Cassin Young
Captain Cassin Young (6 March, 1894 – 13 November, 1942) served in the United States Navy.
Life & Career
Young was born in Washington, DC but was appointed to the Naval Academy from Wisconsin, graduating as a member of the Class of 1916 with the rank of Ensign on 3 June, 1916.[1] He served on battleship Connecticut from graduation into 1919, receiving promotion to the temporary rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 1 July, 1917, to the temporary rank of Lieutenant on 1 February, 1918, and to the permanent rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 3 June, 1919.[2][3][4]
By 1920 Young had embarked on service in submarines. He was promoted to the permanent rank of Lieutenant on 1 July, 1920 and later that year was appointed to command submarine R-23. He held this command until about January, 1922. While one source indicates he also commanded submarine R-2 this can not yet be verified by this editor.[5][6][7]
There followed for Young a series of sea and shore assignments in submarines and surface ships. He was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 2 June, 1927.[8]
In 1933 Young was appointed to command destroyer Evans until mid-1935.[9][10] Later in the decade he commanded a Submarine Division and served as Executive Officer of the Submarine Base at New London, Connecticut. Young was promoted to the rank of Commander on 1 February, 1937.[11]
Young would be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions as captain of the repair ship Vestal during the attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941. He had only assumed command of the ship in late November. Young was promoted to the temporary rank of Captain on 19 February, 1942.[12]
On November 9, 1942, he assumed command of heavy cruiser San Francisco. He was killed four days later during the First Battle of Guadalcanal while while his ship exchanged devastating fire with the fast battleship Hiei.[13]
A Fletcher-class destroyer was named after him. She survived a kamikaze strike and is preserved as a museum ship in Boston's Charlestown Navy Yard, near the U.S.S. Constitution.
See Also
Bibliography
Service Records
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by David R. Lee |
Captain of U.S.S. R-23 before 1 Jan, 1921[14] – c. Jan, 1922[15] |
Succeeded by Charles W. Weitzel |
| Preceded by Frank H. Sadler |
Captain of U.S.S. Evans before 1 Jan, 1934[16] – Jun, 1935[17] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Robert G. Coman |
Captain of U.S.S. Vestal Nov, 1941 – 6 Nov, 1942[18] |
Succeeded by ? |
Footnotes
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1917. pp. 78-79.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1918. p. 80.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1919. p. 76.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1920. pp. 56-57.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1921. pp. 54-55.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1923. pp. 54-55.
- ↑ Bio from USS San Francisco Website
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1928. pp. 56-57.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1934. pp. 54-55.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1935. pp. 50-51.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1939. pp. 40-41.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1942. pp. 36-37.
- ↑ USS San Francisco War Diary 9 November, 1942
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1921. pp. 54-55.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1923. pp. 54-55.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1934. pp. 54-55.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1935. pp. 50-51.
- ↑ USS Vestal War Diary 6 November, 1942
