LANGLEY AIR FORCE BASE, Va. –
U.S. Air Force Senior Master Sgt. Ernest Taylor took his first sergeant duties seriously and was genuinely concerned about the livelihood of his Airmen. Taylor made a conscious effort to speak with each and every Airman in the squadron before they departed for the weekend, and always left each Airman with a smile on his or her face.
He was a loving family man with a wife and three kids at home - no one was prepared for his sudden death in 1983.
Taylor, first sergeant for what used to be the 1st Transportation Squadron, was killed by a hit-and-run driver while on a run around Bethel Manor housing in 1983. A street on Langley Air Force Base was initially dedicated to Taylor shortly after his passing, however over a period of thirty years, the street had been moved and renamed twice, due to construction.
The Joint Base Langley-Eustis First Sergeant's Council heard this story and wanted to honor Taylor once again. On April 12, they hosted a ceremony to dedicate a new street in his name. Taylor Loop Road, which wraps around the Military Personnel Flight building and faces Langley's dorm buildings, honors Taylor and his legacy of caring for the Airmen that he left behind.
"Taylor was the epitome of what a first sergeant is," said Col. David Chisenhall, 633rd Mission Support Group commander, and presiding officer over the ceremony. "He was the type of person who worked hard and helped guide his Airmen to make the right choices in their lives."
Friends from his hometown in North Carolina came to support Taylor's family during the ceremony. Larry Carter, Taylor's childhood friend, was one of the first friends to hear the news of his death in 1983. He spent the ceremony reminiscing on the type of person Taylor was.
"He was my best friend and a good kid when we were young," said Carter. "He grew up to be an amazing person who loved his family and friends very much. He was always a very giving person. It was heartbreaking when I got the call that he had passed."
Taylor married his childhood sweetheart in 1972. They had three children who were young when he died. His oldest son, Damon, joined the Air Force Reserve years after his father passed away. He still remembers the shock he felt when he realized his father was not going to be coming home, and is overwhelmed at the thought of a street named after his father.
"You see a man every day and then all of a sudden he's gone and that's something I have learned to cope with," said Damon. "When you're young, the significance of a street being named after your father doesn't really sink in. As an adult and a military member, I understand the significance of the names on street signs and buildings. Those people are mostly military aviation pioneers and people who have earned distinguished honors in conflicts throughout the years. To have my dad's name on one of those streets means a lot."
Taylor's daughter, Tameka, was just three when her father died. Though she does not have many memories of him, she grew up with the understanding that her father was a great man who cared about his Airmen.
"It's incredible to have the street around the Airmen's dorms named after him," said Tameka. "His whole mission was to watch over them, guide them and keep them on the right track."
Taylor's military decorations include the Air Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Good Conduct Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal, the Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon, the NCO Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon, the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.
Taylor's story has made such an impact on the JBLE First Sergeant's Council, they are considering changing the name of their Diamond Sharp award to something that will honor Taylor.
"We're looking into renaming our Diamond Sharp award so that the next generation of first sergeants will know who this individual was and carry on his legacy for years to come," said Master Sgt. John Ritz, 633rd Force Support Squadron first sergeant.
Taylor's widow, Mary, raised her children to be proud of the man their father was. In a message she wrote to Ritz, she expressed her gratitude for the street dedication and what it means to her family:
"I am at a loss for the appropriate words to express my gratitude to you. The ceremony brought about some much needed joy and healing for Ernest Taylor's family. My family and I will never forget everything you did to make our day forever memorable."