Their Story
Richard Allan Young was born on August 4, 1938, in Macomb, Illinois, the son of Francis and Anna Pearl Albee Young. His father was an assistant purchasing agent and his mother was a laborer.1 His father later was the parts manager at Warren Chevrolet. His father died in July, 1976, when Richard was stationed in Fulda, Germany,2 and his mother died on January 24, 1994.3
Young served in the United States Army from 1956 until his retirement in 1984. He attended basic training at Fort Leonard Wood, Missouri.4 Master Sergeant Young completed two tours of duty in Vietnam.5 He was awarded the Bronze Star, the Army Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal during his service in the army.6
Young was stationed in Seoul, Korea, for one year starting in 1981, where he met and married Hyon Kang on March 9, 1982.7 Richard and Hyon had three children, Kathy, Thomas, and Sarah.
The Bronze Star Medal is awarded to service members who perform an action the shows bravery and courage or who are meritorious in their work. To qualify, service members must perform these acts during an armed conflict against an enemy of the United States. The medal is awarded in three categories: valor, merit and achievement.8
Young worked as a manager and writer at Barnes & Reinecke in Davenport, Iowa, after his discharge from the Army. He was later employed as an equipment specialist at the Rock Island Arsenal for 11 years, retiring in 2000. Young enjoyed traveling and camping.9
Richard Allan Young died on December 3, 2014, in Moline, Illinois. The Moline American Legion Post 246 presented military honors. He was survived by his wife, Hyon; his son, Thomas; and his two daughters, Kathy, and Sarah. Young was preceded in death by his sister, Judith Spears.10
References
1 Ancestry.com – 1940 United States Federal Census
2 24 Jul 1976, 5 – The Dispatch at Newspapers.com
3 Richard Allan Young – Facts (ancestry.com).
4 06 Aug 1957, 10 – The Dispatch at Newspapers.com
5 05 Dec 2014, 7 – The Dispatch at Newspapers.com.
6 Richard A Young’s memorial page – Honor Veterans Legacies at VLM (va.gov).
7 Richard Allan Young (1938-2014) – Find a Grave Memorial.
8 What Is A Bronze Star? – Medals of America.
9 05 Dec 2014, 7 – The Dispatch at Newspapers.com.