By Guy Page
As anyone who ever interviewed a World War 2 vet will tell you, as a class they rarely talk about their combat experience. They talk about their buddies and their units and their leave time and their training – but almost never about the actual fighting that defined their inner lives for years to come. Often, they took these experiences to the grave.
But once in a while, someone comes along and tells their story. That happened last night when none other than Commander in Chief Donald Trump told the world during his State of the Union Speech about just another every day hero Army Sergeant, George “Buddy” Taggert of Castleton.
Without Rep. Becca Balint in attendance, but with Sen. Peter Welch listening and looking on, President Trump honored the 99-year-old veteran who will turn 100 this July 4. And in so doing he described what the Chronicle was unable to find about Taggert in our research yesterday: what exactly did Taggert do to earn that Purple Heart – and a Bronze Star as well.
“Serving in the Pacific, he fought bravely in the famous battle of Manila… he was badly wounded and almost killed by machine guns in the battle of Luzon,” Trump told the estimated audience of 40 million people.
“Buddy, you’re a brave man and we salute you,” Trump concluded his comments amid robust applause.
Taggert traveled with his family to Washington D.C., and stayed with family while at the nation’s capitol. The huge mid-Atlantic storm didn’t prevent him from assuming his place of honor next to Second Lady Usha Vance and behind First Lady Melania Trump in the gallery of the House of Representatives.
Taggart, a resident of Castleton and uncle of former Navy Seal, WDEV Vermont Viewpoint host, and state official Mike Smith, is part of what remains of the rapidly shrinking generation of Americans who served during World War II. He will celebrate his 100th birthday on July 4.
According to a 2020 American Legion social media post, Taggert is a regular attendee at Post 50, is a member of the E-Board, plays golf twice a week, and regularly helps with projects around the post. Buddy joined The American Legion right out of the Army in 1945 and has spent his entire 80 years with Crippen Fellows Post 50.
The biographical information about Taggert provided by the American Legion for a 2020 event in which he participated was, predictably, skimpy on combat details. It says e joined the Army at just 17 on Feb. 24, 1944, and was assigned to field artillery. After training at Fort Ord, Calif., he was shipped to Manila in the Philippines where he trained with his unit at what was termed as a “rest camp.” They received all new equipment and training in preparation to make the invasion on Japan. After the war ended he was part of the Occupation Forces in Japan.
Buddy was honorably discharged from the Army as an E-5 and received commendations and awards for First Cavalry Division, 271st Field Artillery Battalion, Liberation Ribbon 1-1 Bronze Star, Victory Medal, Army of Occupation Medal, Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal, Good Conduct Medal and a Purple Heart.
Back home as a member of Post 50, he served as commander twice, 1952-1953 and again from 1971-1972, and has held virtually every other office in the post. He was the Department of Vermont Sgt-at-Arms 1959-1960.
The invitation marks another milestone in a life already marked by service and recognition. In 2023, Taggart received his high school diploma during a special ceremony organized by his local American Legion post, decades after his education was interrupted by military service, as reported by WCAX.