"For distinguished conduct in action, outstanding heroism and utter
disregard of his own safety, above and beyond the call of duty, as
Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Vestal, during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, by enemy Japanese forces on
December 7, 1941. Commander Young proceeded to the bridge and later took
personal command of the 3-inch antiaircraft gun. When blown overboard
by the blast of the forward magazine explosion of the U.S.S. Arizona, to
which the U.S.S. Vestal was moored, he swam back to his ship. The
entire forward part of the U.S.S. Arizona was a blazing inferno with oil
afire on the water between the two ships; as a result of several bomb
hits, the U.S.S. Vestal was afire in several places, was settling and
taking on a list. Despite severe enemy bombing and strafing at the time,
and his shocking experience of having been blown overboard, Commander
Young, with extreme coolness and calmness, moved his ship to an
anchorage distant from the U.S.S. Arizona, and subsequently beached the
U.S.S. Vestal upon determining that such action was required to save his
ship."
From Comm. Young's Medal of Honor citation, awarded in 1942.
Thank you for your service and may you be at peace,
Brian
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