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Charles H. Young,
1914-2001, was born in Argonia, Kansas, where he grew up on the family farm. Young
started his flying career at age 21 as a barnstormer flying an OX-5 powered American Eagle. He was accepted as a U.S. Army Air Corps Flying Cadet at Randolph Field in
1936, where he was first in his class to solo. According to research
conducted in 1994 by Col. George Williams, Asst. Director of the USAF Historical Division, Young still holds the USAF record for the
shortest time to solo: 55 minutes. A mandatory requirement for additional
dual time prior to solo was established not long after, so this record
will likely stand.
After
completing his training at Randolph and Kelly Fields, Young was assigned to the 90th Attack
Squadron, flying the Northrop A-17A. The squadron CO was then-Major Paul L. Williams, later the
commanding general of IX Troop Carrier Commandin World War II. In late 1939, Young went on reserve and joined American Airlines, flying the DC-2 and DC-3. Young was recalled to active duty in May 1942,
to help in the efforts to create a
new air force outfit, USAAF Troop Carrier. In World War II, Troop Carrier Command units
were vested with the primary responsibility of delivering the spearheads for most
of the invasions of Europe by the Western Allies (see IX
TCC Duty).
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LTC
Charles H. Young
July 1944 |
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Flying Cadet Charles
H. Young
in Curtis A-12 Shrike, 1937 |
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During
the Stateside buildup, Young
was a cadre member of three different
groups as they formed. These included the 375th, 435th, and 440th. In January1944 he became CO of the 439th
Troop Carrier Group, IX TCC. Young led the 439th in Normandy, Southern France,
Holland, across the Rhine River and on many other missions. The 439th was the third
group into Normandy, at the head of the 50th TC Wing,
and the first to draw heavy fire as the Germans got the range of the C-47
serials making their run-ins at 700 feet.
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Col.
Young brought extensive
night and instrument flying experience with him when he was recalled to active
duty, much of which was gained
in flying for American Airlines beginning in 1939. Airline pilots in this era received
rigorous
navigational instruction from the legendary pilots who pioneered the
airmail routes (see Airmail Flying). Col. Joel
Crouch, who had also been first in his USAAC class to solo,
in 1934, was recalled from United Airlines for active duty in World War
II. Crouch, who became the
commanding officer of the IX TCC Pathfinders, required pilots to “turn in” their instrument rating cards and re-earn those
ratings by airline standards.
Col.
Young returned to fly for American Airlines in November 1945, and resumed his career as a professional pilot. During his 35 years with
American, Young participated in several key aviation studies, one of which
was a coordinated effort between the USAF, the FAA, and the airlines to
develop advanced capabilities for blind landing procedures for NASA's space shuttle
project and for future
airline use. Young also served for 5½ years as Assistant Supervisor of Flight for American.
During the last five years of his career he flew the Boeing 747. His flight
log totaled more than 27,500 hours.
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Shown
above: Yves Tariel and Charles H. Young (right), 5 June 1983, stand by
the C-47 in the Airborne Museum in Sainte Mère Eglise, France. This C-47,
which actually flew in the D-Day paradrop by the 439th TC Group,
was restored as Col. Young's aircraft, The Argonia, which he flew
in the lead of the 439th's first serial. The dropzone was DZ C, near Ste Mère
Eglise.
The C-47 project was led by Yves Tariel in
France, by Henri Jean Renaud of Ste Mère Eglise, and by Bob Murphy,
former Pathfinder of the 82d Airborne Division. Ste Mère Eglise was the first town in France liberated by American forces.
This restored C-47 serves as a proud tribute to the Troop Carrier crews who flew
the Normandy missions, and to
the Airborne troopers who liberated this town and others in France
during World War II.
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