Colonel James R. Young was commissioned an Infantry Officer upon graduation from Officer Candidate School 19 June 1943, class number 257. His first duty assignment was as Platoon Leader, Company H, 154th Infantry, Camp Picket, Virginia. | His subsequent duty assignments include: Platoon Leader, Co H, 124th Inf, New Guinea, East Indies; Company Commander, Anti Tank Co, 124th Inf, Philippines; Regimental Adjutant, Headquarters Co, 7th Infantry, Camp Campbell, Kentucky; Classification & Assignment Officer, CIC School, Camp Holabird, Maryland; Company Commander, Co M, 16th Infantry, Berlin, Germany; Company Commander, Headquarters Co, 3rd Bn, 6th Infantry, Berlin, Germany; Company Commander, Svc Co, 6th Infantry, Berlin, Germany; Asst PMS&T, Pennsylvania State University, State College, Pennsylvania; Operations and Training Staff Officer, MAAG, Taiwan, Tichung, Taiwan; R&D Coordinator, Army Research Office, Arlington, Virginia; Chief, O&T Div, George Washington U, G-3 Section, EUSA, Korea; Battalion Commander, 1st Bn, 12th Infantry, Fort Lewis, Washington; Div G4 & Acting Chief of Staff, Headquarters, 4th Inf Div, Fort Lewis, Washington; Assistant to CG, and Pleiku, Vietnam, Headquarters, USATC, Fort Lewis, Washington. | Colonel Young's awards and decorations include: Vietnam Service Medal; Commendation Medal; Nation Defense Service Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster; Philippine Presidential Unit Citation; Philippine Liberation Ribbon; WW II Victory Medal; Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal; American Campaign Medal; Distinguished Unit Citation; EIB; CIB; Bronze Star Medal w/ Oak Leaf Cluster.