Earlier this week, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to unanimously pass H.R. 1425, which designates the facility of the United States Postal Service located at 4551 East 52nd Street in Odessa, Texas, as the `Staff Sergeant Marvin `Rex' Young Post Office Building'. On August 21, 1968, while in battle in Vietnam, Staff Sgt. Young sacrificed his life to save the lives of his friends and comrades. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and sacrifice.
“I met Rex when we both were attending Odessa Permian High School,” said Conaway. “Rex was a year ahead of me and graduated in 1965. His last day on earth was almost 39 years ago. Because he and I are close to the same age, I think often about all the experiences I have had that he willingly gave up that hot, fateful day half way around the world. All of these experiences that I know Rex must have looked forward to—the good and the bad—were sacrificed on freedom’s altar in his heroic acts.”
Staff Sgt. Rex Young served as a squad leader with Company C. While conducting a reconnaissance mission, Company C was suddenly engaged by an estimated regimental-size force of the North Vietnamese Army. During the initial volley of fire, the point element of the 1st Platoon was pinned down, sustaining several casualties and the acting platoon leader was killed. Rex unhesitatingly assumed command of the platoon and immediately began to organize and deploy his men into a defensive position in order to repel the attacking force. As a human wave attack advanced on their platoon, Rex moved from position to position, encouraging and directing fire on the hostile insurgents while exposing himself to the hail of enemy bullets.
After receiving orders to withdraw to a better defensive position, he remained behind to provide covering fire for the withdrawal. Observing that a small element of the point squad was unable to extract itself from its position, and completely disregarding his personal safety, Rex began moving toward their position, firing as he maneuvered. When halfway to their position he sustained a critical head injury, yet he continued his self-assigned mission of protecting the element while it withdrew. His heroic actions saved their lives, but at the cost of his own. In the heavy fighting, Company C suffered 17 men killed and 21 wounded in action. No one knows how many other men would have been lost had Rex not stepped-in to save his friends.
Conaway went on to say, “It is with great pleasure and a deep sense of gratitude that I bring this bill to the floor to honor this great man. By doing so, his memory will live on—not just in the hearts of those of us who knew him—but also by everyone that uses or drives by that post office.”
