The White Boats of Pearl Harbor: Unveiling the Heroic Stories Behind Their Names

Chapter 3: TB-39–3, CASSIN YOUNG

CASSIN YOUNG (TB-39–3) at rest beside DONALD K. ROSS (TB-39–4) at Ford Island.

BORN — March 6, 1894, Washington, District of Columbia

MARKED MOMENT — United States Naval Academy graduate, Class of 1916

DEC. 7, 1941 — Commanding Officer of the repair ship USS Vestal (AR-4)

PRE-WAR SERVICE

While a Midshipman at the Naval Academy, Young was known as “Cy” or “Teddy.” The 1916 yearbook “Lucky Bag” said this of him:

Teddy was made to enjoy life — that is, while he is young — but [someday] he’ll grow up and his abilities, which in here were at times obscured by his indifference to mere matters such as regulations, etc., will come to the surface, and Ted will then get the confidence that his abilities deserve.

After graduating on June 3, 1916, Young served on board the battleship USS Connecticut (BB-18). In 1919, he moved to submarines and served on board the USS R-22 and R-3 at the submarine base at Coco Solo, Panama.