Jack C. Taylor was born in 1922 and grew up in St. Louis. His father was a stockbroker and his mother took care of the children and the home. The family knew that war was coming prior to the Japanese bombing Hawaii. After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Taylor knew he would end up serving in one branch of the military or another. He decided that he wanted it to be his choice of which branch he would join. He really wanted to fly so after his sophomore year of college, he left school and applied for the US Army Air Forces' aviation program. He was turned down. Taylor was not to be discouraged. He knew the Navy had planes. He volunteered for the Navy's V5 training program. Taylor was called to active duty in December 1942.

Jack Taylor was called to active duty in December 1942 and sent to pre-flight training at the University of Iowa. From there he went to Glenview for primary flight then on to Corpus Christi where he completed his training and received his commission as an ensign in the US Navy Reserve. Taylor enjoyed flying. It came easily for him. The Navy was in a transition time and prioritizing carrier warfare. When Taylor graduated in December [Annotator's Note: December 1943], he carrier qualified and became an F6F [Annotator's Note: Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter aircraft] fighter pilot. He flew cross country and joined a Jeep carrier [Annotator's Note: a small escort aircraft carrier largely used for ground support missions as opposed to the larger fleet carriers] in San Diego and went to Hawaii.

Jack Taylor was well pleased flying F6F [Annotator's Note: Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter aircraft] fighter planes. The Corsair [Annotator's Note: Vought F4F Corsair fighter] was a touchy plane comparatively. Taylor was assigned to Fighter Squadron 100 [Annotator's Note: Fighting Squadron 100 (VF-100)] in Hawaii to await ship-out to an active carrier and another squadron. He was assigned to the Essex [Annotator's Note: USS Essex (CV-9)] in 1944 as a member of Fighter Squadron 15 (VF-15). Taylor had some engagements with enemy carriers; however, much of his combat involved ground support for invasions. He was with Halsey [Annotator's Note: US Navy Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey] when he ran after enemy carriers. Taylor attacked the islands of Iwo Jima, Okinawa and Formosa and flew missions over the Philippines including Manila. David McCampbell was commander of his fighter squadron. Taylor flew his first mission on the wing of McCampbell after the Marianas Turkey Shoot [Annotator's Note: nickname for the Battle of the Philippine Sea]. They were attacking Palau on a strafing run. McCampbell was an aggressive leader. Taylor managed to stay with him. McCampbell shot down everything he could find. Taylor was a replacement pilot after the Turkey Shoot. Taylor joined the experienced pilots which included Wayne Morris who was a movie actor prior to the war. The pilots were all serious. Friends were made. The experience was wonderful. Taylor mainly flew wing on a pilot named George Carr. Taylor had a few dog fights with the Japanese. He had 500 hours of training behind him where the Japanese had much less at that stage of the war. Losses were still high at 30 percent, but the air basically belonged to the Americans. Pilots were given missions, and they followed those orders. They did not necessarily know the big picture of what was happening in the war. Military intelligence was available to identify critical enemy emplacements. On occasion, Taylor would carry a 500 pound bomb on his plane to attack objectives. The rockets mounted on his plane were not well guided. His plane was mainly used for strafing.

Jack Taylor found the Japanese could not hold up to the F6F fighters [Annotator's Note: Grumman F6F Hellcat fighter aircraft] in a dog fight. They would disappear quickly. Taylor was hit while he was flying wing with McCampbell [Annotator's Note: US Navy Captain David McCampbell was the Navy’s leading ace of the war and was Taylor's squadron leader]. A Japanese fighter being tailed by McCampbell turned and McCampbell followed him in hot pursuit. When Taylor returned to the carrier [Annotator's Note: USS Essex (CV-9)], it was discovered that a bullet hole was about six feet away from his cockpit. Taylor was later hit in his wing by an enemy destroyer firing antiaircraft. The American aircraft were designed with self-sealing fuel tanks and armor plating to protect the pilots. When a Japanese aircraft was hit, it burst into flame. Taylor always wanted to do the best he could and shoot down anything that opposed him. Losing a buddy in naval aviation was not as traumatic as being in a trench with someone who died next to you. In naval air, the friend just did not come back from the mission. Taylor wanted to win the war and go home. He tried to fly smart until then. Taylor flew missions against Okinawa and Iwo Jima. He was attacking an airfield with an SB2C [Annotator's Note: Curtiss SB2C Helldiver dive bomber] when it spun out of control. Taylor thought that could have been him. The SB2C normally was a good plane but had some bugs initially. The Essex had a squadron of SB2Cs. They were satisfactory but not terrific. Taylor never flew one. The F6F was extra satisfactory. Taylor flew a Corsair [Annotator's Note: Vought F4U Corsair fighter aircraft] to see what it was like, but he still favored the F6F above any other aircraft.

