Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1959-08-16


/ Ex-SuppIy(
Rear Admiral william Brent
Young. USN. retired, World
War II chief Of the Bureau Of
Supplies and Accounts and
widely known in washington
club circles. died yesterday at
the Bethesda Naval Hospital.
He was IL.
Hospital officials said Ad-
miral Young suffered a heart
attack after undergoing SURG
cry for a gain bladder condi-
ton.
Admiral Young was q native
Of Washington. He attended
District public schools and was
graduated from Georgetown
Law School in 1915. He prac-
ticed law here until 1917. when
he was ordered to active duty
as an ensign In the Navy Pay
Corps tnow Supply Corps). y
Fast Promotions
Advancement came rapidly
to the young naval ofiicer. who
exhibited extraordinary leader
ship qualities. BY 1918. he had
been promoted to lieutenant
and was outside superintendent
of the Philadelphia Navy Yard
supply department-directing a
large force Of men in the ship
ment Of war material to the
American Expeditionary Force
In Europe.
Admiral Young continued in
the Naval Reserve until 1920.
In 1921, as q result Of q COM
petitive examination, he was
appointed to the regular Navy.
In the next 20 years. he served
as supply officer aboard de-
stroyers, cruisers in the At
lantic and Asiatic Fleets and
In important shore station
positions here.
Early in l94l. Admiral Young,
then q commander. was as
signed as supply officer for the
Atlantic Fleet. For his skillful
management Of an unpre-
cedented feet supply effort. he
was awarded the Legion Of
Merit.
On June /. 1912. Comdr.
Young was appointed chief OF
the Bureau Of Supplies and Ac-
counts and Paymaster General
Of the Navy and promoted to
rank Of rear admiral. He was
the first officer appointed from
the reserve to attain the rank
Of rear admiral and one Of
only four officers jumped two
grades to nag rank.
Hits Red Tape
AS chief Of the Nays supply
activities. Admiral Young was
impatient with red tape. The
only purpose Of forces ashore
he often said, was to serve the
fleets ct sea.
I'VE can account with the
feet or we can fight with it,
he declared. land I say we
fight with it."
Early in World War II he
went thousands of miles to out
posts in the Atlantic, Pacific
and Caribbean to make sure
that supplies were being rushed
to fighting forces as quickly as
possible. For his services as
chief Of the Bureau Of Sup
plies and Accounts, Admiral
Young was awarded a Gold
Star in lieu Of a second Legion
Of Merit.
In March. 1916, Admiral
Young was relieved as chief
Of the Bureau of Supplies and
Accounts and was appointed
assistant commissioner of the
Foreign Liquidation Commits
sion.
Foreign Honors
In addition to his decora-
tons from the United States,
Admiral Young also was
awarded the Order Of the
British Empire, the French
Legion Of Honor and the Nor
wegian Order Of st. Olaf.
Admiral Young was a track
star while at Georgetown and
lis best remembered for his par
ticipation in the relay events.
In later life he led several
Georgetown fund drives and
was awarded a honorary Doc
tor Of Laws degree by his alma
mater in l943.
Admiral Young was q long,
time friend Of Harry C. (Curly)
Byrd, former president of
Maryland University. As young
men. they wrote sports stories
for The Star.
Y~ka~ l,~nf~@H IY@,,~- 49,.