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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

           While serving as an assault bridge driver for 8th Tank Battalion,
        attached to 6th Marines (-) (Rein), 2d Marine Division, FMF in the
        Emirate of Kuwait during OPERATION DESERT STORM. At approximately 2oee
        on 24 February 1991, Sergeant YOUNG observed a hard-back Military Police
        HMMWV from an adjacent Army unit stray into an enemy minefield. The
        vehicle was occupied by two Army enlisted men and a Lieutenant. The
        area in which they were driving was under sporadic enemy artillery fire
        and visibility was limited to only a few meters due to darkness and
        dense clouds of smoke from burning oil wells. The HMMWV was traveling
        southwest down a trail when it broke through a one strand wire fence,
        traveled approximately 15 meters into the minefield, and the left front
        tire struck an anti-tank mine. The extreme force of the blast lifted
        the front end of the vehicle up and to the right, roughly perpendicular
        to the original direction of travel. The driver of the vehicle was
        partially thrown from the vehicle and hung from the door to the ground,
        unconscious.    Both of his feet had been severed and he suffered severe
        shrapnel wounds to the groin and face. The other enlisted passenger,
        who had been manning the machinegun mount, was ejected from the top
        hatch and landed on the ground at the left front side of the vehicle.
        Although conscious, he lay in a state of shock with injuries to the
        chest and legs. The Lieutenant,       in a state of shock from the blast,
        managed to crawl through the top hatch,      over the back of the vehicle,
        and walk towards the point where the vehicle had entered the minefield.
        As he exited the minefield, he began to scream for help. Sgt YOUNG and
        several others immediately moved forward to investigate.            As they
        approached the edge of the minefield, they encountered the Lieutenant,
        visibly shaken and in a state of shock. The Lieutenant was able to
        explain that two men remained inside the minefield. Without hesitation
        and in complete disregard for his own safety, Sgt YOUNG located the
        tracks of the HMMWV where it first entered the uncleared minefield and
        began leading the other men through the mines towards the injured
        soldiers.    Initially he was able to follow the imprints of the tires in
        the sand, but the effects of the blast, blowing sand, darkness and smoke
        combined  to make this method of movement impossible. Nonetheless, he
        continued toward the vehicle. The group of Marines and Corpsmen
        following Sgt YOUNG were forced to step in each others bootprints to
        avoid the mines. Noting sparks from the damaged battery under the front
        of the vehicle,     Sgt YOUNG continued to lead the other men forward,
        approaching the vehicle from the left rear side. He then climbed up on
        the back of the vehicle and crawled up on the roof. Without hesitation
        and in total disregard for his own safety, acting alone, Sgt YOUNG
        dropped off the left side of the vehicle down into the uncleared
        minefield. Assisted by Sgt WALLACE and LCpl WALKER, he picked up the
        driver and handed him to the others who were on the roof of the vehicle,
        where immediate medical care was rendered. This soldier subsequently
        succumbed to his wounds. Turning his attention to the wounded gunner,
        Sgt YOUNG dropped back down into the mineEield, carried him to the
        vehicle and assisted the others in lifting the man to the roof. Once
        the soldier was stabilized, Sgt YOUNG assisted the others in carrying
        him out of the uncleared minefield. By his daring actions and loyal
        devotion to duty in the face of great personal risk, S9t YOUNG saved the
        life of one soldier. In so doing he upheld the highest traditions of
        the United States Naval Service.


                                              1



                                     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