Rank: Sergeant First Class
Unit: M Company, 3rd Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
MOS: 11E – Armor Crewman
Awards: Silver Star, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Purple Heart Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal with Two Oak Leaf Clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal
Badges: Combat Infantryman Badge
Unit awards: Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Palm device
Enlisted by: Regular
Date of birth: 28-Aug-1937
Hometown: Columbia, South Carolina
Marital status: Married to Mary A. Young, one daughter
Campaign: Vietnam Conflict
Start of tour: 19-Oct-1969
Incident date: 14-Feb-1970
Date of casualty: 14-Feb-1970
Age at death: 32
Cause of death: Hostile, died. Grenade. Multiple fragmentation wounds.
Clarence C. Young was killed while a commander of a military vehicle on a combat operation when a hostile force was encountered. / Tank commander on tank on reconnaissance patrol. Engaged hostile force in firefight.
Three Blackhorse troopers died in this incident:
SP5 Samuel Joseph Jorgensen
SP4 Wayne Dabney McRay
SFC Clarence C. Young
Location of fatality: Tay Ninh, South Vietnam, XT 256 693
Place of interment: Fort Benning Post Cemetery, Fort Benning, Georgia, USA
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SILVER STAR
POSTHUMOUS
STAFF SERGEANT CLARENCE C. YOUNG
14 FEBRUARY 1970
M COMPANY, 3rd SQUADRON
11TH ARMORED CAVALRY REGIMENT
Staff Sergeant Young distinguished himself by gallantry in action while engaged in military operations involving conflict with an armed hostile force on 14 February 1970 while serving as a platoon sergeant with Company M, 3d Squadron, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, in the Republic of Vietnam. On this date Sergeant Young’s platoon was attached to Troop C and was summoned to the aid of an infantry unit who was engaged with the enemy in a fierce battle. Upon arrival at the scene of contact the Troop’s tanks began to assault the enemy bunkers but could not employ their main guns due to the close proximity of the friendly troops. Sergeant Young advanced his platoon despite the deadly enemy barrage of rocket propelled grenades, small arms and automatic weapons fire launched upon them, in an attempt to crush the bunkers and aid the friendly unit to reposition tank elements. As the platoon continued destroying enemy bunkers a rocket propelled grenade struck Sergeant Young mortally wounding him instantly. Staff Sergeant Young’s actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, his unit and the United States Army.
Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam General Orders No. 1483 (8 April 1970)