Deputy Aaron Taylor of the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit has received the French National Defense Gold Medal with Bronze Star for his actions during a 2023 deployment in Iraq. Taylor, who joined the New York Army National Guard in 2009, was serving as Chief Warrant Officer 3 and pilot in command of a CH-47F Chinook helicopter at the time.
On August 28, 2023, Taylor’s detachment was tasked with assisting French Special Forces engaged in a firefight in Kirkuk Province. Their mission involved departing from Erbil Air Base to transport 30 French commandos to the battlefield and later extract them. Taylor recalled, “An old friend of mine says each pilot will have that one mission that sticks with them, that made everything worth it. This was that one.”
Taylor described the urgency of the operation: “We got the green light to go,” he said. He noted it was unusual not to carry U.S. infantry but instead take French Special Forces into combat. After landing and dropping off the soldiers, Taylor waited at a staging area before returning hours later to retrieve them and bring them back safely. “Our ramp to the 47 dropped and these guys are off the aircraft in 10 seconds,” he said, emphasizing their speed under fire.
Upon completing the extraction and returning to base with low fuel, Taylor and five other soldiers from his battalion were recognized by France’s Chief of National Defense Staff for their performance during this mission.
Sheriff John Garcia commented on Taylor’s recognition: “We could not be prouder of Aaron for serving our nation and flying our French allies out of danger that night. I ask the residents of Erie County to join me in offering him congratulations. We should all take great pride in the fact that a hero like him is working in the Erie County Sheriff’s Office Aviation Unit and keeping our region safe.”
Reflecting on his career, Taylor stated, “It’s a lifetime of serving the public,” adding, “I go up in the aircraft. It’s not because I like getting a paycheck. It’s because I enjoy the job. It’s giving back to the community.”
