Richard Ray Taylor – Lieuenant General, United States Army

Richard Ray Taylor was born 21 November 1922 at Prairieburg, Iowa, the son of Dr. Charles F. and Harriet Sack Taylor. He received a BS degree from the University of Chicago in 1944 and an MD degree from the University of Chicago School of Medicine in 1946.  He married Frances Colby Taylor (9 May 1920-11 March 2007), and thier children were: Richard Ray, Jr., Carolyn Jean, Colby F., Bryan D., and David W.

General Taylor entered the United States Army from Illinois and first served as a Student at the Medical Field Service School at the Brooke Army Medical Cetner, Fort Sam Houston, Texas, from August to September 1947.  His subsequent assignments were: October 1947 to January 1951 as  General Medicine Ward Officer, Army-Navy General Hospital, Hot Springs, Arkansas; February 1951 to June 1951, Student, Company Grade Medical Officer’s Course, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C.; July 1951 to August 1953,  Resident, Internal Medicine, Letterman General Hospital, San Francisco, California; September 1953 to April 1954, Battalion Commander, 7th Medical Battalion, 7th Infantry Division, Korea; May 1954 to December1954, Internist, Hemorrhagic Fever Center, 45th Surgical Hospital (Mobile Army), Korea; January 1955 to December 1955, Resident, Pulmonary Disease, Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado; January 1956 to September 1957, Chief, Non T-B Chest, Department of Medicine, Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver Colorado; October 1957 to August 1958, Commanding Officer, Medical Research and Development Unit, Fitzsimons General Hospital, Denver, Colorado; September 1958 to August 1959, Deputy Commander, US Army Medical Research and Nutrition Laboratory, Denver, Colorado; September 1959 to November 1959, Chief, Biophysics and Astronautics Research Branch, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Washington, D.C.; December 1959 to December 1962, Chief, Research Division, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Washington, DC; December 1962 to July 1963, Chief, Program Planning, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Washington, D.C.; August 1963 to September 1964, Deputy Commander, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Washington, D.C.; September 1964 to July 1965, Staff Surgeon, Joint U.S. Military Advisory Group (JUSMAG), Thailand; August 1965 to June 1966, Student, U.S. Army War College, Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania; July 1966 to July 1969,  Chief, Biological and Medical Science Division, Office, Director of Defense Research & Engineering, Office, Secretary of Defense, Washington, D.C.; August 1969 to August 1970, Command Surgeon, U.S. Military Assistance Command (COMUSMACV), Vietnam; September 1970 February 1973, Commanding General, U.S. Army Medical Research and Development Command, Washington, D.C.; March 1973 to September 1973,  Deputy Surgeon General, U.S. Army, Washington, D.C.; 1 October 1973 to 30 September 1977, The Surgeon General, U,S, Army, Washington, D.C.

During his career, General Taylor received the following promotions:  First Lieutenant, AUS  22 March 1946, Captain, AUS 23 August 1948, Captain, RA 23 May 1950. Major, AUS 20 July 1951. Major, RA 7 September 1955. Lieutenant Colonel, AUS 11 May 1956, Colonel, AUS 21 August 1964, Lieutenant Colonel, RA 1 January 1965. Colonel, RA 1 January 1969, Brigadier General, AUS 1 October 1969, Major General, AUS 1 September 1972, Brigadier General, RA  31 July 1973, Major General, RA 1 October 1973, Lieutenant General, AUS 1 October 1973.

During his career, General Taylor received the following awards and decorations: Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit, with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal, Joint Services Commendation Medal, with Oak Leaf Cluster, Army Commendation Medal, with Oak Leaf Cluster, Vietnamese Distinguished Service Order First Class
Vietnamese Public Services Medal First Class.

General Taylors professional affiliations were: American College of Physicians (Fellow), American College of Chest Physicians (Fellow), American Thoracic Society, American Medical Association, Association of Military Surgeons of the U.S., New York Academy of Science.

General Taylor died on 8 November 1978 and was buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery.

TAYLOR, RICHARD R

• LG   US ARMY
• DATE OF BIRTH: 11/21/1922
• DATE OF DEATH: 11/08/1978
• BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 1865-1
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

TAYLOR, FRANCES C

• DATE OF BIRTH: 05/09/1920
• DATE OF DEATH: 03/11/2007
• BURIED AT: SECTION 3  SITE 1865-1
  ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
• WIFE OF TAYLOR, RICHARD R LG US ARMY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard