Our U.S. military involvement in the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq may seem very far away most of the time, a part of “world news” — until there comes a saddening report that a local member of our military services has become a casualty.
Last Saturday, in Afghanistan, Marine Lance Cpl. William Taylor Richards (best known as Taylor) was killed in action.
He was born in Chattanooga and attended Dade County, Ga., High School. He joined the Marines and had military training at Parris Island, S.C., Camp Geiger, N.C., and Camp Lejeune, N.C., before being sent to serve in combat on the other side of the world.
He is survived by his wife, Emily, daughter Kayden Lee Richards, and his parents and grandparents and other relatives.
All Americans surely share the sadness of their loss as Taylor Richards has made the supreme sacrifice in his honorable military service for our country.