Commander Cassin Young, a sailor in the U.S. Navy, received the Medal of Honor for gallantry on December 7, 1941 at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii Territory during World War II. At the time he was serving with U.S.S. Vestal. Young was 47 years old.
16 other service members also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on April 18, 1942. Pearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, onboard the U.S.S. Vestal, presented by Adm. Chester W. Nimitz. He later rose to the rank of Captain.
Young was born on March 6, 1894 in Washington, District of Columbia. His Medal of Honor is credited to Wisconsin. Young died on November 13, 1942 in Guadalcanal, Solomon Islands, at the age of 48. He was buried at sea. His medal is held by National Museum of the Pacific War, Fredericksburg, TX ; U.S. Naval Academy (duplicate retired from the USS Cassin Young), Annapolis, MD.
Young is one of 474 Medal of Honor recipients from World War II and one of 50 credited to Wisconsin.
Official Medal of Honor 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 three-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, 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.
Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.
Other decorations and honors
Besides the Medal of Honor, Cassin Young received:
Source: Wikidata. Gold chips link to our guide to that decoration.
Battles and campaigns
Also served in: World War I, World War II.
Life beyond the battlefield
- Occupations: submariner
- Education: United States Naval Academy
Source: Wikidata.
Places
- Born: Washington, D.C. — map
- Died: Solomon Islands — map
- Buried: Manila American Cemetery and Memorial — map
Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Wisconsin →
Timeline
- March 6, 1894Born in Washington, District of Columbia
- December 7, 1941Act of valor — Pearl Harbor, Hawaii TerritoryAge 47. U.S.S. Vestal
- April 18, 1942Medal of Honor presentedPearl Harbor, Territory of Hawaii, onboard the U.S.S. Vestal, presented by Adm. Chester W. Nimitz
- November 13, 1942Died in Guadalcanal, Solomon IslandsAge 48.
- Resting placeBuried at sea
Biography
Cassin Young (March 6, 1894 – November 13, 1942) was a captain in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the attack on Pearl Harbor.
From the Wikipedia article “Cassin Young”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →
