The Ballad of Rodger Young is an song about a Medal of Honor winner from World War II, Private Rodger Wilton Young. Private Young was killed-in-action on July 31, 1943 on the island of New Georgia in the Soloman Islands while rushing a Japanese machine gun nest.
The song was written by Frank Loesser in 1945 where he served as a private in the Army’s Radio Broadcasting Unit. Life magazine published a story about Rodger Young along with the song lyrics. The song was recorded by Burl Ives, Nelson Eddy and others.
This song has become a favorite song soldiers serving in the infantry.
Rodger Young is also featured in the Robert Heinlein novel Starship Troopers
Here is a recording by the West Point Glee CLub.
Here is the recording by Nelson Eddy.
Here’s a country version sung by country singer Lulu Belle, a.k.a. Myrtle Eleanor Cooper (1913-1999), who performed with Scotty Wiseman as Lulu Belle & Scotty.
Country singer Jim Reeves also recorded The Ballard of Rodger Young.
Frank Loesser: THE BALLAD OF RODGER YOUNG
1. Oh, they’ve got no time for glory in the Infantry.
Oh, they’ve got no use for praises loudly sung,
But in every soldier’s heart in all the Infantry
Shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young.
Shines the name — Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
To the everlasting glory of the Infantry
Lives the story of Private Rodger Young.
2. Caught in ambush lay a company of riflemen —
Just grenades against machine guns in the gloom —
Caught in ambush till this one of twenty riflemen
Volunteered, volunteered to meet his doom.
Volunteered — Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting annals of the Infantry
Glows the last deed of Private Rodger Young.
3. It was he who drew the fire of the enemy
That a company of men might live to fight;
And before the deadly fire of the enemy
Stood the man, stood the man we hail tonight.
Stood the man — Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
Like the everlasting courage of the Infantry
Was the last deed of Private Rodger Young.
4. On the island of New Georgia in the Solomons,
Stands a simple wooden cross alone to tell
That beneath the silent coral of the Solomons,
Sleeps a man, sleeps a man remembered well.
Sleeps a man — Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
In the everlasting spirit of the Infantry
Breathes the spirit of Private Rodger Young.
5. No, they’ve got no time for glory in the Infantry,
No, they’ve got no use for praises loudly sung,
But in every soldier’s heart in all the Infantry
Shines the name, shines the name of Rodger Young.
Shines the name — Rodger Young,
Fought and died for the men he marched among.
To the everlasting glory of the Infantry
Lives the story of Private Rodger Young.
