Captain Edward R Young
Edward Rae Young was born on March 5th, 1895 in Great Falls, Montana to Thomas and Sarah Young, both Scottish immigrants. As the oldest of four siblings, Edward naturally completed high school first and was accepted into Grinnell College after graduation. Unfortunately for him, his education was temporarily cut short when the United States finally entered World War One in April of 1917.
WW1
Instead of waiting for a draft notice, Edward enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 7th and was sent to Mare Island for two months of basic training. He eventually found himself at the Naval Torpedo Station, Rhode Island by the turn of the next year, and was met by a recruiter with a particularly enticing offer. Air warfare was essentially a brand new type of fighting that required personnel ready to become pioneers in the area. Private Young quickly signed up and was sent to Boston to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s ground work course led by Army instructors on June 6th, and then to the Naval Aviation School where he was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant on the 20th. After nearly two months of meticulous training, Young transferred to the Marine Flying Field in Miami, Florida for further instruction and where he began flying solo on September 13th. On November 1st, he was discharged to accept an appointment as a 2nd Lieutenant upon completing training and getting his wings, but the Great War ended just 10 days later and so did any hopes of going overseas to fight. Edward was discharged from the Marines on December 16th due to the war ending and he returned to Montana.
Edward rejoined Grinnell College and acquired his degree, but aviation was never too far behind him. Using his skill and love for flying, he toured surrounding states in flying shows and later sold airplane parts during the 1920s and 1930s. He also met Martha Freeman who he married on New Year’s Eve in 1932 in Oklahoma. By 1940, Edward had returned to Montana with his family, had a son but the Second World War had erupted overseas and tensions were mounting in the United States. On December 7th, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and dragged America into the war. Although Edward had a family and was nearing the age of 47, his prior experience as a pilot and the urge to serve his country a second time prompted him to return to the Marine Corps where he accepted a direct commission to a 1st Lieutenant in the reserve on May 25th, 1942. He quickly left for Headquarters Squadron, Quantico, Virginia to become reacquainted with service life, and completed a Quartermaster Administration course in New River by November 23rd. At the beginning of 1943, Lt Young was commanding Headquarters Squadron 44, Marine Base Defense Group 44 in the Mojave until transferring to their Service Squadron on March 9th as the group’s material officer with the new rank of Captain. Six months later, he returned to his previous unit as Assistant Operations Officer in preparation for deployment to the Pacific. Finally, on April 19th, 1944, Captain Young left California aboard the USAT Robin Doncaster and arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia on May 6th for a eight day layover. Finally, he settled in Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides with Service Squadron 11, MAG 11, 2nd Marine Air Wing as group assistant material officer. Although he was too old to fly combat missions and forced to work on the ground, Young proudly wore his gold aviator wings that he earned over 25 years ago.
Drive to the Philippines
On July 1st, 1944, Young was sent to Marine Observation Squadron 251, MAG 24, 1st Marine Air Wing on the island as squadron camp maintenance officer. His stint with VMO 251 only lasted two months, however the squadron was flying sorties in support of the Consolidation of the Northern Solomons throughout the period. Bidding goodbye on August 31st, Captain Young traveled to Emirau Island to join the reformed Marine Fighting Squadron 215 as assistant material officer for a very brief period before returning to Espiritu Santo on September 27th. Here, he found a new home with Marine Fighting Squadron 211, MAG 12, 1st Marine Air Wing. This squadron had an illustrious career, fighting at Wake and being ravaged at Pearl Harbor in 1941 until it was reformed and deployed again in April of 1942. Young worked at their camp as an Adjutant and Censor while the air echelon fought in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October and delivered devastating strikes on Leyte Island in December 1944 prior to the ground invasion. On January 22nd, the ground echelon left Emirau on the USS Jack London and arrived in Mindoro, Philippine Islands on February 11th, then moved to Zamboanga Island after it was captured on March 18th to set up the airfield. The battle for the southern Philippines was already raging both on land and sea while Captain Young carried on his duties in support of VMF 211. Before its capture was complete however, Young boarded the USAT Charles P Steinmetz for his transfer back to the United States which he arrived at on July 24th.
Young returned to the Mojave and served with multiple aviation units for the remainder of the war, and was discharged on January 18th, 1946 at the 13th Redistribution Center in Bremerton. He joined the Marine Corps Volunteer Reserve shortly after, and was permanently placed on inactive status in July 1952. In his civilian life, Edward was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the American Legion, VFW, enjoyed fishing, camping, the outdoors, and flying. He also established the E. R. Young Company in 1960 which sold building supplies. Edward sadly passed away on May 3rd, 1983.
