Canada, United States. Canadian Ambassador Kenneth Taylor Congressional Bronze Medal 1980

In bronze, manufactured by the United States Mint, obverse illustrating the bust of Canadian Ambassador Kenneth Taylor, surrounded by the inscription "CANADIAN AMBASSADOR KENNETH TAYLOR" and engraver marked "F. GASPARRO" (Frank Gasparro, tenth Chief Engraver of the United States Mint) to the right of the bust, reverse illustrating a maple leaf at the center top, flanked by "ENTRE" at the left and "AMIS" at the right, inscribed "APPRECIATION FOR THE NOBLE AND HEROIC EFFORT IN THE HARBORING OF SIX UNITED STATES DIPLOMATS AND SAFE RETURN TO AMERICA / THANK YOU CANADA" in the center, illustrating the greater coat-of-arms of the United States of America at the center bottom, flanked by "ACT OF CONGRESS" at the left and the date "MARCH 6, 1980" at the right, sculptor marked "IACOCCA SC." (Michael Iacocca) below the arms, measuring 76.2 mm in diameter, in its cardboard box of issue. Extremely fine.

Footnote: The original hero after whom the Hollywood blockbuster "Argo" was conceived, Canadian Ambassador Kenneth Douglas Taylor gave sanctuary to six American diplomats who were not in the United States Embassy on the day of the takeover by the Iranian students on November 4, 1979 in Tehran. By November 10th, three of the diplomats and two of their wives had made their way to the Canadian Embassy. A few weeks later, they were joined by another who had been sleeping on the floor of the Swedish Embassy. Faced with the daunting task of hiding the Americans, Ambassador Taylor decided to smuggle them out of Iran on Canadian passports. Canada’s Parliament convened its first secret session since the Second World War, to give permission to issue Canadian passports for the six Americans. The CIA prepared a set of forged Iranian Visas to go with the passports. Disguises and cover stories were invented for a series of scenarios. They eventually used the Hollywood advance crew who were scouting locations for a movie. On January 27, 1980, the American diplomats, now travelling on Canadian passports, boarded a flight for Zurich, Switzerland, leaving from Tehran. The Canadian embassy staff also left and closed the Embassy. The six rescued Americans were: Robert Anders, 34 – Consular Officer, Mark J. Lijek, 29 – Consular Officer, Cora A. Lijek, 25 – Consular Assistant, Henry L. Schatz, 31 – Agriculture Attache, Joseph D. Stafford, 29 – Consular Officer, Kathleen F. Stafford, 28 – Consular Assistant. Ambassador Kenneth Douglkas Taylor was awarded the Congressional Gold Medal, approved on March 6, 1980.