US President Joe Biden has awarded the nation's highest military medal to a Vietnam War helicopter pilot who disregarded a direct order and saved his comrades.

Retired Army Captain Larry Taylor, 81, received the Medal of Honor at the White House.

In 1968, he flew his Cobra attack chopper into a firefight to rescue four US troops from near certain death.

His actions had never before been attempted, the Army says.

On the night of 18 June 1968, the long range reconnaissance patrol team that then-1st Lt Taylor saved came under heavy fire and was surrounded by enemy troops outside Ho Chi Minh City.

Running low on fuel and ammunition, he made low-level attack runs as the enemy returned intense ground fire for about half an hour.

 

Upon realising that the team's escape route was a death trap, he radioed with a new extraction point.

When the men arrived at the location, 1st Lt Taylor landed the helicopter "with complete disregard for his personal safety" to pick up the four troops, the White House said.

The men had to cling to the outside of the two-person aircraft as there wasn't room inside.

President Biden said at Tuesday's medal ceremony: "The rescue helicopter was not coming.

"Instead, Lieutenant Taylor received a direct order: Return to base. His response was just as direct: 'I'm getting my men out. I'm getting my men out.'

 

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None of whom should have been there in the first place. 

How on earth could that chopper fly carrying those massive balls!im glad they made it out!

1 minute ago, JeffersLos said:

None of whom should have been there in the first place. 

????

1 hour ago, JeffersLos said:

None of whom should have been there in the first place. 

Yawn. Deflection.

Good for him. Pity it took so long to reward him.

 

 

6 minutes ago, Social Media said:

 

I believe Biden personally pinned the medal on the soldier.

Unqualified respect, beyond words.

18 hours ago, Social Media said:

 

Maybe he was taking his men out, but to be honest, it more looks like a senile old man who doesn't know which planet he's on. We have seen this plenty of times in the past few years.

16 minutes ago, BenStark said:

Maybe he was taking his men out, but to be honest, it more looks like a senile old man who doesn't know which planet he's on. We have seen this plenty of times in the past few years.

Translation president Biden dident want his presence to distract from the real star of the show the chopper pilot and relinquished the stage to the man being honored 

21 minutes ago, Tug said:

Translation president Biden dident want his presence to distract from the real star of the show the chopper pilot and relinquished the stage to the man being honored 

Translation, the blind leading the blind.

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Translation president Biden dident want his presence to distract from the real star of the show the chopper pilot and relinquished the stage to the man being honored 

He left in the middle of the ceremony.  Probably thought that the applause was for him and not the real hero. 

 

Remember, this is a war Biden (like so many men in his generation) fought very hard NOT to be a part of. 

3 minutes ago, Hanaguma said:

He left in the middle of the ceremony.  Probably thought that the applause was for him and not the real hero. 

 

Once again, you offer to the public your cheap and shoddy mindreading act. Why do you persist with such nonsense?

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Translation president Biden dident want his presence to distract from the real star of the show the chopper pilot and relinquished the stage to the man being honored 

Why didn't Biden stand to one side of the stage or stand in the audience or if Biden didn't want to make a distraction , why did he attend the event ??

  You are making excuses for his behaviour 

16 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Once again, you offer to the public your cheap and shoddy mindreading act. Why do you persist with such nonsense?

No more mindreading than the post I quoted.  Yet you chose mine to comment on. Why is that?

1 minute ago, Hanaguma said:

No more mindreading than the post I quoted.  Yet you chose mine to comment on. Why is that?

Because you're an inveterate practitioner of this class of slur.

30 minutes ago, Nick Carter icp said:

You are making excuses for his behaviour

Excuses is the wrong paraphrase, from his, and few others active in this thread, post history it is obvious they are living in denial.

36 minutes ago, placeholder said:

Once again, you offer to the public your cheap and shoddy mindreading act. Why do you persist with such nonsense?

The suggestion was what Biden "probably" thought . 

It wasn't stated as a definite , just a probability , so not a "mind reading" attempt 

6 hours ago, BenStark said:

Excuses is the wrong paraphrase, from his, and few others active in this thread, post history it is obvious they are living in denial.

