Staff photo / R. Michael Semple.... Vietnam War veteran John Taft of Austintown holds a photo of himself, the shortest soldier in the photo, and his unit while stationed in Cu Chi, South Vietnam, in October 1969. Taft entered the military in January 1955 and served until his discharge in April 1973. During his military career, he had earned numerous medals and honors.

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a series published each Monday between Memorial Day and Veterans Day honoring local veterans. To nominate a veteran, email metro editor Marly Reichert at mreichert@tribtoday.com.

AUSTINTOWN — For John Taft, being an infantry soldier was the best job in the world.

“Back then, when I first went into the service, you had only three branches, combat arms, armor artillery and infantry. Basically, to get commission you had infantry and artillery, so I ended up being an infantry soldier. An infantry soldier is the last job you have to really be close to the troops,” Taft said.

Taft enlisted in the Army in January 1955. He said he went to Fort Knox in Kentucky for basic training, then to Fort Carson in Colorado for advanced infantry training.

“I then applied to go to OCS (Army Officer Candidate School), then I got accepted to go to Fort Benning School in Georgia in August 1955. In February of 1956, I graduated from OCS as a second lieutenant and I went to Fort Lewis in Tacoma, Washington, with the second infantry division in June of 1956,” Taft said.

Taft was then transferred to Fort Richardson in Alaska with his unit. He was stationed in Alaska for two years until 1958. Taft was discharged from the military and then went into the Army Reserve in February 1958.

“I joined the Ohio National Guard and during that time as a guard, I was promoted to captain. I got out of the Guard around 1965, and in 1967, I volunteered for active duty,” Taft said.

The Vietnam War was a boiling pressure cooker in the late 1960s. More and more U.S. troops were getting killed, and the war required more men and more help. Taft, as a young man, said he knew he had to step in and help.

“I got recalled in April of 1968 and I got assigned to go to Fort Hood in Texas and then I got orders to go to Vietnam on Dec. 18, 1968. I volunteered to go back ‘in country’ when I enlisted. First of all, I was an infantry officer, and a war was going on. We were losing guys, especially infantry officers, and I was sitting at home at the time. I wanted to go in and help,” Taft said.

Taft’s entry into Vietnam opened up a world of honor and heroism for him. On June 5, 1969, Taft received a citation for the Distinguished Service Cross in connection with military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force in the Republic of Vietnam.

According to his citation, Taft was leading his company during a reconnaissance-in-force mission. As the unit advanced into the clearing in a jungle area, it was met with barrages of automatic weapon fire that instantly cut down a number of troops. Taft quickly advanced from the rear of the company to an exposed position on the edge of the clearing where he surveyed the situation and radioed for artillery fire and gunship strikes on the enemy.

“Attempting to pull back without cover fire, the lead elements sustained additional casualties. Captain Taft saw their plight and rushed out into the open to assist them. He laid down suppressive fire with his rifle, which enabled several wounded to be withdrawn. He then returned to his observation point. While directing gunship fire on the enemy, he received a bullet wound to the head. He refused medical attention, and when he saw a comrade downed in the open, he dashed forward under intense fire and dragged the man to cover. The firefight raged on, and as he continued in his weakened state to train gunship strikes on the hostile troops, he received another bullet wound to the head. Captain Taft refused evacuation and courageously remained in command of his men until all of the wounded had been extracted and reinforcements had arrived,” his citation states. “Captain Taft’s extraordinary heroism and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.”

Taft’s heroism will always be an honored accomplishment as he looks back at this experience.

“Looking back, I would do it all over again,” Taft said.

Taft also has fond memories of being in rest and recuperation, during which he went on a trip to Hawaii.

“It was in Hawaii where I met my wife. Then it was back to the ‘land of cold showers’ (aka Vietnam),” Taft said.

In December 1969, Taft left Vietnam and returned to Fort Ord in California.

“At Fort Ord, California, I spent the last two or three years there on general staff and April 1973 was the end of my active duty,” he said.

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