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Subject = AWARD RECOMMENDATONS                                            

Folder Title = AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS                                                                           

Parent Organization = 1 MEF       

Unit  = 2ND MARDIV  

Box ID = BX600094

File Cabinet = Week-51 

File Room = dec96_classified    



                                  UNCLASSIFIED


                             PROPOSED SUMMARY OF ACTION

             For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as
         Commanding Officer, 2d Battalion(Rein), 2d Marines, attached to 6th
         Marines(-)(Rein) during OPERATION DESERT STORM, in the Emirate of Kuwait
         from 24-27 February 1991.
             Lieutenant Colonel Youngs led his battalion in a series of highly
         successful, deliberate, and hasty attacks against enemy forces defending
         fortified positions protected by two heavily mined obstacle belts
         covered by enemy small arms, mortar and artillery Eire. These attacks
         lead directly to the overwhelming success experienced by the 2d Marine
         Division   during    the same     operation. Lieutenant      Colonel Youngs
         continually    distinguished himself     by leading     the battalion and
         coordinating its movements from forward positions without regard Eor his
         own personal safety.
             In the early morning hours of 24 February (G-Day), positioning
         himself on an exposed vantage point in full view of the enemy where he
         could best control his forces,       Lieutena@t Colonel Youngs directed a
         complex multiple breach of the enemy obstacle belts with engineer and
         tank assets assigned to his command. Despite artillery and mortar fire,
         Lieutenant Colonel Youngs pressed his battalion successfully through the
         breach to consolidate the leading edge of the 2d Marine Division breach
         site. Continuing     the assault through     the breach lanes,        rapidly
         exploiting his success, he maintained        the momentum of the attack.
         Discovering Iraqi brigade strongpoints to    his Eront that he was unable
         to maneuver around, he forged ahead. With    a violent and massive forward
         assault into the enemy trenchlines and fortifications, he ordered his
         battalion to overrun the enemy brigade positions causing the enemy to
         flee or surrender. As a result of his courageous actions and leadership
         during the first day of the attack,his battalion captured over SOO enemy
         troops,   destroyed or captured 15 enemy tanks,         trucks and armored
         personnel carriers, and overran the defenses of the two Iraqi brigades
         in his zone of action. That evening he consolidated his gains, ensured
         close coordination with adjacent units,          set in strong defensive
         positions, and continued planning for the next day's attack against the
         enemy forces.
             Continuing the attack on the following day (G+I), he again moved his
         unit forward under hostile artillery fire into a battlefield obscured by
         smoke and thick fog that reduced visibility to one hundred meters or
         168B. Staying well forward within eight of the advance elements of the
         battalion and constantly moving back and forth between his left and
         right units, again exposing himself to hostile fire, he maintained
         continuous positive control of his subordinate units. Upon nightfall,
         with visibility reduced even more, he relentlessly pursued the enemy
         force,   guiding on burning enemy tanks and the flashes of his forward
         tank units' gunfire. His force, spurred by his leadership, maintained
         the momentum of the attack and continued to disrupt the enemy force
         preventing them from setting up any type of organized defense or
         coordinated   counterattack. During      this devastating     attack,     the
         battalion   overran a mechanized brigade        and the corps      artillery
         brigade,   forcing their disorganized retreat; capturing over 400 enemy
         soldiers, destroying or capturing 41 tanks, trucks, armored        personnel
         carriers, anti-aircraft guns and artillery pieces. Undaunted       by little
         or no sleep in 48 hours of combat, Lieutenant Colonel Youngs       continued
         to coordinate with adjacent units, set up a hasty defense, brought

                                               I


                                       UNCLASSIFIED

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Document 27 f:/Week-51/BX600094/AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS/award recommendatons:03249710492223
Control Fields 17
File Room = dec96_declassified
File Cabinet = Week-51
Box ID = BX600094
Unit = 2ND MARDIV
Parent Organization = 1 MEF
Folder Title = AWARD RECOMMENDATIONS
Folder Seq # = 240
Subject = AWARD RECOMMENDATONS
Document Seq # = 1
Document Date =
Scan Date =
Queued for Declassification = 01-JAN-1980
Short Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Long Term Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Permanent Referral = 01-JAN-1980
Non-Health Related Document = 01-JAN-1980
Declassified = 24-MAR-1997