WASHINGTON (WKRN) – On Tuesday afternoon in Washington, D.C., a Tennessee veteran received the highest honor the United States can bestow on a member of the military.

In June of 1968, then-First Lt. Larry Taylor of Chattanooga was flying Cobra helicopters during the Vietnam War.

On Tuesday at the White House, now-Capt. Taylor became the 33rd Tennessean to receive the Medal of Honor.

In 1968, Taylor responded to a call for help from four soldiers fighting for their lives, surrounded by the enemy. Taylor flew to them and provided air support until he was out of ammo before flying down and ordering the four men to jump onto the helicopter skids and hold on.

All four soldiers survived.

“The medal of honor is our nation’s oldest and highest recognition of valor. Now, when I called Larry to let him know, he was finally receiving this recognition. His response was, ‘I thought you had to do something to receive the Medal of Honor.’ Let me say that again, he said, ‘I thought you had to do something to receive the Medal of Honor.’ Well, Larry, you sure as hell did something. Man, if you ask anyone here, I’m pretty sure they’ll say something that you did something extraordinary,” President Joe Biden said during the ceremony.