Horace Howard Taylor

Captain Horace Howard “Howie” Taylor of Hallsville, Texas passed away peacefully on July 11, 2025, in Plano, Texas. He was born on May 3rd,1928 in Upper Darby, Pennsylvania to Hasell Wilson Taylor, Sr. and Lillian Lippincott Haines. He married the love of his life, Claire Estelle Murray on May 5,1951. They were together for 31 fun-filled years until her passing in 1982.

Howie attended Upper Darby High School where he enjoyed wrestling, playing the tuba in the marching band and mastering the bass while performing in a swing band with his future father-in-law. After graduation, he attended the University of Pennsylvania on full scholarship, studying pre-med. At the end of his freshman year, he went to the recruiting office and volunteered for the U.S. Navy and he was made an offer to participate in a brand-new program, a Holloway Midshipman.

Admiral Holloway had calculated that the Navy needed pilots. Once a candidate completed their second year of college, they received orders to report to Pensacola and then to Corpus Christi for flight training.

Upon receiving his wings, he was immediately ordered to Squadron VP 28 Guam. The job was to find submarines, hurricanes and to collect electronic data. When he received his first flight crew and qualified as a patrol commander, he was ordered to fly across the Pacific to French Indochina which later became Vietnam. The flight continued up the China coast with orders not to get closer than 3 miles, thus staying in international waters. After returning to Guam, he received orders to return to the U.S. because the Navy no longer had funds to pay them.

On arrival in the U.S., Howie was released to go home. When he arrived home, he received another set of orders to report to San Diego for duty. The Korean War had begun. Waiting for him in San Diego was a new unit formed by the Chief of Naval Operations-one classified unit would be in the Pacific and one classified unit in the Atlantic.

Each unit was to receive aircraft from Martin with 4 - air crews. Four officers and 19 technicians in each crew. He was sent to the east coast to pick up the aircraft and test fly it. But when he reached the Martin factory, he was informed his aircraft wasn’t on the line yet and would not be ready for 4-5 months. To stay current in his aircraft, he went to the test pilot unit, asked for test pilot training and upon completion received test pilot qualifications.

Knowing that the aircraft would not be ready – and not having seen his high school sweetheart for some time as she was attending nursing school, he went to see her. They decided to marry on her father’s birthday, May 5th,1951 in Lansdowne, Pennsylvania. His aircraft was completed and rolled out of the factory on May 6th. So, the newlyweds immediately headed cross-country to Miramar on the west coast.

After a short stay in San Diego, Howie flew the aircraft to Naval Station Sangley Point in the Philippines. Once arriving, he secured quarters for his family who followed him by military ship several days later.

The mission of the unit at Sangley Point was to provide support for the Korean War effort and collect technical information. He and his crew flew 70 16-hour flights during which they were attacked by Chinese or Russian MIGS on approximately 50% of all the flights. After four years, Howie and his family returned stateside and he received orders as Primary Flight Instructor for new pilots at Pensacola, Florida. He taught new pilots from the U.S., England, France, Germany, Brazil, and Argentina. Following this duty, he was named as the Commanding Officer of the Navy Navigation Unit in Pensacola, Florida.

To finish his naval career, Howie was ordered to train Navy Reserve units in NAS New York, NAS Philadelphia/Willow Grove, NAS Memphis and NAS Dallas. While at Philadelphia he activated two Reserve Patrol Squadrons for the Cuban Missile Crisis. While at NAS Dallas he was promoted to Commander then Captain. He was Executive Officer for three years and Acting Commanding Officer for his last year at NAS Dallas. Howie retired in 1972 at NAS Dallas as a decorated Captain after 26 years of service.

After retirement, he transitioned to the private sector as a mortgage banker and fully retired in 1985. After 10 years of retirement, his beloved wife Claire succumbed to cancer after a two-year battle. He was a Lifetime Member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Plano VFW Casey Joyce Post 4380 where he served as Quartermaster, a Lifetime Member of the American Legion, and a Lifetime Member of the Military Officers Association of America (MOAA).

