Lucien Young
Rear Admiral Lucien Young (31 March, 1852 – 2 October, 1912) served in the United States Navy.
Contents
Life & Career
Young was born in Kentucky and was appointed to the Naval Academy from the same state, graduating with the Class of 1873. On his first assignment, aboard screw sloop Alaska he saved a sailor who had fallen overboard, receiving special commendation from the Secretary of the Navy. Soon afterwards, Young was promoted to the rank of Ensign on 16 July, 1874..[1]
In November, 1877, Young was one of only 34 survivors of the screw sloop Huron when that vessel grounded off the North Carolina coast. He was advanced on the seniority list for his actions during the disaster.[2][3]
Young was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant (Junior Grade) on 3 March, 1883, and to the rank of Lieutenant on 1 May, 1884.[4] His first command, gunboat Alert in late 1897, was short lived, as he was relieved of command due to an attack of appendicitis.[5]
Spanish-American War
Recovered from his illness, Young was appointed to command armed yacht Hist from 4 June, 1898. The ship saw much action under his command, being involved in engagements at Manzanillo, Cuba on 30 June, 15 July, and 12 August, each of which ended in favor of the American forces. In addition, Hist took part in the Battle of Santiago on 3 July, rescuing part of the crew of the sunken Spanish ship Viscaya. For his actions in the war, Young was once again advanced on the seniority list.[6][7]
Later Career
Young was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant Commander on 3 March, 1899. Later that year, he became Captain of the Port of Havana, Cuba, and by April 1900 was Commandant of the Naval Station established there, serving until late 1901.[8][9]
Young was promoted to the rank of Commander on 5 March, 1902 and was appointed Lighthouse Inspector for the 9th District two days later.[10] In 1904 he served as commanding Officer of Unprotected Cruiser Montgomery from March until the ship decommissioned on September 15. He then assumed command of gunboat Bennington until that vessel was crippled by a boiler explosion on 21 July, 1905 in San Diego.[11][12] Young escaped the subsequent Court-martial with only a letter of reprimand.
This incident did not seem to harm his career, though he never did serve at sea again. Young was promoted to the rank of Captain on 1 July, 1906, while serving at the Mare Island Navy Yard. By 1909 he had been appointed Captain of the Yard.[13][14]
Young was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral on 17 March, 1910, shortly after being appointed Commandant of the Pensacola Navy Yard. When that Navy Yard closed in September, 1911, Young was transferred to command Naval Station Key West. Though one source indicated he was appointed to command the Charleston Navy Yard in September, 1912, none of the other sources found concerning his unexpected death while visiting New York City on 2 October, 1912, make mention of this.[15][16]
See Also
Bibliography
Service Records
| Naval Appointments | ||
| Preceded by Franklin Hanford |
Captain of U.S.S. Alert Dec, 1897 – Jan, 1898[17] |
Succeeded by Eugene H. C. Leutze |
| Preceded by New Command |
Captain of U.S.S. Hist 4 Jun, 1898[18] – after 1 Jan, 1899[19] |
Succeeded by Charles T. Owens |
| Preceded by Nathaniel J. K. Patch |
Captain of U.S.S. Montgomery 5 Mar, 1904 – 15 Sep, 1904[20] |
Succeeded by Edward Simpson |
| Preceded by Kossuth Niles |
Captain of U.S.S. Bennington after 15 Sep, 1904 – after 21 Jul, 1905[21][22] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by John B. Milton |
Captain, Navy Yard, Mare Island 1909[23] |
Succeeded by Benjamin Tappan |
| Preceded by Lewis C. Hellner |
Commandant, Navy Yard, Pensacola 15 Feb, 1910[24] – 30 Sep, 1911[25] |
Succeeded by ? |
| Preceded by Edward E. Hayden |
Commandant, Naval Station, Key West 27 Oct, 1911[26] – before 2 Oct, 1912[27] |
Succeeded by Edward E. Hayden |
Footnotes
- ↑ Hamersly. Living Officers 1898. pp. 173-174.
- ↑ New York Daily Herald 25 November, 1877 p. 7.
- ↑ Hamersly. Living Officers 1898. pp. 173-174.
- ↑ Hamersly. Living Officers 1898. pp. 173-174.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 6 October, 1912 p. 5.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1899. p. 16.
- ↑ Times Union (Brooklyn, NY) 3 June, 1898 p. 1.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1900. pp. 18-19.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1902. p. 16.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1904. p. 14.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 6 October, 1912 p. 5.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1905. p. 12.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1907. pp. 10-11.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1909. p. 229.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 6 October, 1912 p. 5.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1913. p. 214.
- ↑ "Pensacola News Journal 6 October, 1912 p. 5.
- ↑ List and Station, July 1898. p. 9.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1899. p. 16.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 6 October, 1912 p. 5.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1905. p. 12.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 6 October, 1912, p. 5
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1909. p. 229.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1911. p. 6.
- ↑ Pensacola News Journal 6 October, 1912 p. 5.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1912. p. 8.
- ↑ Register of Officers, 1913. p. 214.
