This medal commemorates Canadian Ambassador Kenneth Taylor. Taylor was a Canadian diplomat, educator, and business man who is best known for helping to rescue six Americans escape from Iran during the 1979 Iran Hostage Crisis. Taylor, using his post as Canadian Ambassador to Iran helped devise a plan to smuggle the 6 free Americans out of Iran before they were captured. His help with this mission, as well as intelligence passed to the CIA in regards to the hostages during the crisis earned him the Congressional Gold Medal in 1980.