World War II heroes honored at City Hall

Mayor Regalado makes the presentation as Moynahan & Larimore look on; Harry Gottlieb
who was the man behind this ceremony taking place, holds the trophy. That's
Comm. Willy Gort behind the mayor at the podium.

Miami Mayor Tomas Regalado and City Commissioner Willy Gort, honored Taylor C. Larimore (91) and John H. Moynahan (93), World War II heroes that are also avid sailors. They were presented last week with a proclamation for their tireless efforts in promoting sailing in the City.  

Larimore and Moynahan have been generous supporters of Miami's youth sailing programs. Our sailing community, led by the Coconut Grove Sailing Club, has established a permanent trophy in their name that was presented outside of City Hall. The award is given  annually to the winner of the Biscayne Bay Yacht Racing Association's PHRF Class Regatta.

The Sailing Club established a permanent trophy in their name, calling it the Larimore/Moynahan Regatta Trophy. The cup will be awarded annually to the winner of the BBYRA's PHRF Class Regatta on Biscayne Bay,  it was awarded Saturday, this year, at the awards ceremony.

Taylor Larimore, who lives in Brickell, was born in Miami 1924 and was a paratrooper with the 101st Airborne, fought in the famed Battle of the Bulge, spending Christmas of 1944 in a foxhole under heavy German attack before emerging as part of the victorious Division that helped turn the tide of war in Europe. He was eleven years old when the 1935 hurricane that swept through Miami blew a sailboat into his yard, and he's been sailing ever since. Dedicated to introducing the sport to young people, he taught over 1000 youngsters the art of sailing and was named Instructor of the Year in 1992 by the American Sailing Association.

​John H. Moynahan, as a young US Navy Lieutenant, served in the Pacific on the destroyer USS Ammen, subjected during the Okinawa campaign​ to a constant barrage of Japanese Kamikaze suicide attacks.  His ship was among the first to enter Nagasaki harbor after the dropping of the atomic bomb. He resides in Coconut Grove.

Family and friends celebrate.