Robert A . Young Robert A . Young III ( November 27 , 1923 – October 17 , 2007 ) was a Democratic politician from the state of Missouri who served five terms in the US House of Representatives . Education and family background . Young was the oldest child in a family that grew to include nine children . He was educated in parochial schools in St . Louis County . He attended McBride High School and graduated from Normandy High School in 1941 . He married Irene Slawson on November 27 , 1947 and they were married for fifty years , until her death in 1997 . Their family includes three children , nine grandchildren , and ten great - grandchildren . Young was a union pipefitter by trade , a member of Pipefitters and Plumbers Local 562 , AFL - CIO , St . Louis , until his election to Congress in 1976 . Military service . Young served in the U . S . Army from February 1943 to November 1945 . His unit landed “ under fire ” on Utah Beach , on D - Day , June 6 , 1944 . He then served in General George Patton ’ s 3rd Army in the Battle of the Bulge . He was awarded the Bronze Star for valor in combat , the African - European Campaign Medal with Five Battlestars , the Combat Infantryman Badge , and the French Croix - de - Guerre with Palm for D - Day . Political career . Young ' s long political career began in 1952 with his election as Democratic Committeeman for Airport Township in St . Louis County , an office he held until 1977 . He was elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 1956 and served there for 6 years . In 1962 , he was elected to the Missouri State Senate , and served for 14 years . During his years in the State Legislature , Young supported legislation that created the St . Louis Junior College District and helped establish the University of Missouri – St . Louis . The St . Louis Globe - Democrat awarded him its Award for Meritious Service to his state three times , 1972 , 1974 , and 1976 . In 1976 , Young was elected to the United States House of Representatives representing the Second Congressional District of Missouri . As a member of Congress , he served on several key committees including Public Works and Transportation , Aviation , Water Resources , and Science and Technology . Young was reelected without serious difficulty in 1978 and 1980 . However , after the 1980 census , Young ' s district was significantly altered as a result of Missouri losing a congressional district . He lost his share of St . Louis , and was instead pushed into more conservative territory to the west . Although he took 56 percent in 1982 , he was nearly defeated by Republican State Representative Jack Buechner in 1984 as Ronald Reagan took almost 60 percent of the vote in his district . Young faced Buechner again in 1986 , and this time lost by 7 , 400 votes . Young was a strong proponent of public works projects to benefit his district and the state of Missouri . The St . Louis Construction News and Review and Pride , Inc . named Young “ Construction Industry Man of the Year ” in 1981 . Among the projects he supported were landscaping the Gateway Arch , renovation of the Old Post Office , the creation of the light - rail mass transit MetroLink system , the construction of the Thomas F . Eagleton Federal Courthouse , the expansion of Lambert Airport , and the new Lock and Dam 26 at Alton , Illinois . Retirement . After his retirement from public office , Young remained active and involved in community affairs . He was a life member of Amvets , VFW , and was an active member of American Legion Post 338 in Overland , Missouri . He also served on the Board of the James S . McDonnell USO and was a member of the St . Louis Airport Commission . Awards and honors . In 1988 , President Ronald Reagan designated the Federal Building in downtown St . Louis as the “ Robert A . Young Federal Building ” in Young ' s honor . Other awards and honors he has received include : Death . Congressman Young died on October 17 , 2007 due to liver disease .