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January 25, 2008
Retired Green Beret Shoots Intruder, Gets Court Martial
Retired Green Beret shoots intruder, gets court martial
BREVARD, Jan. 19, 2008 – Retired Army Green Beret Smokey Taylor got his court martial this weekend and came away feeling good about it.
Taylor, at age 80 the oldest member of Chapter XXXIII of the Special Forces Association, was on trial by his peers under the charge of “failing to use a weapon of sufficient caliber” in the shooting of an intruder at his home in Knoxville, TN, in December.
The entire affair, of course, was very much tongue in cheek. Taylor had been awakened in the early morning hours of Dec. 17, 2007, when an intruder broke into his home. He investigated the noises with one of his many weapons in hand.
When the intruder threatened him with a knife, Taylor warned him, then brought his .22 caliber pistol to bear and shot him right between the eyes.
“That boy had the hardest head I’ve ever seen,” Taylor said after his trial. “The bullet bounced right off.” The impact knocked the would-be thief down momentarily. He crawled out of the room then got up and ran out the door and down the street. Knoxville police apprehended him a few blocks away and he now awaits trial in the Knox County jail.
The charges against Taylor were considered to be serious. He is a retired Special Forces Weapons Sergeant with extensive combat experience during the wars in Korea and Vietnam.
“Charges were brought against him under the premise that he should have saved the county and taxpayers the expense of a trial,” said Chapter XXXIII President Bill Long of Asheville. “He could have used a .45 or .38. The .22 just wasn’t big enough to get the job done.”
Taylor’s defense attorney, another retired Weapons Sergeant, disagreed. He said Taylor had done the right thing in choosing to arm himself with a .22.
“If he’d used a .45 or something like that the round would have gone right through the perp, the wall, the neighbor’s wall and possibly injured some innocent child asleep in its bed,” he said. “I believe the evidence shows that Smokey Taylor exercised excellent judgment in his choice of weapons. He did nothing wrong, and clearly remains to this day an excellent weapons man.”
Counsel for the defense then floated a theory as to why the bullet bounced off the perp’s forehead.
“He was victimized by old ammunition,” he said, “just as he was in Korea and again in Vietnam, when his units were issued ammo left over from World War II.”
Taylor said nothing in his own defense, choosing instead to allow his peers to debate the matter. After the trial he said the ammunition was indeed old and added the new information that the perp had soiled his pants as he crawled out of the house.
“I would have had an even worse mess to clean up if it had gone through his forehead,” Taylor said. “It was good for both of us that it didn’t.”
Following testimony from both sides, Taylor was acquitted of the charges and was given a round of applause.
Meanwhile, back in Knox County, the word is out: Don’t go messing with Smokey Taylor. He just bought a whole bunch of fresh ammo.
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Tribune Editor Bill Fishburne is a member of the Larry Thorne Chapter XXXIII of the Special Forces Association.
James T "Smokey" Taylor, D-529, of Knoxville, TN and an original member of Chapter 33, has been nominated by the American Legion, Post #2, Knoxville, Tennessee, to serve as Grand Chef De Gare du Tennessee. This is an honor Smokey richly deserves.
NOMINATION FOR GRAND CHEF DE GARE DU TENNESSEE
WHEREAS: Voiture 353 du Tennessee has as a member in good standing a highly qualified yageur Militaire with impeccable qualifications and character, and
WHEREAS: This Voyageur Militaire has served his country honorably during the period from October 1950 to October 1970 including service in-country during the Viet Nam War (Airborne All TheWay!), and
WHEREAS: This Voyageur Militaire has served the American Legion continuously since March 1976, and has served his Post, District, and Department in many various offices to include Post Vice Commander, Commander and Adjutant, and
WHEREAS: This Voyageur Militaire has served La Societé des 40 Hommes et 8 Chevaux continuously since March 1977, and has served his Voiture in every elected office to include Chef de Gare, and has served on many committees, and
WHEREAS: This Voyageur Militaire has served the Grande Voiture du Tennessee in the elected offices of Grand Cheminot and Grand Chef de Train (East), and has served on several committees, most recently as Grand Directeur POW/MIA, and
WHEREAS: As Locale Membership Directeur, this Voyageur Militaire has led Voiture 353 to two consecutive years of 100% membership, attaining 118% for the current year, now
Therefore be it resolved: Voiture 353 du Tennessee places in nomination for the high office of Grand Chef de Gare du Tennessee for the year 2003-2004 the name of Voyageur Militaire James T. Taylor.
Approved In Regularly Scheduled Promenade, held at American Legion Post # 2, Knoxville, TN, December 7th, 2002.
(signed) ERNEST W. BOLTON - Chef de Gare, V-353
WILLIAM JETT - Correspondant, V-353
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Wild Thing's comment........
LOL I love it, what a great story. God bless our Special Forces!!!
....Thank you Tom so much for sending this to me.
Posted by Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 02:47 AM
Comments
ATA Boy Smokey!!!!!!!!!!! Great to hear stories like this!!!!!!!!! Thanks WT for sharing this!!!
Posted by: John at January 25, 2008 06:48 AM
I love it...this is priceless.
This man doesn't fool around. He went for a head shot and struck gold. Too bad he didn't have a larger caliber gun.
Posted by: BobF at January 25, 2008 07:26 AM
Awww--sweet!
I love it.
If we all used the rights afforded us, I think crime would go way down.
We can't be afraid.
Posted by: Lynn at January 25, 2008 08:17 AM
That had to be a small brained, hard headed criminal. Even a .22 at close range should have done him in. That being said, as a former SF Weapons Sergeant, I only have large caliber handguns and assault weapons laying around. My big problem facing an intruder would be making up my mind which excellent weapon I would want to destroy him/them with.
Congratulations Smokey on your shooting, your "aquittal" and your nomination.
Posted by: TomR at January 25, 2008 10:33 AM
It bounced off his head. Maybe it was a glancing blow, rick o'shea, but damn it bounced .
Tom I only like the M1911A1 at close range, nothing better. That bullet is so big you can't possibly miss at 10 yards.
Posted by: Mark at January 25, 2008 12:52 PM
Great story. As the saying goes, "Only in America."
Posted by: Les at January 25, 2008 05:19 PM
LOL! That is a terrific story!
Another reason why I love our military! No BS - just take care of business.
Posted by: yankeemom at January 25, 2008 08:14 PM
John, thanks, I loved it too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 11:22 PM
Bob, haha I never knew a bullet would bounce off a human being.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 11:25 PM
Lynn I agree, we can't be afraid, and being prepared helps in that too.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 11:26 PM
Tom heh heh that is funny....."making up my mind which excellent weapon I would want to destroy him/them with."
Thank so much for the story.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 11:29 PM
Mark, haha yes bounced. hahahaha
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 11:31 PM
Les, great saying and it fits perfectly.
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 11:32 PM
Yankeemom ( big smile) I agree!!
Posted by: Wild Thing at January 25, 2008 11:33 PM
Smokey do you rember me at jump school? I had a full red beard & graduated with it? Do you still have that silver dollar I gave you for good luck?
Kind Regards Capt Ron
Posted by: Ronald L Rismon at January 26, 2008 04:22 PM
Smokey do you rember me at jump school? I had a full red beard & graduated with it? Do you still have that silver dollar I gave you for good luck?
Kind Regards Capt Ron
Posted by: Ronald L Rismon at January 26, 2008 04:23 PM
Great story and I wouldn't expect anything else from an SF'er. Keep up the good work. I am in Chapter LXXXIV D-1305. I live in Williamsburg, VA
Posted by: JERRY at January 31, 2008 03:47 PM
