Elbert D. Young, Jr. enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942 as an aviation cadet. He received his basic pilot and bomber training at Roswell AFB, NM. He attended flight engineering school at Lowry Field, CO and LOX Gen & Repair in Ft. Belvoir, VA.
While serving continuously from 1951 to his honorable retirement in 1968 in the USAF, LtCol (Ret) Young held many positions at numerous bases throughout the U.S. and overseas. In addition to being an accomplished pilot, he served in the additional capacities as fuel management officer and transportation officer. He was recognized by his superiors for several accomplishments that included the delivery of fuel to the missile silos in Nebraska during the cold war era and the handling of the fuel distribution in Taiwan during the Gulf of Tonkin crisis. There were also additional duties as assigned such as morale officer and Officer's Club Management.
His first and true love in the USAF was flying. He was always making the time outside of his other duties to keep his flight time and qualifications in order so that he was able to continue to fly. His retirement due to disability in 1968 left a void in his life that could not be filled by anything else as flying was a world unto itself.
LtCol (Ret) Young passed away in 1986, predeceased by his wife, Lt Lois T. Young in 1982.