Jack Taylor participated in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. His air group from the USS Essex (CV-9) was tasked with attacking the Japanese super-battleship, the Musashi. There were 24 fighters in his squadron [Annotator's Note: Fighting Squadron 15 (VF-15)] along with 16 to 18 dive bombers and ten torpedo planes. The enemy antiaircraft fire was heavy and in multiple colors. The different colors helped the Japanese track their aim on the incoming Americans. Taylor made his strafing approach on the battleship in nearly a vertical orientation such that he represented less of a target. He came in low and ran long across the ship. His section leader told Taylor's flight that they had to go back in. Taylor did not like the idea. The dive bombers and torpedo planes were making their runs. The latter had to come in low and slow for their torpedoes to be accurate and have time to arm. A few planes were lost but the fighters were not too badly damaged. The Musashi was sunk during the Essex air group attack or by the subsequent air groups. It was one of the few times that Taylor was scared. He thought he was "…going to get his ass shot off." [Annotator's Note: Taylor laughs.] The Japanese used almost all their ships during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. Halsey [Annotator's Note: US Navy Fleet Admiral William F. Halsey] chased Japanese carriers that had no planes. Taylor took part in that operation. Halsey was chastised for his actions of leaving the invasion forces largely unprotected. After the battle, Taylor simply moved to the next assignment. It was obvious the Japanese would be defeated. It was only a matter of time. The Japanese started using kamikaze attacks and McCampbell [Annotator's Note: US Navy Captain David McCampbell, the Navy's leading ace of the war, was Taylor's squadron leader] made the big score against them. Night fighters with airborne radar came into play to help the cause. "Butch" O'Hare [Annotator's Note: US NAvy Lieutenant Edward "Butch" O'Hare] was killed during that time. The Musashi operation was memorable but otherwise it was island by island attacks against the enemy. Taylor does not recall any attention brought to him about ships containing POWs [Annotator's Note: prisoners of war] in Manila Bay. The Essex bomber squadron skipper was shot down and killed over Manila Bay. The squadron attacked Manila several times. They did not have information about the ground forces or their progress. The attacks were in advance of the ground troops to clear out areas of enemy resistance.

Jack Taylor was temporarily assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6) for two weeks when his ship [Annotator's Note: USS Essex (CV-9)] went in for repairs. Air groups were self-confident and felt they were doing the real fighting compared to the ship's crew. They referred to ship's company as "black shoe guys." Everyone worked together and very hard to do their jobs. McCampbell [Annotator's Note: US Navy Captain David McCampbell was the squadron commander of Taylor's Fighting Squadron (VF-15)] graduated from the Naval Academy. Taylor lost a good friend after he was captured by the enemy and beaten severely. Taylor flew multiple airplanes. He never made it as far as Tokyo Bay. The closest he got was Formosa for the major air battle there. He shot down two aircraft in that engagement. He stuck with his section leader, George Carr, in the fighting. They provide mutual protection through the use of the "Thatch Weave" [Annotator's Note: an aerial combat maneuver developed by later US Navy Admiral John S. Thatch]. It was a big melee with many planes shot down. Following that air combat, the ship pulled back and did not advance further. Landing or taking off of a carrier can be hazardous. Pilot error or engine problems can complicate the hazard. Taylor flew scouting as well as fighter missions. He carried extra fuel for the mission. One mission was memorable for a blocked relief tube. His solution ingeniously used aerodynamics and science to react to the problem. [Annotator's Note: Taylor has a good laugh.] Returning to the carrier, Taylor followed a detailed plotting plan and a ZB homing device for guidance home. It was no problem for his flights. The air time usually averaged just over two hours in duration. Bad weather resulted in scrubbing missions, but that was seldom the case. After Enterprise, Taylor's squadron was assigned to the Bunker Hill [Annotator's Note: USS Bunker Hill (CV-17)] and then returned to Seattle.

