Marvin R. Young

Refusing evacuation he covered the retreat of wounded troops

Marvin Rex Young was born at Alpine, Texas, on 11 May 1947, the youngest of three children of Roy Clinton Young and Marilyn, née Hoskins. He grew up at Odessa, attended Permian High School and played football and baseball. He joined the Army in September 1966 and served in Vietnam with Company C, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry, 25th Infantry Division.

Young was wounded in December 1967 and again in February 1968. A separate engagement that February brought him the Bronze Star with V. By August he was a staff sergeant and squad leader.

On 21 August 1968, near Ben Cui, his company encountered an enemy force of approximately regimental strength. The leading platoon suffered casualties and lost its acting commander. Young took charge, organised a defensive position and moved among the men directing their fire. Ordered to withdraw, he remained behind to cover the movement.

When he saw a small group unable to escape, he moved towards it under fire. A serious head wound did not stop him. He reached the men, ordered them back and stayed with them as they fought towards safety. Further wounds shattered his arm and leg. He refused help which would delay his comrades, ordered them to continue withdrawing and kept firing until the enemy overran his position.

President Richard Nixon presented his posthumous Medal of Honor to his family on 7 April 1970. The family also received South Vietnamese gallantry decorations later that year. Young was buried in Sunset Memorial Gardens at Odessa. Local schools and memorials preserve his name alongside that of fellow Odessa Medal of Honor recipient Alfred Wilson.

Official Medal of Honor citation

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. S/Sgt. Young distinguished himself at the cost of his life while serving as a squad leader with Company C. While conducting a reconnaissance mission in the vicinity of Ben Cui, Company C was suddenly engaged by an estimated regimental-size force of the North Vietnamese Army. During the initial volley of fire the point element of the 1st Platoon was pinned down, sustaining several casualties, and the acting platoon leader was killed. S/Sgt. Young unhesitatingly assumed command of the platoon and immediately began to organize and deploy his men into a defensive position in order to repel the attacking force. As a human wave attack advanced on S/Sgt. Young's platoon, he moved from position to position, encouraging and directing fire on the hostile insurgents while exposing himself to the hail of enemy bullets. After receiving orders to withdraw to a better defensive position, he remained behind to provide covering fire for the withdrawal. Observing that a small element of the point squad was unable to extract itself from its position, and completely disregarding his personal safety, S/Sgt. Young began moving toward their position, firing as he maneuvered. When halfway to their position he sustained a critical head injury, yet he continued his mission and ordered the element to withdraw. Remaining with the squad as it fought its way to the rear, he was twice seriously wounded in the arm and leg. Although his leg was badly shattered, S/Sgt. Young refused assistance that would have slowed the retreat of his comrades, and he ordered them to continue their withdrawal while he provided protective covering fire. With indomitable courage and heroic self-sacrifice he continued his self-assigned mission until the enemy force engulfed his position. By his gallantry at the cost of his life and in the highest traditions of the military service, S/Sgt. Young has reflected great credit upon himself, his unit and the U.S. Army.

Congressional Medal of Honor Society, official recipient citation.