WW1
Instead of waiting for a draft notice, Edward enlisted in the Marine Corps on August 7th and was sent to Mare Island for two months of basic training. He eventually found himself at the Naval Torpedo Station, Rhode Island by the turn of the next year, and was met by a recruiter with a particularly enticing offer. Air warfare was essentially a brand new type of fighting that required personnel ready to become pioneers in the area. Private Young quickly signed up and was sent to Boston to attend the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s ground work course led by Army instructors on June 6th, and then to the Naval Aviation School where he was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant on the 20th. After nearly two months of meticulous training, Young transferred to the Marine Flying Field in Miami, Florida for further instruction and where he began flying solo on September 13th. On November 1st, he was discharged to accept an appointment as a 2nd Lieutenant upon completing training and getting his wings, but the Great War ended just 10 days later and so did any hopes of going overseas to fight. Edward was discharged from the Marines on December 16th due to the war ending and he returned to Montana.
Edward rejoined Grinnell College and acquired his degree, but aviation was never too far behind him. Using his skill and love for flying, he toured surrounding states in flying shows and later sold airplane parts during the 1920s and 1930s. He also met Martha Freeman who he married on New Year’s Eve in 1932 in Oklahoma. By 1940, Edward had returned to Montana with his family, had a son but the Second World War had erupted overseas and tensions were mounting in the United States. On December 7th, 1941, Japan attacked Pearl Harbor and dragged America into the war. Although Edward had a family and was nearing the age of 47, his prior experience as a pilot and the urge to serve his country a second time prompted him to return to the Marine Corps where he accepted a direct commission to a 1st Lieutenant in the reserve on May 25th, 1942. He quickly left for Headquarters Squadron, Quantico, Virginia to become reacquainted with service life, and completed a Quartermaster Administration course in New River by November 23rd. At the beginning of 1943, Lt Young was commanding Headquarters Squadron 44, Marine Base Defense Group 44 in the Mojave until transferring to their Service Squadron on March 9th as the group’s material officer with the new rank of Captain. Six months later, he returned to his previous unit as Assistant Operations Officer in preparation for deployment to the Pacific. Finally, on April 19th, 1944, Captain Young left California aboard the USAT Robin Doncaster and arrived in Noumea, New Caledonia on May 6th for a eight day layover. Finally, he settled in Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides with Service Squadron 11, MAG 11, 2nd Marine Air Wing as group assistant material officer. Although he was too old to fly combat missions and forced to work on the ground, Young proudly wore his gold aviator wings that he earned over 25 years ago.
Drive to the Philippines
On July 1st, 1944, Young was sent to Marine Observation Squadron 251, MAG 24, 1st Marine Air Wing on the island as squadron camp maintenance officer. His stint with VMO 251 only lasted two months, however the squadron was flying sorties in support of the Consolidation of the Northern Solomons throughout the period. Bidding goodbye on August 31st, Captain Young traveled to Emirau Island to join the reformed Marine Fighting Squadron 215 as assistant material officer for a very brief period before returning to Espiritu Santo on September 27th. Here, he found a new home with Marine Fighting Squadron 211, MAG 12, 1st Marine Air Wing. This squadron had an illustrious career, fighting at Wake and being ravaged at Pearl Harbor in 1941 until it was reformed and deployed again in April of 1942. Young worked at their camp as an Adjutant and Censor while the air echelon fought in the Battle of Leyte Gulf in October and delivered devastating strikes on Leyte Island in December 1944 prior to the ground invasion. On January 22nd, the ground echelon left Emirau on the USS Jack London and arrived in Mindoro, Philippine Islands on February 11th, then moved to Zamboanga Island after it was captured on March 18th to set up the airfield. The battle for the southern Philippines was already raging both on land and sea while Captain Young carried on his duties in support of VMF 211. Before its capture was complete however, Young boarded the USAT Charles P Steinmetz for his transfer back to the United States which he arrived at on July 24th.
Young returned to the Mojave and served with multiple aviation units for the remainder of the war, and was discharged on January 18th, 1946 at the 13th Redistribution Center in Bremerton. He joined the Marine Corps Volunteer Reserve shortly after, and was permanently placed on inactive status in July 1952. In his civilian life, Edward was a member of the Masonic Lodge, the American Legion, VFW, enjoyed fishing, camping, the outdoors, and flying. He also established the E. R. Young Company in 1960 which sold building supplies. Edward sadly passed away on May 3rd, 1983.