Gerald O. Young

Gerald Orren Young (May 19, 1930 – June 6, 1990) was a United States Air Force officer and a recipient of the U.S. military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.[1] After completion of helicopter training, he was assigned to the Marshall Islands from July to December 1958, where he took part in missions in support of the nuclear weapon tests.From December 1958 to January 1960, he served in Japan before being deployed to the 566th Strategic Missile Squadron at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Wyoming.[3] On the night of November 8–9, 1967, Young's aircraft was one of two HH-3E Jolly Green Giant helicopters sent to extract five survivors of a U.S. Army Special Forces reconnaissance team in Laos.Just after Maysey had helped both survivors safely on board, a rocket-propelled grenade (RPG) struck the number one engine, fatally crippling the craft.The engine exploded, inverting the helicopter, which rolled and skidded down a deep ravine and burst into flames; Young and one other man survived the crash and escaped the burning wreckage.Following his return to the US and subsequent hospitalisation for three months, Young was assigned to the 3637th Flying Training Squadron at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, serving from February 1968 to August 1969.Young was flying escort for another helicopter attempting the night rescue of an Army ground reconnaissance team in imminent danger of death or capture.