World War II Honoree

Rodger W. Young

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Tiffin, Ohio

Honored By

Ralph Bozorth

HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR. PRIVATE, U.S. ARMY, 148TH INFANTRY, 37TH INFANTRY DIVISION. PLACE AND DATE: ON NEW GEORGIA, SOLOMON ISLANDS, JULY 31, 1943. ENTERED SERVICE AT: CLYDE, OHIO. GO NUMBER: 3, JANUARY 6, 1944. CITATION: ON JULY 31, 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 75 YARDS AWAY. THE INITIAL BURST WOUNDED PRIVATE YOUNG. AS THE PLATOON STARTED TO OBEY THE ORDER TO WITHDRAW, PRIVATE YOUNG CALLED OUT THAT HE COULD SEE THE ENEMY EMPLACEMENT, WHEREUPON HE STARTED CREEPING TOWARD IT. ANOTHER BURST FROM THE MACHINE GUN 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 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.