U.S. Merchant Marine loses a friend and fellow mariner with the death of Congressman Don Young

In this file photo, Congressman Don Young meets with AMO National President Paul Doell, Jay Brickman (Crowley) and Joshua Shapiro (Liberty Maritime) during a Maritime Industry Congressional Sail-In event on Capitol Hill.

The U.S. Merchant Marine has lost a friend, fellow mariner and a powerful ally of the American maritime industry with the death of Alaska Republican Congressman Don Young on Friday, March 18.

Congressman Young, who was 88, had been re-elected in 2020 to serve his 25th term in Congress as Alaska's only representative in the U.S. House of Representatives. He was first sworn in as a freshman after winning a special election in 1973. Congressman Young was the Dean of the House and the longest serving member of the current Congress.

"Don Young, who held a tug captain's license, was a tough, blunt, reliable advocate of the U.S. merchant fleet and American merchant mariners in all trades, and he held close ties to AMO throughout his long service in the U.S. House of Representatives," said American Maritime Officers National President Paul Doell.

"Our union always had an open door to his office, and I was privileged to have been among AMO staff members to discuss maritime issues with him, reveling in his earthy perspective," Doell said. "As Alaska's lone Congressman, he was especially effective in defense of the Jones Act, not only as an economic and national security asset, but also as a guarantor of stable, efficient consumer markets and energy transportation services in his state. We will miss Don Young - seagoing professional and good friend."

Among the chairmanships and leadership positions Congressman Young held during his service in the House of Representatives, he served as Chairman of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee from 2001 to 2007, and as Chairman of the Natural Resources Committee from 1995 to 2001.

Congressman Young called Fort Yukon, Alaska home - a remote village of approximately 700 people located seven miles above the Arctic Circle in Alaska's central interior region. Born in 1933 in Meridian, California, he earned his associate degree at Yuba Junior College in 1952, and his bachelor's degree in teaching at Chico State College in 1958. Between earning these degrees, he served in the U.S. Army's 41st Tank Battalion from 1955 to 1957.

When he first moved to Alaska, Congressman Young made a living in construction and tried his hand at commercial fishing, trapping, and in the search for gold. With the annual spring break-up of the river ice, he captained his own tug-and-barge operation to deliver products and supplies to villages along the Yukon River. At the time of his passing, he was the only licensed mariner in Congress.

Throughout his career, Congressman Young was a strong and steadfast advocate for the U.S. maritime industry and the vital roles it serves in efficient and reliable domestic commerce, national defense and security, and the sustainment of a national base of expertise and infrastructure for shipping and shipbuilding.

Congressman Young contributed his voice and presence in the support of many key maritime programs and laws, such as the recently enacted Tanker Security Program, the Maritime Security Program, The Merchant Mariners of World War II Congressional Gold Medal Act, and the Jones Act.

"As a mariner myself, I recognize the crucial role the maritime industry plays in delivering goods to communities across the globe," said Congressman Young in a public statement in 2014. "I am a strong supporter of the Jones Act, which I believe is necessary to maintaining a viable U.S. Merchant Marine fleet that keeps Alaskan communities fueled and supplied even in some of the world's most challenging conditions. Alaska's maritime industry is not only critical to our state's economy, it is also an important part of our state's identity."