SSGT Karl G. Taylor

[Summer]

Ken, I do not believe I had the priviledge of meeting you or your wife at the ceremony.

Thank you for the links; I appreciate the thoughtfulness. I hope that I will be able to do your father-in-law justice and please the family with the article I am writing. It will appear in the Aug. 20 PA Focus, and I would be happy to link it here, if you are interested.

[kenr57]

Yes, Summer, a link for your story would be appeciated. Thanks for the pix, too. I am hoping to put together a CD/DVD for family members from pix I can collect. WTAE and WPXI had segments on their TV channels that we watched that night, but we were at my mother-in-laws house and forgot to throw a tape in to record it. Hoping I may be able to contact their staff and possibly get a copy from the channels.
It was a wonderful presentation. If anyone involved views this I would like to thank you very much from the family. Marine Corp leagues, young marines, American Legion Motorcycle Riders, etc. all did great job.
Hope you survived the 90+ degrees heat. I remember when we had the ceremony for the commemorative stone at the cemetary entrance a few years ago it was as hot, plus it was when the cicadias? where there in hundreds or thousands in the trees during their 7 year cycle! All those loud bugs made it rough to hear even when using a microphone.

[Summer]

Ken, here is a link to the story that ran Monday:

http://www.heraldstaronline.com/page/content.detail/id/524724.html?nav=5010

However, there will more extensive coverage of the ceremony in Thursday's PA Focus. I've just seen the proofs, and I think that they did a really nice job with the presentation. I hope you are pleased; if you would like, I can send you some copies -- the Internet is convenient, but the presentation is better in the print copy.

If you would like me to send them to you, I will try to burn the photos onto a disk for you so you can have the raw copies and send that, too.

I hope you can get the television tapes. For anyone else interested, here is the link so you can read WTAE-TV's story and see the video:

http://www.thepittsburghchannel.com/new/20413209/detail.html

The heat was terribly uncomfortable; it made me think about how awful it must have been for our Vietnam veterans, carrying their gear in the jungle.

One last thing, I received an e-mail this morning and Vanessa G. Butler had some lovely things to say about Capt. Hoover:

"Oh and tell Capt. Hoover I love a rough and tough Marine and that this country needs more like him and Staff Sgt. Taylor.
Semper Fi."

If anyone knows the captain, please pass it on.

[Summer]

Here is the extended coverage from today's Pennsylvania Focus.

Veterans honor warrior:

http://www.pafocus.com/page/content.....html?nav=5004

'He was my big brother':

http://www.pafocus.com/page/content.....html?nav=5004

A Marine remembers:

http://www.pafocus.com/page/content.....html?nav=5004

Learning to honor our armed forces:

http://www.pafocus.com/page/content.....html?nav=5001

Again, thank you to everyone, especially SGT. Taylor's family & Jack.

[MontezumaCpl]

Phenomenal story! The Best of the Best and a true Warrior and Marine!

Semper Fi!

[FistFu68]

Thank You Summer,maybe when I take my Daughters too Gunny Taylors grave on the 8th of December You could accompany Us.You are a Credit too Your Gender Young Lady.GodSpeed 2 You in all You do in this life.Respectfully Jack G-Man Semper~Fidelis

[ssgtH]

Summer, I'm sitting here trying to think of a way to put in words Thank You but, I can't seem to get this stuff out of my eyes !!!! It is an Outstanding thing that you did for the memory of the Gysgt and to honor his family. Just knowing that there are still people out there that think that way about us makes me proud to have served the United States and people like you.

[Summer]

Jack, it would be my priviledge to do so. Please let me take you and your children to lunch, as well, to thank you for all your assistance and your service to our country.

I'd like to thank everyone for the compliments I have received on this story here and elsewhere, however, I would be remiss to allow you to think it turned out well through any particular talent of mine. If it moved you, it was because Sgt. Taylor's friends and family allowed me to re-tell his story. It is solely a testiment to the sort of person he was, and I am honored that I was allowed to tell his story to a new generation.

[FistFu68]

Thank You Summer,But this Marine does the Buying;since it will be Winter.We through Your guidence will have 2 find a Local Florist so I can Buy a Wreath for His Grave.Oh one more thing is there any way I can get Hard copies the News Papers themselves on all that was Written will pay for Postage @ price of News Papers.Will put them In My Family Archives.GodSpeed 2 You @ Yours Summer.Semper~Fidelis~Jack G-Man

[MontezumaCpl]

Thanks again for that awesome story!

Semper Fi!