On Tuesday, Joe Biden unexpectedly departed from a Medal of Honor event held in the East Room. During the ceremony, President Biden bestowed the Medal of Honor upon Captain Larry L. Taylor of the United States Army, a helicopter pilot, in recognition of his outstanding bravery. Captain Taylor was honored for his courageous actions in Vietnam on June 18, 1968, when he bravely rescued four of his comrades during a intense battle.
On June 18, 1968, Taylor held the rank of first lieutenant when he was assigned to assist a besieged patrol encircled by hostile forces. Despite facing intense enemy fire in complete darkness, Taylor and his fellow pilot conducted daring low-altitude attacks.
As their ammunition supply dwindled, Taylor received information that the planned rescue mission for the patrol had been called off. In response, Taylor made the audacious decision to extract the team with his two-man Cobra helicopter, a feat the White House asserts had never been tried, let alone successfully executed.
Upon reaching the designated extraction point, Taylor skillfully maneuvered his Cobra helicopter to land amidst intense enemy gunfire, displaying an utter disregard for his own well-being, as described by the White House.
The soldiers promptly embarked on the aircraft, and Taylor skillfully piloted them to a secure location. On that fateful day, the president noted that Taylor fundamentally altered the life stories of the four men he rescued, leaving a lasting legacy for generations to come.
Joe Biden made his entrance into the East Room wearing a mask as a precaution against Covid-19 but removed it during the commencement of the opening prayer.
Unexpectedly, Joe Biden departed from the Medal of Honor ceremony, leaving even before the closing benediction. This sudden exit left Medal of Honor recipient Larry Taylor visibly moved, wiping a tear from his cheek and appearing bewildered as Joe Biden made his departure. As Biden walked away, he wore a smile, and it’s worth mentioning that he received five draft deferments and did not serve in the Vietnam War.
