Rodger Young

In January 1964, Young's story was featured in the 15th episode of the TV show 'The Great Adventure'.

Young's body was transferred to the United States in July 1949 and is now buried in McPherson Cemetery in Clyde, Ohio.

Young is briefly mentioned in Robert A. Heinlein's 1949 short story "The Long Watch" and in his novel "The Rolling Stones", a mountain range on the moon is named for Young. In Heinlein's novel Starship Troopers, for which he was awarded the Hugo in 1959, the troop transport TFCT Rodger Young is named for him. Loesser's ballad also features on several occasions in the book. Heinlein also included a "Historical Note" in which he quoted Young's Medal of Honor citation. The starship is also featured in Paul Verhoeven's adaption of the novel, named the "No. 176 Rodger Young"; in the movie the character Sgt. Zim pays a loose homage to Young's history by asking to be demoted so he can join the front lines.

In 1946, a veterans' housing project was established in Los Angeles, California. This was known as the Rodger Young Village until the mid-1950s when it was destroyed. At the Ohio National Guard Training Site in Camp Perry, there is a small arms firing range named in honor of Young. Camp Perry hosts the National Rifle & Pistol Championships.

On March 1, 1945, the city of Fremont, Ohio memorialized Fremont Water Works Park by dedicating it to the memory of Rodger W. Young and members of the armed forces from Sandusky County, Ohio in World War II.

In 1945, songwriter Frank Loesser wrote "The Ballad of Rodger Young". At the time, he was a private serving in the Army's Radio Production Unit. Life magazine featured the ballad's sheet music and lyrics in a story on Young in its March 5, 1945, edition. The Life article, together with the 1949 repatriation of Young's body to the United States, boosted the song's popularity. Best-selling recordings were made by Burl Ives and Nelson Eddy by the end of 1949. On March 31, 1946, "The Ballad of Rodger Young" was sung by tenor Dennis Day on the Jack Benny Program on the radio. After the song, Jack Benny gave a speech in Young's honor.

On January 6, 1944, Young's family was presented with the Medal of Honor. Young's Medal of Honor citation reads:

When Young submitted his request to the company commander, the commander initially thought Young was malingering in order to avoid combat; however, a medical examination carried out soon after determined that Young was nearly deaf, which convinced the commander to demote him. The examining doctor recommended that Young go to a field hospital for treatment. However, not wanting to miss the New Georgia landing, Young requested to remain with his squad. The commander accepted his request and a week later, on July 31, 1943, Young carried out the actions that led to his posthumous award of the Medal of Honor.

In October 1940, a year after joining the National Guard, Young and his unit were activated for federal service as part of American preparations for World War II. At that time, Young was a corporal, training new recruits in small arms handling. Following a promotion to sergeant, Young was assigned to lead an infantry squad. In 1942, soon after America's entry into the war, the 148th embarked for Fiji, in the Pacific, and after that to the nearby Solomon Islands for training prior to a deployment to the Japanese-held island of New Georgia. By this time, Young's hearing and eyesight had deteriorated to a point where, taking into account the safety of those under him, Young requested a demotion to private, which would render him unable to command a squad.

Looking for ways to earn extra income and thinking that, because of his health issues, he would fail the normal Army medical exam, Young applied to the Ohio National Guard in 1939. Despite his poor sight and hearing, Young was accepted and posted to "B" Company, 148th Infantry Regiment of the 37th Infantry Division. Although Young was the shortest man in his company and wore glasses, he was considered a good soldier by his peers.

Rodger Wilton Young (April 28, 1918 – July 31, 1943) was a United States Army infantryman from Ohio during World War II. Born in the small town of Tiffin, Ohio, in 1918, Young suffered a sports injury in high school that led to his becoming nearly deaf and blind. Despite this, Young was able to pass the exams necessary to enter the Ohio National Guard. Soon after the United States entered World War II, Young's company was activated as part of the U.S. Army. Soon after his activation, in 1943, Young was killed on the island of New Georgia while helping his platoon withdraw from a Japanese ambush. For his actions, he was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.

Young was born on April 28, 1918, in Tiffin, Ohio, to Nicholas and Ester Young. He had four siblings; three brothers and one sister. For much of his early life, Young lived in the town of Green Springs, Ohio, but later in his childhood he and his family moved to Clyde, Ohio. Throughout his childhood, Young enjoyed hunting, which improved his marksmanship skills.