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YOUNG, CASSIN
Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy. Born: 6 March 1894, Washington,
D.C. Appointed from: Wisconsin. Other Navy award: Navy Cross.
Citation: For distinguished conduct in action,
outstanding heroism and utter disregard of his own safety, above and
beyond the call of duty, as commanding officer of the U.S.S. Vestal,
during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii,
by enemy Japanese forces on 7 December 1941. Comdr. Young proceeded
to the bridge and later took personal command of the 3-inch antiaircraft
gun. When blown overboard by the blast of the forward magazine explosion
of the U.S.S. Arizona, to which the U.S.S. Vestal was moored, he swam
back to his ship. The entire forward part of the U.S.S. Arizona was
a blazing inferno with oil afire on the water between the 2 ships; as
a result of several bomb hits, the U.S.S. Vestal was afire in several
places, was settling and taking on a list. Despite severe enemy bombing
and strafing at the time, and his shocking experience of having been
blown overboard, Comdr. Young, with extreme coolness and calmness, moved
his ship to an anchorage distant from the U.S.S. Arizona, and subsequently
beached the U.S.S. Vestal upon determining that such action was required
to save his ship.
YOUNG, RODGER W.
Rank and organization: Private, U.S. Army, 148th Infantry, 37th Infantry
Division. Place and date: On New Georgia, Solomon Islands, 31 July 1943.
Entered service at: Clyde, Ohio. Birth: Tiffin, Ohio. G.O. No.: 3, 6
January 1944.
Citation: On 31 July 1943, the infantry company
of which Pvt. Young was a member, was ordered to make a limited withdrawal
from the battle line in order to adjust the battalion's position for
the night. At this time, Pvt. Young's platoon was engaged with the enemy
in a dense jungle where observation was very limited. The platoon suddenly
was pinned down by intense fire from a Japanese machinegun concealed
on higher ground only 75 yards away. The initial burst wounded Pvt.
Young. As the platoon started to obey the order to withdraw, Pvt. Young
called out that he could see the enemy emplacement, whereupon he started
creeping toward it. Another burst from the machinegun wounded him the
second time. Despite the wounds, he continued his heroic advance, attracting
enemy fire and answering with rifle fire. When he was close enough to
his objective, he began throwing handgrenades, and while doing so was
hit again and killed. Pvt. Young's bold action in closing with this
Japanese pillbox and thus diverting its fire, permitted his platoon
to disengage itself, without loss, and was responsible for several enemy
casualties.
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