Remembering

James Alton Taylor

Warrant Officer, Army of the United States

A CO, 9TH AVN BN, 9 INF DIV

From Atlanta, Georgia

17 September 1940 - 26 August 1968

James Alton Taylor is on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial, Panel 46W Line 034.

22 Nov 2003

This tribute is for Warrant Officer James Alton Taylor, most often called "Tiny" by his friends and family. He was my friend and first boyfriend as a young teenager. He was always laughing and into some kind of activity with his buddies, such as helping deliver morning papers with Stacy S. with girls helping at 5 a.m. before school, driving the boat as others tried to learn to ski in the inland waterway, walking along the ocean sand either watching "submarine races" with someone or skipping stones or lying in the sand looking up at the stars in awe and wonder. He was a good student, a good son, and a good brother to Tuffy (older). I adored him. In school, he played football and baseball and was a darn good catcher for the team. Everyone seemed to like him and I missed him a lot when he graduated a year before me. We had been the very best of friends and it was so very sad when we lost touch. In 1968, my mother called to inform me that she had attended his funeral held in Myrtle Beach, S.C., and I was stunned. I did not know that he had been to Nam already once and had returned to his second tour; I only know that my heart broke and I cried and cried. For many days, my husband tried to console me in this loss of such a dear friend. Sometimes I still cry. I have never forgotten him. Ever. He is always in my prayers when I attend mass daily and I miss knowing that he is around even to this day. I thank God that there is eternity and I know that one day, I will see Tiny again and be able to thank him for our teenage years together and for his part in helping the people in Vietnam to acquire some freedom. I know that he was married and had a son who would be as old as my children today and that possibly he could even be a grandfather! How funny to think that we could have shared this in our lives but it was not meant to be. So I will say once again, "Tiny, dear friend, you were and are still so special to me and to many others. You are often in my thoughts."

Your friend and high school companion,
Jane

The point-of-contact for this memorial is
a friend,
Mrs. Jane Smith Robbins
7880 U. S. Highway South, Thomasville, Ga 31757

lutzdoll@bellsouth.net

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