying Cross: Shot down and Killed while attempting to rescue 8 fellow soldiers surrounded by attacking enemy forces.
We Nam Brothers pause to give a backward glance, and post this remembrance to you, one of the gentle heroes lost to the War in Vietnam:
Slip off that pack. Set it down by the crooked trail. Drop your steel pot alongside. Shed those magazine-ladened bandoliers away from your sweat-soaked shirt. Lay that silent weapon down and step out of the heat. Feel the soothing cool breeze right down to your soul ... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother.
From your Nam-Band-Of-Brothers
"If you are able, save for them a place inside of you....and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.....Be not ashamed to say you loved them....
Take what they have left and what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own....And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind...."
Quote from a letter home by Maj. Michael Davis O'Donnell
KIA 24 March 1970. Distinguished Flying Cross: Shot down and Killed while attempting to rescue 8 fellow soldiers surrounded by attacking enemy forces.
We Nam Brothers pause to give a backward glance, and post this remembrance to you, one of the gentle heroes lost to the War in Vietnam:
Slip off that pack. Set it down by the crooked trail. Drop your steel pot alongside. Shed those magazine-ladened bandoliers away from your sweat-soaked shirt. Lay that silent weapon down and step out of the heat. Feel the soothing cool breeze right down to your soul ... and rest forever in the shade of our love, brother.
From your Nam-Band-Of-Brothers
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