Medal of Honor: Rodger Wilton Younge – World War II, July 31, 1944

Name: Rodger Wilton Young
Rank: Private
Conflict: World War II
Unit: 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division
Date of Action: July 31, 1943
Location: New Georgia, Solomon Islands

Summary of Action:
The jungle was suffocating—thick, dark, and alive with danger. On the island of New Georgia, the battle had devolved into confusion and chaos. Visibility was nearly zero. Every shadow might conceal an enemy soldier.

Private Rodger Young, already wounded in a previous engagement, moved cautiously with his platoon, executing a limited withdrawal to better position the battalion for the night. Then, without warning, it happened.

An enemy machine gun erupted from a concealed position just 75 yards away on higher ground. Bullets ripped through the underbrush. The first burst struck Young—he was hit. But he didn’t fall back.

As his comrades began to disengage under orders, Young did something no one expected.

He called out that he had located the enemy gun position. Then, bleeding and crawling, he moved forward—toward the pillbox spitting death. Another burst tore into him, wounding him a second time. Still, he dragged himself closer, inch by inch through the mud and undergrowth.

The Japanese gunners saw him. He wanted them to.

By deliberately drawing their fire, Young gave his platoon the chance to escape the kill zone without further casualties. He returned fire when he could, the crack of his rifle echoing between bursts of the enemy weapon. Then he got close enough to do what he came to do.

He pulled the pin on a grenade. And another. He hurled them with his last strength.

Rodger Young was hit again—fatally this time. But by the time the jungle went quiet, the pillbox had gone silent with him.

He was just a Private. But his sacrifice saved every man in his platoon. He died alone, under fire, so that others could live.

Medal of Honor Citation:
On 31 July 1943, the infantry company of which Pvt. 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, Pvt. 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 machinegun concealed on higher ground only 75 yards away. The initial burst wounded Pvt. Young. As the platoon started to obey the order to withdraw, Pvt. Young called out that he could see the enemy emplacement, whereupon he started creeping toward it. Another burst from the machinegun 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 handgrenades, and while doing so was hit again and killed. Pvt. 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.