Rodger Young

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-02-01 02:07pm

I watched Starship Troopers (the movie) today, and I wondered which historical figure Rodger Young was, as there was a starship with his name.

So I ask you people: Who the heck is Rodger Young, and how much relevant is it to name a starship for him??? Or is he a fictional person, a man who hasn't been born yet, but who will be a future hero of the Terran Federation???

I'm Danish and not too big on British, Australian, Canadian or American history. So can anyone help me about who Rodger Young is??

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-02-01 02:23pm

He was a WWII American infantryman who saved his entire platoon in an amphibious assault. They were pinned down by machinegun fire from a bunker, and he attacked the bunker. Although being hit by .50 MG fire, he managed to toss a grenade into the enemies. Both he and the machinegunners died.

Post by **fgalkin** » 2003-02-01 02:54pm

We've had a lot of soldiers do that during the Winter war. Aleksandr Matrosov is the name that comes to mind.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Stormbringer · Post by **Stormbringer** » 2003-02-01 02:56pm

fgalkin wrote:We've had a lot of soldiers do that during the Winter war. Aleksandr Matrosov is the name that comes to mind.

It happened a lot with the Us invasions of Japanese held islands. And Iwo Jima and Okinawa especially.

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-02-01 03:03pm

True. Rodger Young was selected because a ballad about him had been written by Frank Loesser. The lyrics used in the book actually are in the ballad, but in different stanzas. Here's the entire ballad's lyrics:

No, they've got no time for glory in the Infantry.
No, they've got no use for praises loudly sung,
But in every soldier's heart in all the Infantry
Shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young.

Shines the name--Rodger Young!
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
To the everlasting glory of the Infantry
Lives the story of Private Rodger Young.

Caught in ambush lay a company of riflemen--
Just grenades against machine guns in the gloom--
Caught in ambush till this one of twenty riflemen
Volunteered, volunteered to meet his doom.

Volunteered, Rodger Young!
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting annals of the Infantry
Glows the last deed of Private Rodger Young.

It was he who drew the fire of the enemy
That a company of men might live to fight;
And before the deadly fire of the enemy
Stood the man, stood the man we hail tonight.

On the island of New Georgia in the Solomons,
Stands a simple wooden cross alone to tell
That beneath the silent coral of the Solomons,
Sleeps a man, sleeps a man remembered well.

Sleeps a man, Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting spirit of the Infantry
Breathes the spirit of Private Rodger Young.

No, they've got no time for glory in the Infantry,
No, they've got no use for praises loudly sung,
But in every soldier's heart in all the Infantry
Shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young.

Shines the name--Rodger Young!
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
To the everlasting glory of the Infantry
Lives the story of Private Rodger Young.

Sir Sirius · Post by **Sir Sirius** » 2003-02-01 04:13pm

fgalkin wrote:We've had a lot of soldiers do that during the Winter war. Aleksandr Matrosov is the name that comes to mind.

Have a very nice day.
-fgalkin

Yeah, that's why you lost suffered a 5 to 1 casualty rate in the Winter War, even though you had numerical superiority on your side, as well as numerical and qualitative superiority in warplanes, tanks, artillery Etc.

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2003-02-01 04:24pm

Quoth the book (which is infinitly better)
Young, Rodger W., Private, 148th Infantry, 37th Infantry Division (The Ohio Buckeyes); born Tiffin Ohio, 28 April 1918; died 31 July 1943, on the island New Georgia, Solomans, South Pacific, while singalhandedly attacking and destroying an enemy machine-gun pillbox. His platoon had been pinned down by intense fire from this pillbox; Private Young was wounded in the first burst. He crawled towards the pillbox, was wounded a second time but contiued to advance, firing his rifle as he did so. HE closed on the pillbox, attacked and destroyed it with hand grenades, but in so doing he was wounded a third time and killed.

His bold and gallant action in the face of overwhelming odds enabled his teammates escape without loss; he was awarded posthumously the Medal of Honor.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-02-02 03:11am

Thanks!

Defiant · Post by **Defiant** » 2003-02-02 09:22pm

Yep, Rodger Young was from Ohio. Go Bucks!!!

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2003-02-03 12:39am

Simon H.Johansen wrote:Thanks!

Welcome. Now go forth, and read the book Starship Troopers, by Heinlein. Good read, much better (and different) from the movie.

Tsyroc · Post by **Tsyroc** » 2003-02-03 07:47am

Singuler Quartet wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:Thanks!
Welcome. Now go forth, and read the book Starship Troopers, by Heinlein. Good read, much better (and different) from the movie.

And after that you can watch the computer animated Roughnecks: Starship Trooper Chronicles. They can get a little boring if you watch too many episodes back to back though.

Lord Pounder · Post by **Lord Pounder** » 2003-02-03 07:59am

The book is one of the best i ever read, i just finished it last night and my mind was blown away. From it i can now see where so many of the other books like Sten got their inspiration. The only conection between the book and the movie is the names of the characters.

I must now work out a way to keep this book and not return it to the library

The Dark · Post by **The Dark** » 2003-02-03 10:54am

Tsyroc wrote:
Singuler Quartet wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:Thanks!
Welcome. Now go forth, and read the book Starship Troopers, by Heinlein. Good read, much better (and different) from the movie.

And after that you can watch the computer animated Roughnecks: Starship Trooper Chronicles. They can get a little boring if you watch too many episodes back to back though.

And after that watch Uchuu No Senshi, the anime based on Starship Troopers. And if you find an extra copy, send it my way, I've been unable to find one.

Peregrin Toker · Post by **Peregrin Toker** » 2003-02-03 01:38pm

Singuler Quartet wrote:
Simon H.Johansen wrote:Thanks!
Welcome. Now go forth, and read the book Starship Troopers, by Heinlein. Good read, much better (and different) from the movie.

I've tried to find it at the local library, but they apparently don't have it.

Or it was borrowed out. They did, after all, have other books by Heinlein.

Companion Cube · Post by **Companion Cube** » 2003-02-03 02:34pm

IMO, the movie was a lot clearer in expressing Heinlein's semi-Fascist concept of the future. In the movie, all you hear are a few lines about citizenship being a privelege that must be earned through military duty.

(As an aside, the Mobile Infantry of the book were all (almost all?) exosuit-wearing jetpack infantry, hence 'mobile')

Sorry if everyone here already knew that.

Rubberanvil · Post by **Rubberanvil** » 2003-02-03 02:57pm

Darth Pounder wrote: I must now work out a way to keep this book and not return it to the library

It'll be cheaper to go to a bookstore and buy a copy of it, especially if your library is hellbent on collecting late fees and getting their book back

.

Singular Quartet · Post by **Singular Quartet** » 2003-02-03 03:17pm

3rd Impact wrote:IMO, the movie was a lot clearer in expressing Heinlein's semi-Fascist concept of the future. In the movie, all you hear are a few lines about citizenship being a privelege that must be earned through military duty.

Granted, but there's nearly no curroption and anybody can sign up.

(As an aside, the Mobile Infantry of the book were all (almost all?) exosuit-wearing jetpack infantry, hence 'mobile')

Except for the Neo-dog unit and the navy, everybody was in power armor.

Sorry if everyone here already knew that.

Whatever.