World War II Honoree

Walter X. Young

Branch of Service

U.S. Marine Corps

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Orville L. Kline

Rank: First Lieutenant. He was inducted into the United States Marine Corps January 6, 1941 at Chicago, Illinois, with recruit training at the Marine Corps Base in San Diego, California, and infantry training at Camp Pendleton Oceanside, California. As a graduate of the Officer’s Candidate School located at the Marine Corps Base Quantico, Virginia, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant on 29 May 1941. Promoted to First Lieutenant on 6 June 1942, while serving as a Communications Officer, assigned to Headquarters Company, First Parachute Battalion, attached to the First Marine ‘the Old Breed’ Division. His Division participated in the amphibious assault, and occupation of Guadalcanal Island Location: Southwestern Pacific Theater of Operations. On Friday, August 7, 1942 he was fatally wounded, during offensive operations against the Imperial Japanese Armed Forces. Personnel from a Graves Registration Company buried him in the First Marine Division Guadalcanal battlefield cemetery. In the post-war era, this Marines’ family requested that he be buried with Military Honors at Honolulu Memorial Cemetery Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, with interment January 4, 1949. This American Patriot received the following decorations posthumously: Navy Cross and the Purple Heart. The Navy Cross was awarded to the Lieutenant for his distinguished intrepid actions, personal bravery and zealous devotion to duty at the cost of his life, and the Purple Heart for his Heroism and ultimate sacrifice.