Cassin Young Cassin Young ( March 6 , 1894 – November 13 , 1942 ) was a Captain in the United States Navy who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism during the attack on Pearl Harbor . Biography . Young was born in Washington , D . C . , on March 6 , 1894 . He would move to Wisconsin , which his military records state as his official residence . After graduation from the U . S . Naval Academy on June 3 , 1916 , he served on the battleship into 1919 , then spent several years in submarine s . During that period , he commanded the submarines and . During the mid and late 1920s , he served in Naval Communications on the staff of Commander Submarine Divisions , Battle Fleet , and at the Naval Academy . During 1931 to 1933 , Lieutenant Commander Young served on the battleship . He was subsequently awarded command of the destroyer and was assigned to the Eleventh Naval District from 1935 to 1937 . After promotion to the rank of Commander , he commanded Submarine Division Seven and was stationed at Naval Submarine Base New London , in Groton , Connecticut . When the Japan ese attacked Pearl Harbor on December 7 , 1941 , he was commanding officer of the repair ship , which was badly damaged by enemy bombs and the explosion of the battleship . Commander Young rapidly organized offensive action , personally taking charge of one of " Vestal " s antiaircraft guns . When " Arizona " s forward magazine exploded , the blast blew Young overboard . Although stunned , he was determined to save his ship by getting her away from the blazing " Arizona " . Swimming through burning oil back to " Vestal " , which was already damaged and about to be further damaged , Young got her underway and beached her , thus ensuring her later salvage . His heroism was recognized with the Medal of Honor . Promoted to Captain in February 1942 , he later was given command of the heavy cruiser . In the Solomon Islands campaign , Captain Young commanded " San Francisco " in the Battle of Cape Esperance and the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal with great distinction . On November 13 , 1942 , during the latter battle , he guided his ship in action with a superior Japanese force and was killed by enemy shells while closely engaging the battleship " Hiei " . Captain Young was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his actions during the campaign and " San Francisco " received the Presidential Unit Citation . Medal of Honor citation . Medal of Honor citation : For distinguished conduct in action , outstanding heroism and utter disregard of his own safety , above and beyond the call of duty , as Commanding Officer of the U . S . S . Vestal , during the attack on the Fleet in Pearl Harbor , Territory of Hawaii , by enemy Japanese forces on December 7 , 1941 . Commander Young proceeded to the bridge and later took personal command of the 3 - inch antiaircraft gun . When blown overboard by the blast of the forward magazine explosion of the U . S . S . Arizona , to which the U . S . S . Vestal was moored , he swam back to his ship . The entire forward part of the U . S . S . Arizona was a blazing inferno with oil afire on the water between the two ships ; as a result of several bomb hits , the U . S . S . Vestal was afire in several places , was settling and taking on a list . Despite severe enemy bombing and strafing at the time , and his shocking experience of having been blown overboard , Commander Young , with extreme coolness and calmness , moved his ship to an anchorage distant from the U . S . S . Arizona , and subsequently beached the U . S . S . Vestal upon determining that such action was required to save his ship . Captain Young ' s Medal of Honor is on display at the Naval Academy Museum in Annapolis MD . Namesake . In 1943 , the destroyer was named in his honor . This famous destroyer has been restored and is now berthed at the Charlestown Navy Yard in Boston Harbor , across from the USS " Constitution " .