He is most famous for the leadership of his men in World War II on Omaha Beach during the Normandy landings, June 6, 1944, where he served as commander of the 16th Infantry Regiment, part of the famous 1st Infantry Division ("The Big Red One"), and for which he earned a Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism.

After a month of service, he returned to the United States and became Instructor of tactics at the Infantry School in Fort Benning, Georgia.

After entry of the United States into the war in December 1941, Taylor was transferred to North Africa, where he served as a staff member of Advanced Echelon Amphibious Forces, Atlantic Fleet, and in October as a staff member to the Naval Operating Base Commander in Oran, Algeria.

During the final days of the war, the 1st Infantry Division reached the area of western Bohemia, near the city of Karlovy Vary.

German XII Army Corps under command of general of artillery Herbert Osterkamp was located in this area and surrendered to the Western Allies.

Taylor struck out the location "Elbogen, Sudetenland," adding a note "does not exist," and wrote "Loket, Czechoslovakia" instead, changing its name back to before the Nazi invasion.

[6] Taylor stayed with the 1st Division in Europe during the rest of 1945 and finally retired in 1946 with the rank of brigadier general on health grounds.

Brigadier General George Taylor died on December 3, 1969, in the city of Palo Alto, California, after a prolonged illness caused by a stroke.