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First Name: Cassin

Last Name: Young

Birthplace: Washington, DC, USA

Gender: Male

Branch: Navy (present)

Rating:

Home of Record: Annapolis, MD




Date of Birth: 06 March 1894

Date of Death: 13 November 1942

Rank or Rate: Captain

Years Served: 1916 - 1942
Cassin Young

   
Engagements:
•  World War I (1914 - 1918)
•  World War II (1941 - 1945)

Biography:

Cassin Young

Captain, U.S. Navy

Medal of Honor Recipient

World War II

Captain Cassin Young (6 March 1894 -13 November 1942) was a U.S. Navy officer who was awarded the U.S. military's highest award for valor, the Medal of Honor, for his heroic actions during the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941.

Cassin Young was born in Washington, DC, on 6 March 1894. He moved to Wisconsin, which his military records state as his official residence. After graduation from the U.S. Naval Academy on 3 June 1916, he served on the battleship USS Connecticut (BB-18) into 1919, and then spent several years in submarines. During that period, he commanded the submarines USS R-23 (SS-100) and USS R-2 (SS-79). During the mid and late 1920s, he served in Naval Communications on the staff of Commander Submarine Divisions, Battle Fleet, and at the Naval Academy.

During 1931 to 1933, Lieutenant Commander Young served on the battleship USS New York (BB-34). He was subsequently awarded command of the destroyer USS Evans (DD-78) and was assigned to the Eleventh Naval District from 1935 to 1937. After promotion to the rank of Commander, he commanded Submarine Division Seven and was stationed at Naval Submarine Base New London, in Groton, CT.

When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor on 7 December 1941, he was Commanding Officer of the repair ship USS Vestal (AR-4), which was badly damaged by enemy bombs and the explosion of the battleship USS Arizona (BB-39). Commander Young rapidly organized offensive action, personally taking charge of one of Vestals anti-aircraft guns. When Arizona's forward magazine exploded, the blast blew Young overboard. Although stunned, he was determined to save his ship by getting her away from the blazing Arizona. Swimming back to Vestal, which was already damaged and about to be further damaged, Young got her underway and beached her, thus ensuring her later salvage. His heroism was recognized with the Medal of Honor.

Medal of Honor

Rank and organization: Commander, U.S. Navy.

Citation: 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 7 December 1941. Comdr. 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 2 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, Comdr. 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.

Promoted to Captain in February 1942, he later was given command of the heavy cruiser USS San Francisco (CA-38). In the Solomon Islands campaign, Captain Young commanded San Francisco in the Battle of Cape Esperance and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal with great distinction. On 13 November 1942, during the latter battle, he guided his ship into action with a superior Japanese force and was killed by enemy shells while closely engaging the battleship Hiei. Captain Young was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the campaign and San Francisco received the Presidential Unit Citation.

Medals and Awards

Medal of Honor
Navy Cross

Honors

In 1943, the destroyer USS Cassin Young (DD-793) was named in his honor. This famous destroyer has been restored and is now berthed at the Boston National Historic Park near the USS Constitution.

Death and Memorials

Captain Cassin Young was killed in action on 13 November 1942. His body was never recovered and is lost at sea. He is listed on the Tablets of the Missing at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial in Manila, Manila City, Philippines.

A Memorial Marker for Captain Cassin Young is located at Mount Pleasant Memorial Gardens in Mount Pleasant, Charleston County, South Carolina.



Honoree ID: 1725   Created by: MHOH

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