Clearing the Way: The Story of a Private and Engineer
By Grace Barlow and Ruby Hayes
Harvey Thomas Taylor
November 14, 1918 - November 22, 2003
Harvey Thomas Taylor was born on November 14, 1918, in Quinter, Kansas to Isom Ray Taylor & Eva M. Belville, just a few days after the official end of World War I. Harvey was one of seven siblings, with three brothers and three sisters. In 1920, he resided in East Saline, Kansas, an extremely small township within Sheridan County.[1] Interestingly, as of the 2010 Census, it has a population of 45. In 1930, the Taylor family moved to Spring Brook, Kansas.
On August 29, 1940, when he was twenty one years old, he enlisted in the U.S. Army and served in World War II.[2] According to records kept at the National Archives, he served as a Private, the starting rank. He also was involved in the Corps of Engineers Branch. The Corps of Engineers were tasked with construction, real estate acquisition, and maintenance of Army facilities.[3] Although the exact number of soldiers involved in the Corps of Engineers is difficult to determine with certainty, they served an important role in constructing air bases. During the war, the Corps of Engineers additionally served in Italy and Germany to construct fixed construction bridges.[4] This branch cleared lanes for landing crafts and operated under heavy enemy fire on the Normandy beaches. As of today, the mission statement of the Army Corps of Engineers is to “deliver vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with our partners, to secure our Nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk.”[5]
When Harvey Thomas Taylor was out of the military, he resided in Denver, Colorado.[6] There was no evidence of marriage or children. He passed away on November 22, 2003, in Denver, Colorado at the age of 85.[7] He was preceded in death by his parents and siblings, leaving only nieces and/or nephews to claim him. Though his remains are unclaimed, he is entitled and deserving of a proper burial. It can be presumed that his remaining family was never found or contacted about his remains and they were held at Fort Logan until his burial in 2022.
Footnotes ↓
[1] “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Brief History.” Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Accessed May 20, 2022. https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Brief-History-of-the-Corps/Combat-and-Military-Construction/.
[2] “Life Story for Harvey Taylor,” Ancestry.com. Accessed May 10, 2022. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/108903324/person/420071361374/story?_phsrc=cqS26&_phstart=successSource
[3] “The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: A Brief History.” Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Accessed May 20, 2022. https://www.usace.army.mil/About/History/Brief-History-of-the-Corps/Combat-and-Military-Construction/.
[4] ibid.
[5] “Mission and Vision.” U.S Army Corps of Engineers. Accessed June 15, 2022. https://www.usace.army.mil/About/Mission-and-Vision/
[6] “Life Story for Harvey Taylor,” Ancestry.com. Accessed May 10, 2022. https://www.ancestrylibrary.com/family-tree/person/tree/108903324/person/420071361374/story?_phsrc=cqS26&_phstart=successSource
[7] ibid.
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