Young, Gregory D. 1953-

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Young, Gregory D. 1953-

PERSONAL:

Born September 15, 1953. Education: Studied at the Naval Postgraduate School.

CAREER:

Writer. Military service: U.S. Navy, officer.

WRITINGS:

(With Nate Braden) The Last Sentry: The True Story That Inspired the Hunt for Red October, Naval Institute Press (Annapolis, MD), 2005.

SIDELIGHTS:

Gregory D. Young is a writer. He was born on September 15, 1953, and served as an officer in the U.S. Navy after studying at the Naval Post-graduate School. While a student, Young researched and analyzed a story about a Soviet destroyer officer who attempted to start a revolution using his vessel. Years later, famed novelist Tom Clancy found the manuscript and adapted it to create his book (and 1984 movie), The Hunt for Red October.

In 2005 Young published The Last Sentry: The True Story That Inspired the Hunt for Red October with Nate Braden. The authors discuss how the Soviet Baltic Fleet destroyer Storozhevoy, or "Sentry," was part of a plan to be used as a political tool by one of its top-ranking officers, Valery Sablin. Sablin intended to overthrow the regime of Soviet premier Leonid Brezhnev by sailing the destroyer into Leningrad's harbor and broadcasting a plea to the people to support him and his revolution. The Soviet government learned of his plans, however, and sent war planes to divert him. Sablin was executed and his crew shamed for their association with him. The account also provides a window into the Soviet Navy at one of its strongest periods in history.

BIOGRAPHICAL AND CRITICAL SOURCES:

PERIODICALS

Air & Space Power Journal, winter, 2006, Gilles Van Nederveen, review of The Last Sentry: The True Story That Inspired the Hunt for Red October, p. 113.

Booklist, May 15, 2005, Green Roland, review of The Last Sentry, p. 1633.

Historian, December 22, 2006, Ronald E. Powaski, review of The Last Sentry, p. 901.

Reference & Research Book News, November 1, 2005, review of The Last Sentry.

Russian Review, April 1, 2006, review of The Last Sentry.