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Submitted: 8/10/16 • Approved: 1/20/20 • Last Updated: 2/28/23 • R1151823-G0-S3
BRIGADIER GENERAL US Air Force
World War II
Korea
July 31, 1914 - March 10, 2004
Silver Star
Distinguished Flying Cross
Bronze Star
Loving Father and Grandfather
*Obituary
The Morning News of Northwest Arkansas
Saturday, March 13, 2004
Retired Air Force Brig. Gen. Charles M. Young Jr., 89, of Fayetteville died Wednesday, March 10, 2004, at his home.
He was born July 31, 1914, in Helena, one of seven children to Charles M. and Estelle Colhouer Young.
Gen. Young was a 1938 graduate of West Point Military Academy. Upon graduation, he attended flying school. Immediately after Pearl Harbor, he was promoted to lieutenant colonel and put in charge of training command.
In January 1944, he became commanding officer of the 367th Fighter Group. Upon completion of training they were shipped out to England. The 367th was assigned P-38 Lightning fighters and began escorting B-17 and B-24 bombers on bombing missions over France and Germany. The 367th flew many missions in preparation of June 6, 1944, (D-Day) and flew cover over the invasion troops on D-Day. The 367th lost 73 pilots from May 1944 through the end of the war. This averaged a pilot lost every 45 days. Only a small percentage of the original pilots returned home to their families.
Col. Young returned home in November 1944 and attended the Air University and was assigned to Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama as an instructor. He then became base commander for Webb Air Force Base in Texas. He later served as an intelligence officer at the Pentagon. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross on Aug. 13, 1944, and a Bronze Star in November 1944. Gen. Young then returned to Germany in the 1960s as base commander at Wiesbaden Air Force Base. He retired from military service in 1963.
Upon the death of his father, he became managing editor of the family owned Helena World Newspaper in Helena. He remained in that position until the newspaper was sold.
He then retired to Rogers, later moving to Fayetteville to be near his daughter, Carol. His later years were spent enjoying time with his family and grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by his wife, Norma Jean Horrigan Young, and a son, Charles Matthew Young III.
He is survived by two daughters, Carol Swonger Gulley of Fayetteville and Cynthia Jacobs of New Buffalo, Mich.; a brother, Porter Young of Heber Springs; a sister, Gloria Tappen of Helena; eight grandchildren, Ryan Swonger, Sidney Swonger, Jamie Swonger and Denise Swonger, all of Fayetteville, Jon Jacobs of New Buffalo, Mich., Marion McVicker of New Lennox, Ill., Sarah Williams of New Buffalo, Mich., Amy Jacobs of Chicago Heights, Ill; six great-grandchildren.
Graveside services, with full military honors, will be at 1 p.m. Monday at Son's Chapel Cemetery. Arrangements are by Moore's Chapel in Fayetteville.
Paul Woodhouse will officiate.
Visitation will be from 3 to 5 p.m. Sunday at Moore's.
Memorials may be made to Washington Regional Medical Center Hospice, 34 W. Colt Square, Suite 1, Fayetteville, 77203.
Contributed on 8/10/16 by wfields55
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Record #: 1151823