Rodger W. Young

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Rodger Wilton Young (April 28, 1918 - July 31, 1943) was a posthumous Medal of Honor recipient during World War II.

Early Life

Rodger Young was born in Tiffin, Ohio[1] As a teenager he tried to participate in football, basketball, and baseball, however, due to his small stature though his activity in these sports was limited. He persevered, and his determination ensured that he was put into a few basketball games. However, he suffered a head injury in a game resulted in him suffering from dulled senses. Thereafter, he struggled at high school because of his injury and eventually left school to help support his family instead.[2]

Military Career

In 1938 he joined the Ohio National Guard. At the time he joined he was only 5'2" and weighed 125 pounds. He trained at Camp Shelby, Mississippi and Indiantown Gap Military Reservation, Pennsylvania, where he served as a instructor of a rifle range and won marksmanship medals. He was promoted to the rank of staff sergeant and was appointed a squad leader, all while hiding the severity of the effects from his high school head injury.

Upon America's entry into World War 2, he was deployed to the Pacific Theater, where he first went to the Fiji and Solomon Islands after their liberation. While on the islands, awaiting deployment to Guadalcanal, Young trained his men to the best of his abilities. It came to the point though that he realized that his previous injury may cause problems in the chain of command and result in the death of his men. He decided to voluntarily ask for a demotion to the rank of private. His selfish act was at first thought to be an act of cowardice by his CO, but they later clarified it with each other.

Rodger Young took part in Operation Cartwheel and was amongst those tasked with capturing and holding the airstrip at Munda, New Georgia. During a patrol Young's platoon, under the command of Sergeant Walter Rigby, was ambushed by a hidden Japanese machine-gun nest. The platoon was pinned down and had no way to effectively retreat or advance. After several people were wounded Young crawled towards to the machine-gun nest, suffering multiple wounds as he did so, including some immobilizing of one of his arms. Despite his many wounds, he continued his advance and eventually reached within fifteen feet of the enemy fortification. He then armed a grenade using one arm and his teeth to pull the pin, which he then threw, standing up in the face of the hail of enemy bullets. The grenade destroyed the fortification.

At the cost of his own life Rodger Young had managed to save fifteen of the twenty man patrol.

Medal of Honor

Due to his actions Rodger Young received the Medal of Honor posthumously in January of 1944.

The President of the United States takes pride in awarding the Medal of Honor posthumously to

PRIVATE RODGER W. YOUNG, COMPANY B, 148th

INFANTRY, UNITED STATES ARMY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

"For distinguishing himself conspicuously by gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty in action with the enemy on New Georgia, Solomon Islands. On 31 July 1943, the infantry company, of which Private 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, Private 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 machine-gun concealed on higher ground only seventy-five yards away. The initial burst wounded Private Young. As the platoon started to obey the order to withdraw, Private Young called out the he could see the enemy emplacement, whereupon he started creeping toward it. Another burst from the machine-gun wounded him the second time. Despite his 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 hand grenades and while doing so was hit again and killed. Private 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."

[5]

Additional honors

March 31, 1945 was proclaimed "Rodger W. Young Day" in Ohio in honor of his great deeds and accomplishments.[3]

"The Ballad of Rodger Young" was written by Frank Loesser and first performed in March, 1945. The words were based on the above citation and it went on to become on of the best-known songs of the war. [4]

External links

References