Most recent Medal of Honor recipient has died

The most recent Medal of Honor recipient has died, the Congressional Medal of Honor Society announced Monday afternoon.

Larry L. Taylor, 81, passed away Sunday at his home in Signal Mountain, Tennessee, according to a press release. 

President Biden presented Taylor with the Medal of Honor for his actions near the village of Ap Go Cong, Binh Du’ong Providence, Vietnam at the White House on Sept. 5, 2023.

In June of 1968, Taylor was a 1st Lieutenant commander of a team of two Cobra helicopter gunships responding to an urgent call for support by a four-man patrol team. Taylor and his wingman targeted the enemy by encircling the patrol team and flying multiple low-level passes under intense enemy fire. 

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“As the gunships’ ammunition ran low, Taylor continued to make fake gun runs at low altitude to distract the enemy from the men on the ground. He observed that the patrol team’s planned evacuation route was unviable, given the heavy fire they were still encountering,” the Congressional Medal of Honor Society’s release states. “Taylor then landed his helicopter 100 yards away, still under intense enemy fire, to meet the patrol team on the ground. With the team climbing onboard wherever they could, including seated on rocket-pods and skids, Taylor was able to evacuate the entire patrol team, thereby saving their lives.”

Taylor flew hundreds of combat missions in UH-1 “Huey” helicopters and Cobra helicopters during a year’s deployment in Vietnam and proudly told the Associated Press, “We never lost a man.” 

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“I finally just flew up behind them and sat down on the ground,” he explained during the AP interview. “They turned around and jumped on the aircraft. A couple were sitting on the skids. One was sitting on the rocket pods, and I don’t know where the other one was, but they beat on the side of the ship twice, which meant haul a–. And we did!”

Taylor retired with the rank of captain. He is survived by his wife, Toni, and other family members. Funeral arrangements are pending.

Fox News’ Lawrence Richard and The Associated Press contributed to this report.