 Taylor was born November 27, 1930, in Stamps, Arkansas, and graduated from the University of Michigan with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering in 1959.He joined the USAF and trained as a test pilot, graduating from the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in class 63A and MOL.In 1965, he was selected as one of the first astronauts to the Air Force's classified Manned Orbital Laboratory.