Community Corner

Two Wounded Warriors to Lead Memorial Day Parade

Iraq veteran Joseph Youn and Vietnam veteran Jimmy Buckman, will serve as joint Grand Marshals on at the Long Beach event Monday.

Story by Keith Grant   

A pair of veterans wounded in combat will lead this year’s Memorial Day Parade through Long Beach.

Follow Long Beach Patch on Facebook.

Iraq veteran Joseph Youn and Vietnam veteran Jimmy Buckman, both residents of the Northport VA Medical Center, will serve jointly as Grand Marshals on at the May 27 event.

A Queens native, Youn enlisted in the Army in 2002 at the age of eighteen. He quickly worked his way through the ranks, earning a promotion to Sergeant by the time he deployed to Iraq in late 2004.

On April 6, 2005, Sgt. Youn was wounded when an IED exploded under the vehicle, leaving Youn with a penetrating traumatic brain injury. He was evacuated to Landstuhl, Germany, where part of his cranium and a right frontal lobe had to be removed. Four days later, he was transferred to the Walter Reed Army Medical Center. After several additional surgeries, Youn was admitted to the Richmond, VA, Polytrauma Unit.

The following year saw Youn alert and capable following simple commands, and by August he was walking up to 200 feet and attending group outings. Unfortunately, seizures set his progress back and he was transferred back to Walter Reed. He battled numerous setbacks and emerging medical conditions related to his injury over the next several years, and was transferred between several medical and rehab facilities.

Eight years after he was evacuated from combat, Youn continues to recover from his war wounds at Northport.

A New York City native, Buckman joined the Army at 20 years of age and served as a paratrooper in Vietnam.  An enemy hand grenade took his vision, sense of smell, part of his forehead, and finger and left him deaf in one ear.

In spite of his wounds, Buckman went on to attend St. Joseph’s College after the war, where he studied psychology and sociology. Through the VAMC Adaptive Sports Program, Buckman has participated in bicycle and horse events. He is also an avid pool player and swimmer, and among the most generous and helpful residents at the Northport VA.

Youn and Buckman will lead more than 50 different organizations participating in this year’s Memorial Day Parade. The parade steps off at  that Ohio Avenue at 9:30 a.m., and concludes with a ceremony at City Hall. Another ceremony and lunch will follow at VFW Post 1384, at 675 W. Park Ave. in Long Beach.

MORE NEWS
Murder Cold Case in Long Beach Reopened
Buttoned-Up Tattoo Parlor to Open on Park Ave.FEMA to Cover 90% of Sandy-Related CostsWhat Do You Think About the Boy Scouts New Policy Toward Gay Members?


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here