World War II Honoree

Roland 'Waddy' Young

Branch of Service

U.S. Army Air Force

Hometown

Ponca City, Oklahoma

Honored By

Robert S. Cox

SERVED IN THE ASIATIC-PACIFIC THEATER ABOARD A B-29 'SUPERFORTRESS' BOMBER NICKNAMED 'WADDY'S WAGON'. HIS AIRCRAFT TOOK PART IN A HISTORIC MISSION FROM SAIPAN TO TOKYO, JAPAN IN NOVEMBER 1944. ON JANUARY 9, 1945 AS THE FORMATION OF B-29 BOMBERS WAS RETURNING TO BASE FROM A MISSION, ONE OF THE OTHER AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN BADLY DAMAGED AND WAS LOSING AIRSPEED AND ALTITUDE. 'WADDY'S WAGON' DROPPED BACK TO HELP AND NEVER RETURNED TO BASE. THE CREW WAS INITIALLY LISTED AS MISSING IN ACTION, BUT LATER WAS DETERMINED TO HAVE BEEN LOST AT SEA AND THE CREW WAS LISTED AS KILLED IN ACTION. AWARDED THE PURPLE HEART, AIR MEDAL, AMERICAN CAMPAIGN MEDAL, ASIATIC-PACIFIC CAMPAIGN MEDAL AND WWII VICTORY MEDAL.