Veteran in crisis? Dial 988 then press 1 · Text 838255 Next observance: Navy Birthday · October 13
Honoring American TroopsMedal of Honor Archive

Private · U.S. Army

John L. Younker

Private John L. Younker, Army, received the Medal of Honor for actions on August 9, 1862 at Cedar Mountain, Virginia during the Civil War.

U.S. Civil War August 9, 1862Born in Germany

Private John L. Younker was a soldier in the U.S. Army who received the Medal of Honor for his actions on August 9, 1862 at Cedar Mountain, Virginia during the Civil War. At the time he was serving with Company A, 12th U.S. Infantry. Younker was 25 years old.

One other service member also received the Medal of Honor for actions on the same day. The medal was presented on November 1, 1893, 31 years after the action.

Younker was born on November 16, 1836 in Wurttemberg, Germany — one of 130 recipients born in Germany. His Medal of Honor is credited to Lancaster, Fairfield County, Ohio. Younker died on May 18, 1911 in Logan, Ohio, at the age of 74. He is buried at Oak Grove Cemetery in Logan, Ohio.

Younker is one of 1,525 Medal of Honor recipients from the Civil War and one of 256 credited to Ohio.

Official Medal of Honor citation

Voluntarily carried an order, at great risk of life in the face of a fire of grape and canister; in doing this he was wounded.

Citation text: U.S. Government, public domain.

Wounds and injuries

What the citation records about his wounds:

Voluntarily carried an order, at great risk of life in the face of a fire of grape and canister; in doing this he was wounded.
  • Age at death: 74
  • Resting place: Oak Grove Cemetery

Battles and campaigns

1862 · Civil War

Battle of Cedar Mountain

Result: Confederate victory

2 Medal of Honor recipients

Places

  • Born: Württemberg — map
  • Died: Ohio — map

Veteran resources, cemeteries and meeting places in Ohio →

Timeline

  1. November 16, 1836
    Born in Wurttemberg, Germany
  2. August 9, 1862
    Act of valor — Cedar Mountain, Virginia
    Age 25. Company A, 12th U.S. Infantry
  3. November 1, 1893
    Medal of Honor presented
  4. May 18, 1911
    Died in Logan, Ohio
    Age 74.
  5. Resting place
    Oak Grove Cemetery
    Logan, Ohio

Biography

John L. Younker (November 16, 1836 – May 18, 1911) was an American soldier who fought in the American Civil War. Younker received his country's highest award for bravery during combat, the Medal of Honor. Younker's medal was won for his heroism at the Battle of Cedar Mountain in Virginia on August 9, 1862. He was honored with the award on November 1, 1893. Younker was born in Württemberg, Germany. He joined the Army from Lancaster, Ohio in March 1862, and was discharged in March 1865. He is buried in Logan, Ohio.

From the Wikipedia article “John L. Younker”, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. Read the full article →

Also honored for actions on August 9, 1862

GC George W. Corliss Captain · Army Civil War · 1862

More Civil War recipients from Ohio

Leonidas H. Inscho Corporal · Army Civil War · 1862 William E. Richey Corporal · Army Civil War · 1863 GW George Wilhelm Captain · Army Civil War · 1863 MR Marion A. Ross Sergeant Major · Army Civil War · 1862 ✦ JS James (Ovid) Smith Private · Army Civil War · 1862 William Pittinger Sergeant · Army Civil War · 1862
Sources. Service and award details compiled from the recipient record of the Congressional Medal of Honor Society, Wikidata and Wikipedia. The narrative summary is generated from these records. Spotted an error? Send a correction.