Senator Boxer: Honoring a Taft Hero

October 5, 2007

Senator Dianne Feinstein and I have joined in introducing legislation to honor the brave service of fallen U.S. Army Staff Sergeant Larry S. Pierce by naming the Post Office in Taft in his honor.

I am glad to join with my colleague Senator Feinstein in honoring Sergeant Pierce, an American hero who gave his own life to save the lives of his fellow soldiers in Vietnam, and was recognized after his death by President Johnson with a Medal of Honor.  I hope that naming this post office for Sergeant Price will help serve as a reminder of his courage and sacrifice.

Staff Sergeant Pierce attended high school in Taft until he decided to enlist in the United States Army in 1958.  On September 20, 1965, Staff Sergeant Pierce was killed near Ben Cat in the Republic of Vietnam.  He made the ultimate sacrifice to protect his comrades, smothering the blast of an anti-personnel mine with his body.  He was 24 years old. President Lyndon B. Johnson posthumously awarded Staff Sergeant Pierce the Medal of Honor on February 24, 1966.

The members of the Taft City Council passed a resolution on September 4, 2007, to request that Congress rename the Taft Post Office, located at 427 North Street in Taft, as the “Larry S. Pierce Post Office.”  I am pleased to be working with Senator Feinstein to honor this true hero from Taft.

Sincerely,

Barbara Boxer
United States Senator

Back to top