User:LDirr

Colonel Jack Robert Younger
Colonel Jack Younger was born in Forest, Virginia on October 13, 1886. He grew up in Lynchburg,Virginia. Younger completed high school and joined Company L, First Virginia Infantry, and went to the Mexican border, under the command of General Pershing.

Younger subsequently joined the Signal Corps in 1917, which was the flight division of the Army. Younger went to flight school at Kelly Field, San Antonio, Texas, where he trained in a Curtis Jenny aircraft.

While at Kelly Field, Younger often flew to one of the islands off the coast of Texas to go duck hunting. When he returned, he would drop the ducks from the air prior to landing, to avoid discovery.

After flight school, Younger went to Europe to serve in World War I, where he flew Spads into France from England. On one occasion, Younger was flying and spied a hydrogen-filled Barrage Balloon, a German observation balloon, and he shot at it until it exploded, and then flew through the fireball.

In Europe, Younger met many early aviators, including Eddie Rickenbacker, the first American flying ace, and Younger's great friend Billy Mitchell.

After World War I, Younger enrolled at New York Unversity, where he obtained a degree in Electrical Engineering. He subsequently attended Business School at Harvard University.

Younger continued to serve in the Army Reserves, and flew out of Dewdrop Field in New York City. At Dewdrop Field he was flying solo, and landed. Younger's close friend and fellow pilot Jordan along with a second pilot flew the same aircraft, hit an air pocket, and crashed into the bay. Younger took off in a canoe in an attempt to rescue the pilots. Younger dove into the water and pulled both pilots out of the submerged aircraft to the surface. The pilots were transported to a local hospital, however they did not survive.

Clifton Woodrum, Congressman from Virginia, nominated Younger for the Congressional Medal of Honor for his act of bravery. Since the rescue did not occur during wartime, the Medal of Honor was not awarded, however Younger was awarded the Coast Guard Lifesaving Medal of Honor.

In 1925, Younger married Catherine "Kitty" Frances Preston, of Roanoke, Virginia. A year later, in August, 1926, Younger's only child, John Preston Younger was born in Roanoke.

In 1926, Jack Younger helped build the first electrical substation for Miami, Florida. While working on the substation, Younger survived the famous Hurricane of 1926, which struck Miami. Many people were killed when they went outside during the eye of the hurricane, and were caught in the ensuing storm.

In 1940, Captain Younger was recalled into active military service. He attended the Industrial War College in Washington, D.C., and was sent to Greensboro NC in G-2 Millitary Intelligence. Younger became a Major and later a Lieutenant Colonel.

Younger was transferred to St. Louis where he was the assistant Chief of Staff for the Eastern Technical Training Command. There, he was promoted to Colonel. During World War II, Colonel Younger served in G-2, Military Intelligence, where he served throughout the war.

Colonel Younger was offered the rank of Brigadier General, however he felt that his health would not allow the promotion, especially since the post required a transfer to Europe.

In 1945, Younger's health deteriorated as a result of a head injury from falling ice and a broken tree branch while living in North Carolina. Younger had chronic headaches related to his injury, and requested a discharge in 1945. Younger was sent to a hospital in Pennsylvania, where he was discharged with a physical disability. Younger also experienced debilitating arthritis, and moved to Florida in 1946 in hope that a warmer climate would improve his arthritis pain.

In the 1950's, Colonel Younger served as crime commissioner of Miami, Florida. Younger worked closely with Estes Kefauver, the U.S. Senator from Tennessee, the chairman of the Senate Select Committee on Organized Crime. Younger paid visits to Washington, D.C, and Kefauver to Miami, to work on issues regarding resistance of organized crime. In Miami, Younger resisted the Al Copone mob by various tactics, including constant mob publicity in the Miami Herald. During this time, the Younger family received continuous death threats, including many telephone calls with threats of violence such as "cement boots" and "dumping in the ocean".

Colonel Younger was voted Man of the Year in 1952 by the City of Miami, and Younger was an active Rotarian.

In the late 1950's, Colonel Younger became a stewart at Gulf Stream horse track, where he judged the horse races and enforced rules regarding humane treatment of animals. The position was a political appointment, and after a change in the Florida governorship, Colonel Younger left this post.

During the 1960's, Colonel Younger spent his summers as a stewart at the race tracks in Canada. He became seriouely ill with the flu during one of his trips, and he never completely regained his health. Colonel Younger's past difficulties with alcoholism exacerbated during this time, which further worsened his already fragile health.

There are many other memories, tales and adventures that Colonel Younger took with him to his grave.

Colonel Younger died December 23, 1965 of a single gunshot wound to the head. He was survived by his wife, his son, and three grandchildren. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, where his resting place overlooks the Pentagon. His wife, Kitty, who died in November 2003, now rests beside him.