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James Anderson Jr. was born on January 22, 1947, in Los Angeles, California. Following high school, he pursued his ambition to become a preacher at a local church while attending Los Angeles Harbor Junior College. However, after a year and a half, he changed course and enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on February 17, 1966. After his training, he was deployed to the Republic of Vietnam in December 1966, serving as a rifleman with Company F, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Marine Division in Quang Tri Province. On February 28, 1967, during Operation Prairie II, Anderson and his platoon faced heavy enemy fire while attempting to rescue a besieged reconnaissance patrol in dense jungle northwest of Cam Lo. The platoon swiftly responded, returning fire. Anderson found himself lying on the ground among closely grouped Marines, about 21 yards of the enemy and began firing back at them.  Suddenly, a grenade landed just a few feet from Anderson's head. Without hesitation, Anderson selflessly grabbed the grenade, pulled it into his chest and wrapped himself around it before it detonated. Anderson valiantly defended his comrades, even selflessly sacrificing himself by shielding them from an incoming grenade. Anderson's body absorbed the blast and He was immediately killed. His heroic act saved his fellow Marines, though it cost him his life. He was laid to rest at Lincoln Memorial Park in Carson, California. On August 21, 1968, Anderson posthumously received the Medal of Honor, which was accepted by his parents from Navy Secretary Paul R. Ignatius during a ceremony at Marine Barracks Washington. This distinction made him the first Black Marine to be honored with the nation's highest award for valor. In addition to the Medal of Honor, Anderson was awarded the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with a bronze star, the Vietnamese Military Merit Medal, the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal. Private First Class James Anderson Juniors legacy lives on through his name on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, a US Navy ship named in his honor, a park dedicated to him, a Marine Base Hall bearing his name, and various highways and streets named after him.

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Larry Taylor was born in 1942 in Chattanooga, Tennessee, and grew up in a family with a strong military tradition. His great-great-grandfather fought in the Civil War, his great-uncle in World War I, and his father and uncles in World War II. He enlisted in the US Army Reserve on June 5, 1966. On August 14, 1966, he joined the Regular Army. After completing his training at the US Army Armor School, he attended the US Army Primary Helicopter School and qualified as an Army aviator in June 1967. Approximately two months later, Taylor found himself in Vietnam. On the night of June 18, 1968, a four-man Long-Range Reconnaissance Patrol team was observing a village occupied by around 80 North Vietnamese soldiers. A firefight broke out, and the soldiers soon realized they were surrounded, prompting them to radio for air support. Taylor led a helicopter light-fire team and was dispatched to assist the four pinned-down American soldiers. Taylor flew over the firefight and provided air support until he ran out of rockets and ammunition. Taylor radioed the patrol team and requested the four soldiers to mark their location with flares. Despite facing intense ground fire, the two Cobra gunships continued to make low-level attack runs for the next 45 minutes. With both helicopters nearly out of ammunition and the enemy still closing in, Taylor learned that a plan to rescue the soldiers with a UH-1 Huey helicopter had been canceled due to the extreme danger. Running low on fuel and with the patrol team almost out of ammunition, Taylor decided to extract the team using his two-man Cobra helicopter, an unprecedented and daring feat. Taylor directed his wingman to fire his remaining minigun rounds along the eastern flank of the patrol team and then return to the base camp. Taylor himself fired his own minigun along the team's western flank, using his Cobra's landing lights to draw the enemy's attention while the patrol team moved to a nearby extraction point. Recognizing that the pinned-down soldiers had no other options, Taylor radioed the team leader and made an unconventional request. He asked the soldiers to create a diversion by running 100 yards from their position and lying down in the grass. The soldiers followed his orders and were astonished as they quickly realized that Taylor was landing his Cobra in the midst of the firefight, putting his life at great risk. Given that the Cobra Helicopter had no means of transporting troops, Taylor swiftly ordered the four soldiers to cling to the helicopter's skids and rocket pods as he lifted them out of the battle and transported them to a safer location several miles away. This courageous act saved their lives. The soldiers miraculously rescued that night were David Hill of Visalia California; Robert Eisner of New York City; Gerald Patty of Maryville Tennessee; and William P. Cohn of Norwich Connecticut. Taylor completed over 2,000 combat missions in UH-1 and Cobra helicopters. He faced enemy fire on 340 occasions and was forced to make emergency landings five times. Captain Taylor's selfless actions on that fateful night saved the lives of the surrounded patrol team, and his bravery continues to exemplify the highest traditions of military service. He was honorably discharged from active duty on August 31, 1970, having attained the rank of Captain, and was discharged from the US Army Reserve on October 17, 1973. For his conspicuous actions, the US Army awarded him a minimum of 50 combat decorations, including the Silver Star, 43 Air Medals, a Bronze Star, and two Distinguished Flying Crosses. He also received the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Bronze Star. More than 55 years later, on September 5, 2023, during a ceremony at the White House, President Joe Biden recognized 81 year old Captain Larry Taylor's heroism and awarded him the Medal of Honor. #distinguished #America #USA #military #armedforces #war #hero #sacrifice #medalofhonor #Army #Captain #LarryTaylor #Vietnam