Howie’s hobbies included flying aircraft, playing golf, watching Cowboy and UT Longhorn games, model trains, attending Dallas Winds, Dallas and Plano Symphonies, concerts and musicals, as well as going to amusement parks where he loved riding roller coasters. He was a championship bowler, loved playing the lottery and watching classic films and television with his family. He enjoyed playing cards, board games and building complex puzzles.

Captain Taylor was an extraordinarily positive father, grandfather, and friend. He guided his children and grandchildren through school, college, and adulthood by teaching them by example to appreciate family and cherish life. He was a great listener and loved sharing his life adventures with others.

When you asked about his military service, Capt. Taylor replied: “I am like any veteran, I only did what was asked of me.” When signing off in conversations, he would acknowledge he heard you and understood expressing cheerful concurrence – “Righto”.

Capt. Horace Howard Taylor, USN Retired served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. He received 16 citations. Meritorious Service Medal (for the reorganization plan for the U.S. Naval Reserve and approved by the Department of the Navy), 3 Air Combat Medals, 3 Air Medals with 2 Gold Stars, Armed Services Medal of the United States-Honorable Service Commemorative, Victory Medal World War II, Navy Occupation Medal, China Service Medal, United States Commemorative, National Guard Reserve Service-Commemorative, Armed Forces Retired, Guard and Reserve Mobilization, Cold War Victory Commemorative, Overseas Service Commemorative, Sea Service Commemorative, United States Navy Commemorative, Korea for Service in the Defense of the Principles of the Charter of the United Nations, For Service in Korea, American Defense Service Commemorative, Korean Defense Commemorative, Victory Medal World War II, Navy Occupation Medal, National Defense-1 Bronze Star, Korean Services- 3 Bronze Stars, and Armed Forces Reserve with Hour Glass.

He was preceded in death by his beautiful wife, Claire, his parents, Hasell and Lillian Taylor and his sister, Martha Taylor.

His living legacy includes his children: Susan and Philip O’Steen, Christine Taylor, Karen and Christopher Cagle, Claudia Taylor, and Michael and Treva Taylor; His grandchildren: Michael and Heather Davis, Kelley Jones, Kendra and Jay Henderson, Boyce and Misti Davis, John Cagle, Catherine Mollenkopf and Josh Cormier, Laekin Darter and Kenny Hoskins, Raegin Callaway, Kierstan and Joshua Craig, Kaelin Taylor; His great-grandchildren: Dakota Jones and Steven Tran, Kindle Jones and Bryce Chambers, Levi Jones, Shiloh Jones, Noah Jones, Abby Henderson, Avery Henderson, Preslee Davis, Greyson Davis, Landon Davis, Grayson Mollenkopf, Avery Cormier, Samira Greenwood, Steven Greenwood, Sariyah Greenwood, Kelayah Hoskins, Kennedy Kate Hoskins and Bricen Callaway; His brother Hase and Charlotte Taylor and numerous nieces and nephews.

Special thanks to Capt. Taylor’s caregivers: his physical therapist “drill sergeant” Tammy and Jim Kuhs and their son Hunter Kuhs; his physicians: Brian Todd Blatt, D.O.; John M. Joseph, M.D., P.A.; Michael Seth Rogers, M.D.; Alexander Parker, M.D., and his home health team at ACCORD PHC for their compassionate care.

A Memorial Service is planned for July 28, 2025, from 3-5 p.m. at Ted Dickey West Funeral Home, 7990 President George Bush, Dallas Texas 75252.

A Graveside Service is planned for July 29, 2025, at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, 1520 Harry Wurzbach RD, San Antonio, Texas 78209 at 2:30 p.m.

In lieu of flowers please donate to his favorite organizations: Casey Joyce All-America VFW Post 4380, Plano, TX, whose mission is to help veterans, Disabled American Veterans, American Legion Post 321 Plano, Texas, Dallas Winds (America’s Band), the Plano Symphony or the Vocal Majority.