World War II Honoree

Thomas L. Youngs

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Schoharie, New York

Honored By

Shannon Spargo

Relationship

Granddaughter

INDUCTED IN THE U.S. ARMY ON 22 JULY 1943 AND SENT TO FORT BRAGG FOR BOTH INFANTRY AND ADVANCED ARTILLERY TRAINING. FOLLOWING THAT, WAS SENT TO FORT SILL, OKLAHOMA TO TRAIN ARMY INFANTRY OFFICERS IN THE ART OF DIRECT ARTILLERY FIRE. THEN, HE WAS OFF TO THE OVERSEAS PROCESSING CENTER AT FORT DIX, NEW JERSEY AND THE PORT OF NEW YORK, WHERE HE BOARDED A TROOP TRANSPORT ON 2 JULY 1944, BOUND FOR SCOTLAND AND WALES FOR MORE ARTILLERY TRAINING. FROM WALES, HE WAS SENT TO FRANCE WITH THE 241ST FIELD ARTILLERY UNIT AND WOULD FIGHT HIS WAY ACROSS FRANCE TO THE CITY OF METZ WITH PATTON'S 3RD ARMY. AT METZ, HE WAS REASSIGNED TO A NEW UNIT IN DECEMBER 1944; THE 328TH INFANTRY REGIMENT WHICH WAS BADLY IN NEED OF REPLACEMENT TROOPS. REST AT METZ WAS INTERRUPTED BY THE BATTLE OF THE BULGE. THE DIVISION MOVED NORTH TO LUXEMBOURG FROM 19 TO 21 DECEMBER TO TAKE PART IN THE BATTLE OF THE ARDENNES BREAK-THROUGH. ATTACKED AT RAMBROUCH AND GROSBOUS ON 22 DECEMBER AND BEAT OFF STRONG GERMAN COUNTERATTACKS. CAPTURED ARSDORF ON CHRISTMAS DAY AFTER HEAVY FIGHTING. ATTACKED TOWARD THE WILTZ RIVER BUT WAS FORCED TO WITHDRAW IN THE FACE OF GERMAN RESISTANCE. AFTER REGROUPING ON 5-8 JANUARY 1945, ATTACKED AGAIN AND CROSSED THE WILTZ RIVER ON 20 JANUARY. THE DIVISION CONTINUED ITS ADVANCE, TAKING GRUMELSCHEID ON 21 JANUARY AND CROSSED THE CLERF RIVER ON 24 JANUARY. HE WAS REASSIGNED TO XX CORPS AND WAS IMMEDIATELY SHIFTED TO THE EAST BANK OF THE SAAR. MAINTAINED DEFENSIVE POSITIONS IN THE SAARLAUTERN AREA FROM 29 JANUARY TO 6 MARCH 1945. THE DRIVE TO THE RHINE RIVER JUMPED OFF ON 13 MARCH 1945 AND CARRIED HIM THROUGH MERZIG FROM 17 MARCH TO THE RHINE BY 21 MARCH AND ACROSS THE RHINE AT OPPENHEIM ON 25-26 MARCH. WAS REASSIGNED TO THE XII CORPS AND TOOK PART IN THE HOUSE TO HOUSE REDUCTION OF HANAU ON 28 MARCH, BROKE OUT OF THE MAIN RIVER BRIDGEHEAD AND DROVE THROUGH FULDA ON 1 APRIL. HELPED REDUCE MEININGEN ON 5 APRIL, MOVING SOUTHEAST INTO AUSTRIA. ASSISTED IN THE CAPTURE OF LINZ, 5 MAY. THE DIVISION CHANGED THE DIRECTION OF ITS ADVANCE AND MOVED NORTHEAST INTO CZECHOSLOVAKIA, ACROSS THE VLATAVA RIVER WHEN THE CASE-FIRE ORDER WAS RECEIVED. ONE DAY LATER, HELPED OVERRUN THE GUSEN CONCENTRATION CAMP WITH THE 11TH ARMORED DIVISION, LIBERATING IT. ON V-E DAY, HE BEGAN MORE TRAINING IN PREPARATION FOR THE INVASION OF JAPAN. IN EARLY 1946, AT AGE 23 HE WOULD SEPARATE AT FORT DIX AND RETURN HOME TO NEW YORK A DECORATED SOLDIER. FOR HIS SERVICE ON 2 CONTINENTS IN 2 THEATERS OF OPERATION, HE WAS AWARDED THE BRONZE STAR MEDAL FOR MERIT, ARMY GOOD CONDUCT MEDAL, EUROPEAN-AFRICAN-MIDDLE EASTERN THEATER MEDAL WITH 1 SILVER SERVICE STAR FOR NORMANDY, NORTHERN FRANCE, ARDENNES-ALSACE, CENTRAL EUROPE AND RHINELAND CAMPAIGNS, WWII VICTORY MEDAL, ARMY OF OCCUPATION MEDAL WITH GERMANY CLASP, PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION, NEW YORK STATE CONSPICUOUS SERVICE CROSS AND STAR, EXPERT MARKSMAN BADGE WITH RIFLE (M-1) AND CARBINE TABS, AND BROWNING AUTOMATIC RIFLE TAB. ALSO RECEIVED THE HONORABLE SERVICE LAPEL PIN WITH LOZENGE.