Jack Taylor returned home in December [Annotator's Note: December 1944] but decided to return to combat with his former squadron [Annotator's Note: Fighting Squadron (VF-15)]. He does not dispute the need to drop the atomic bombs considering the projected cost of an invasion of Japan. Albeit the atomic bomb was a terrible weapon, the Japanese would not likely have given up otherwise. Casualties resulting from an invasion of the home islands of Japan would have been horrendous. Between the kamikazes and the civilian defenders, deaths would be far more numerous. Taylor had enough points to return to St. Louis in September 1945 after the bombs were dropped. The only regret he has was not flying the Grumman F8F Bearcat before his discharge.

Jack Taylor did not have an exciting youth. He was happy but did not feel he fit in with others. He had friends but did not pursue similar entertainment as they. Taylor improved his confidence in himself through his Navy experience. He locked into his career path soon after discharge. He discovered that a parcel delivery service would be a lucrative pathway for him. More than anything, he wanted to be known as a nice guy. His time in the Navy was good for him. His career likewise represented a positive part of his life.

Jack Taylor has lived in a great period of American history. He has had a happy life with a wonderful family and good friends. He, however, feels he has lived too long. There are things about the country he does not approve of. The Second World War made the country what it is today. The Grumman F6F Hellcat that he flew performed very well against the Japanese opposition. It had armor protection for the pilot and self-sealing fuel tanks that the enemy did not design into their aircraft. The lighter weight Japanese planes were far more maneuverable and could do more intricate aerobatics. The "Thatch Weave" [Annotator's Note: an aerial combat maneuver developed by later US Navy Admiral John S. Thatch] helped overcome disadvantages. The F6F was a hell of an airplane. American production and resource availability played a large role in the victory. Intelligent use of resources was a significant advantage. While not on a mission, Taylor usually sat around and shot the breeze. There was food and coffee in the wardroom for the pilots to relax and converse with one another. One of Taylor's buddies was shot down and subsequently rescued by a submarine. The pilots always wanted to make it to the ocean instead of bailing out over enemy positions. The Japanese were rough on prisoners. Several men in the squadron managed to reach the water and were recovered. The Japanese had nothing to compare with the recovery procedures the Americans used. Taylor shot down two enemy aircraft over Formosa. He flew with George Carr as his section leader. They worked well together and even shared air victories. After returning from a mission, the pilots were always relieved to have made it back. They would be debriefed individually by an older officer for anything interesting they saw during the mission. The LSO [Annotator's Note: landing signal officer] would circulate around and advise pilots where their landings needed improvement. Taylor always made good landings by following the LSO's signals and using the right speed. To him, it was like parking a car in a garage. David McCampbell [Annotator's Note: US Navy Captain David McCampbell was squadron commander of Taylor's Fighting Squadron 15 (VF-15)] was remote and intense. He would advise his pilots on particular issues they should be aware of for the upcoming mission. He was a good leader and gunner. Taylor separated from service in September 1945 as an ensign. He stayed in the reserves after the war and ultimately reached full lieutenant. He was never called to active service during that time. During the Korean War, some propeller pilots, particularly for Corsairs [Annotator's Note: Vought F4U Corsair fighter bombers] were called up. Taylor had resigned his commission prior to that point. Taylor never considered using the G.I. Bill for his education. He had no issues in transitioning back to civilian life after the war. His most memorable event of the war was the strafing run on the Musashi [Annotator's Note: the Japanese super battleship Musashi was sunk during the Battle of Leyte Gulf]. Taylor is surprised about the lack of knowledge young people have of World War 2 and America. He would like for them to know more about each. Taylor was happy he did not fight on the ground. His brother served in the war but did not see combat. [Annotator's Note: The interview terminates with congenial conversation between Taylor and the interviewers.]