THOMAS FRANKLIN YOUNG

Home of Record (official): HOT SPRINGS AR
Date of Birth: Wednesday, September 18, 1946
Sex: Male Race: Caucasian
Marital Status: Married

--- Military ---

Branch: Marine Corps
Rank: SGT
Serial Number: 2183922
Component: Regular
Pay grade: E5
MOS (Military Occupational Specialty code): 4312

--- Action ---

Start of Tour: Unknown/Not reported
Date of Casualty: Saturday, February 3, 1968
Age at time of loss: 21
Casualty type: (A1) Hostile, died
Reason: Gun, small arms fire (Ground casualty)
Country: South VietNam
Province: Thua Thien [in Hue city]
The Wall: Panel 37E - Row 016

Sgt. Young was serving with the American Forces Vietnam Network [AFVN]
at the time of his death.

His friend SFC Harry Ettmueller writes, "I was right next to Tom when he was KIA in Hue and it was 5 Feb 68 not the 3rd as believed. Tom was killed by a burst of automatic weapons fire while trying to evade with the detachment from being over run. We were in the streets of Hue fighting off a very large NVA force while heading towards MACV HQ and possible safety but alas we never made it. Three were killed that day to include one civilian a Courtney Niles, but the worse part was having Army SP. Steve Stroub executed shortly after capture.... Our detachment sustained 100% causalities, 3 KIA, 5 CIA, [Captured in Action] and 1 managed to evade. All of us sustained multiple wounds either gunshot, grenade, and or RPG's."

Harry L. Ettmueller, SFC US ARMY ret.

Sgt. Young's body was recovered by Marine Sergeant Dale Dye,
Marine Corporal Rick Grimm and Marine Sergeant Steve Berenson.

Five other men were taken POW from Sgt. Young's unit.

Sgt. Young is also memorialized on AFVN's TAPS page
as well as on The Wall in Washington DC.
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