Rodger Young | |
|---|---|
 Young as a sergeant | |
| Born | April 28, 1918 Tiffin, Ohio, U.S. |
| Died | July 31, 1943 (aged 25) Munda, New Georgia |
| Place of burial | McPherson Cemetery, Clyde, Ohio |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |  United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1939–1943 |
| Rank | Sergeant |
| Unit | 148th Infantry Regiment, 37th Infantry Division |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Medal of Honor Purple Heart |
Rodger Wilton Young (April 28, 1918 – July 31, 1943) was a United States Army infantryman from Ohio during World War II. Born in the small town of Tiffin, Ohio, in 1932, Young suffered a sports injury in high school that led to his becoming nearly deaf and blind. Despite this, he was able to pass the exams necessary to enter the Ohio National Guard. Soon after the United States entered World War II, Young's company was activated as part of the U.S. Army. Soon after his activation, in 1943, Young was killed on the island of New Georgia in Solomon Islands while helping his platoon withdraw from a Japanese ambush. For his actions, he was posthumously awarded the United States' highest military decoration, the Medal of Honor.
In remembrance of Young, the songwriter Frank Loesser wrote "The Ballad of Rodger Young", a war song based on Young's Medal of Honor citation. The night infiltration course at Fort Benning is named for Young, as is a small arms firing range at Camp Perry.