And just what is it we are denial of?yes president Biden is old no denial there,yes we wish he was younger,no denial there.no sir in my humble opinion it is you and others like you that are in denial of this administrations accomplishments.so all you and others like you have theses spurious slights enuendos and slurs.no sir I think it’s you who are in denial 

16 hours ago, Tug said:

in my humble opinion it is you and others like you that are in denial of this administrations accomplishments.

“Let me tell you something, New Yorkers. Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don’t see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City. Destroy New York City,” and “The city we knew, we’re about to lose.”

 

NYC Democrat Mayor Eric Adams.

 

That's quite an accomplishment...

 

I watched the video of the medal ceremony.  Biden wandered off, leaving the poor guy looking completely embarrassed.  I felt bad for him, at what should have been one of the proudest moments of his life.

11 hours ago, impulse said:

“Let me tell you something, New Yorkers. Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don’t see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City. Destroy New York City,” and “The city we knew, we’re about to lose.”

 

NYC Democrat Mayor Eric Adams.

 

That's quite an accomplishment...

 

I watched the video of the medal ceremony.  Biden wandered off, leaving the poor guy looking completely embarrassed.  I felt bad for him, at what should have been one of the proudest moments of his life.

Let's be in no doubt that had Trump done that, the outrage from those covering for Biden now would be excoriating him.

11 hours ago, impulse said:

“Let me tell you something, New Yorkers. Never in my life have I had a problem that I did not see an ending to. I don’t see an ending to this. This issue will destroy New York City. Destroy New York City,” and “The city we knew, we’re about to lose.”

 

NYC Democrat Mayor Eric Adams.

 

That's quite an accomplishment...

 

I watched the video of the medal ceremony.  Biden wandered off, leaving the poor guy looking completely embarrassed.  I felt bad for him, at what should have been one of the proudest moments of his life.

Then you must be livid at the republicans for refusing to come to the table to help legislate a remedy humm?otherwise it’s just another cheep shot 

2 hours ago, Tug said:

Then you must be livid at the republicans for refusing to come to the table to help legislate a remedy humm?otherwise it’s just another cheep shot 

WHo is the president?  

 

Wait, maybe the "border czar" will step up and come up with some answers....  or not.  Latest policy from the administration is a "remain in Texas" idea. Good luck with that.

23 hours ago, Nick Carter icp said:

Why didn't Biden stand to one side of the stage or stand in the audience or if Biden didn't want to make a distraction , why did he attend the event ??

  You are making excuses for his behaviour 

No sense of honor and what it takes to bestow honor with the greatest dignity?

11 hours ago, impulse said:

 

 

I watched the video of the medal ceremony.  Biden wandered off, leaving the poor guy looking completely embarrassed.  I felt bad for him, at what should have been one of the proudest moments of his life.

More nonsense from you. No, Biden didn't "wander off". He walked in a straight line to exit the ceremony. Looked purposeful to me.  No divagation that I could spot.

But even worse is your face reading allegation. Can you please point to what moment in the ceremony this guy looked completely embarrassed? Here's a link to a video so you can point out the moment and share with us how has face changed expression.

 

25 minutes ago, placeholder said:

More nonsense from you. No, Biden didn't "wander off". He walked in a straight line to exit the ceremony. Looked purposeful to me.  No divagation that I could spot.

Looked to me like a kid who just heard the ice cream truck...

 

It would have taken him 15 whole seconds to stand there, applaud the guy (the whole crowd would have chimed in), then shake the guy's hand again, excuse himself and keep clapping all the way out to the ice cream truck.

A ceremony to honor a hero.

 

And the haters turn on their anti Biden bile.

 

4 respondents in this thread have gone straight into attacking Biden with no mention of respect, gratitude or admiration for the recipient of America’s highest military honor.

 

 

I think the term is ‘twisted’.

6 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

A ceremony to honor a hero.

 

And the haters turn on their anti Biden bile.

 

4 respondents in this thread have gone straight into attacking Biden with no mention of respect, gratitude or admiration for the recipient of America’s highest military honor.

 

 

I think the term is ‘twisted’.

Not me, I recognized the actual hero. Perhaps Biden did too, and that is why he scurried away so

fast. Embarrassed to share the stage with a man who DIDN'T shirk his duty. 

On 9/7/2023 at 9:26 AM, BenStark said:

Maybe he was taking his men out, but to be honest, it more looks like a senile old man who doesn't know which planet he's on. We have seen this plenty of times in the past few years.

You mean Joe of course.