United States. A China Service Group to Major Max Campbell Taylor, United States Marine Corps

Two groups of medals: First Group: Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal; in bronze, engraved "No. 90259 MAX C. TAYLOR 1st ENLISTMENT 1927-1931" on the reverse, measuring 33 mm in diameter; Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal: in bronze, number impressed "M. No. 6260" on the edge, measuring 33 mm in diameter; Yangtze Service Medal: in bronze, number impressed "M. No. 5381" on the edge, measuring 33 in diameter; and China Service Medal: in bronze, measuring 32.5 mm in diameter; mounted to a suspension with three push pins, original ribbons, the MCGCM having separated from its frayed ribbon; Second Group: American Defense Service Medal: in bronze, measuring 32 mm in diameter; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal: in bronze, measuring 32.2 mm in diameter, with three bronze stars on the ribbon; American Campaign Medal: in bronze, measuring 31.7 mm in diameter; and World War II Victory Medal: in bronze, measuring 36.2 mm in diameter; mounted to a suspension with three push pins, original ribbons. Accompanied by three Ribbon Bars: First Bar: Presidential Unit Citation with two bronze stars and Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with four bronze stars, measuring 71 mm (w) x 10.7 mm (h); Second Bar: Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal, Second Nicaraguan Campaign Medal and China Service Medal, measuring 106 mm (w) x 11 mm (h); Third Bar: American Defense Service Medal, European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal and Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with two bronze stars, measuring 106 mm (w) x 10.5 mm (h); each bar with original ribbons and dual push pins. Very fine.

 

Footnote: Max Campbell Taylor was born in Elizabeth, Pennsylvania. His post secondary education consisted of one semester of prep at the University of Pittsburgh. Taylor enlisted for four years' service with the United States Marine Corps (010106) in Pennsylvania on August 9, 1927. He participated in the Haitian Campaign, from September 1927 to February 1930 and joined Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C. on July 11, 1930, where he would remain until February 16, 1942. He re-enlisted twice more for four years' service, on August 10, 1931 and on August 10, 1935, each time his character noted as "Excellent". He was promoted to Staff Sergeant with Clerical at Marine Corps Headquarters, on August 6, 1937. He again re-enlisted for an additional four years service at Marine Corps Headquarters, on August 10, 1939. He was promoted to Supply Sergeant on February 3, 1942, then promoted to Quartermaster Sergeant on March 30th and accepted in the appointment as Quartermaster Clerk on April 1st. Taylor was appointed 2nd Lieutenant on February 28, 1943, followed fifteen months later by an appointed to 1st Lieutenant on May 31, 1944. He was posted to the Quartermaster School (Staff) as an Instructor in Disbursing and Logistics at Quantico, Virginia, from February 16 to August 29, 1942 and re-enlisted again while there, on April 1st. This was followed by his posting to the Senior Instructor Quartermaster School, as a Lecturer in Logistics, at the Supply School at Camp Lejeune, Training Center, Fleet Marine Force (FMF), New River, North Carolina, from September 1, 1942 to June 12, 1944, where he eventually assumed the role of Company Commander. Upon completing his term at Camp Lejeune, Taylor joined the 1st Pioneer Battalion, 1st Marine Division on July 1, 1944, as the Battalion Quartermaster, for service in the Pacific theater during the Second World War. He was stationed at Cape Gloucester, New Guinea, from June 10 to June 20, 1944. Taylor was part of Shore Party "4", in combat at Peleliu in August and September 1944 and was a recipient of the Presidential Unit Citation, the letter from the Secretary of the Navy John Lawrence Sullivan for President Harry S. Truman stating: "The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Presidential Unit Citation to the First Marine (Reinforced), consisting of First Marine Division; First Amphibian Tractor Battalion, FMF; U.S. Navy Flame Thrower Unit Attached; Sixth Amphibian Tractor Battalion (Provisional), FMF; Third Armored Amphibian Battalion (Provisional), FMF; Detachment Eighth Amphibian Tractor Battalion, FMF; 454th Amphibian Truck Company, U.S. Army; 456th Amphibian Truck Company, U.S. Army; Fourth Joint Assault Signal Company, FMF; Fifth Separate Wire Platoon, FMF; Sixth Separate Wire Platoon, FMF, for service as set forth in the following citation:

 

For extraordinary heroism in action against enemy Japanese forces at Peleliu and Ngesebus from September 15 to 29, 1944. Landing over a treacherous coral reef against hostile mortar and artillery fire, the First Marine Division, Reinforced, seized a narrow, heavily mined beachhead and advanced foot by foot in the face of relentless enfilade fire through rain-forests and mangrove swamps toward the air strip, the key to the enemy defenses of the southern Palaus. Opposed all the way by thoroughly disciplined, veteran Japanese troops heavily entrenched in caves and in reinforced concrete pillboxes which honeycombed the high ground throughout the island, the officers and men of the Division fought with undiminished spirit and courage despite heavy losses, exhausting heat and difficult terrain, seizing and holding a highly strategic air and land base for future operations in the Western Pacific. By their individual acts of heroism, their aggressiveness and their fortitude, the men of the First Marine Division, Reinforced, upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service." This was followed by his participation with the 1st Pioneer Battalion during the Okinawa Gunto Campaign, from April to September 1945. From November 4, 1944 to October 20, 1945, he was Division Quartermaster with the 1st Marine Division. After the ceasing of hostilities, he served in China from October 21, 1945 to June 3, 1946 at Battalion Headquarters, 1st Marine Division, as Assistant Division Quartermaster. He returned to the United States, where he assumed the position of Instructor at the Supply School at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina, from August 2 to October 4, 1946, as an Assistant Officer-in-Command. He returned to Marine Corps Headquarters in Washington, D.C. in October 1946, where he would take up residence with his wife, Mae Hummer Taylor and his three year old daughter, Linda Taylor. After six years in Washington, Taylor was posted for two and a half years to the Service Company, Headquarters and Service Company, at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot at Parris Island, South Carolina, from August 13, 1952 to February 11, 1955, before serving three months at the Headquarters and Service Company at the Marine Corps Air Station in Miami, Florida, from February 12 to May 1, 1955. At this point, he moved to the West Coast, where he was posted to the Marine Corps Supple Center in Barstow, California, from June 1 1955 to January 1, 1957. His final posting would be to the Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Service Regiment (Reinforced), 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force at Camp Pendleton, California, beginning on January 8, 1957. The unit was re-designated as the Headquarters and Service Company, 1st Service Battalion, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force on April 15th. Taylor retired in the rank of Major, on September 30, 1957 at Camp Pendleton, California, with a long career in the Marine Corps, even though he admitted himself, that he had "poor speaking and reading of French and Spanish". Taylor is credited with having been awarded the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the China Service Medal, the American Defense Service Medal, the Presidential Unit Citation, the Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal with four stars and the Marine Corps Expeditionary Medal.