Frank Loesser's Song 'Rodger Wilton Young'

Rodger Wilton Young

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Rodger Wilton Young
Rodger Young

Rodger Young while a sergeant Born Died Place of burial Allegiance Service/branch •
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April 28, 1918 Tiffin, Ohio July 31, 1943 (aged 25) Munda, New Georgia McPherson Cemetery in Clyde, Ohio United States of America United States National Guard United States Army

Years of service 1938 – 1943 Rank Unit Battles/wars Sergeant (voluntarily reduced to Private) 37th Infantry Division
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World War II Battle of New Georgia

Awards

Medal of Honor

Rodger Wilton Young (April 28, 1918 – July 31, 1943) was an American infantryman in the U.S. Army during World War II. He was killed on the island of New Georgia while helping his platoon withdraw under enemy fire. For his actions,…show more content…
Life reproduced the song's sheet music and lyrics in a story about Rodger Young in March 5, 1945. This, and the return of Young's remains in 1949, added to the song's popularity, with several best-selling recordings being made, by Burl Ives and Nelson Eddy among others, by the end of the decade. There is a short mention of Young in Robert A. Heinlein's 1949 short story "The Long Watch". In Heinlein's Hugo-winning 1959 novel Starship Troopers, the troop transport TFCT Rodger Young is named for him and the Loesser ballad is featured prominently throughout the book. At the end of the book after the novel is a "Historical Note" with Heinlein's retelling of Young's citation for gallantry. The starship name "No. 176 Rodger Young" is also used in Paul Verhoeven's 1997 film version of Starship Troopers. Young was also the subject of an episode of the historical TV anthology The Great Adventure. He was portrayed by James MacArthur. The following place names honor Young: • The Night Infiltration Course at Fort Benning, Georgia, is named for him. A requirement for graduation from the U.S. Army Infantry School, soldiers must crawl over 100 meters through sand, mud, and water while live rounds from M60 or M240B machine guns are fired overhead. The Recreation Center across from Foxtrot 2-19 in Fort Benning has a plaque citing his…show more content…
google. com/ books?id=9VIEAAAAMBAJ& pg=PA117& lpg=PA117). Life Magazine: p. 117. March 5, 1945. . Retrieved July 7, 2010. [2] "Rodger W. Young" (http:/ / webcache. googleusercontent. com/ search?q=cache:vV4Qf9qsYMcJ:www. ohiohistorycentral. org/ entry. php?rec=1808+ Rodger+ Wilton+ Young& cd=12& hl=en& ct=clnk& gl=au). Ohio History Central. . Retrieved July 7, 2010. [3] "Rodger Young: Little Man, Big Hero" (http:/ / www. homeofheroes. com/ profiles/ profiles_young. html). Home of Heroes. . Retrieved July 7, 2010. [4] "The Ballard of "Rodger Young": An Infantry Private Who Became a Hero Inspires a Stirring New Song" (http:/ / books. google. com/ books?id=9VIEAAAAMBAJ& pg=PA117& lpg=PA117#v=onepage& q=Rodger Young& f=false). Life Magazine: p. 111. March 5, 1945. . Retrieved July 7, 2010. [5] Tillman 2006, p. 100. [6] "World War II (T-Z); Rodger Wilton Young entry" (http:/ / www. history. army. mil/ html/ moh/ wwII-t-z. html). Medal of Honor recipients. United States Army Center of Military History. August 3, 2009. . Retrieved July 7,