An
All American Boy - A Story of A Korean Orphan
By
Jonathan Garrett - 03/24/1997
Josh Younger may have been born in South
Korea, but his birth was as American as they come. An unintentional salute to
the United States Josh was born on Flag Day, June 14, 1976. For history buffs
that day also marks the birth of the U.S. army in 1775, and furthermore 1976
was the year of the bicentennial. Going by the numbers one might say that Josh
was destined to become an American, but just getting here was tough.
Accompanied only by a letter written by
his biological father explaining that Josh's mother had abandoned him and he
could not provide adequately for his son, 1-year-old Josh, then named Jin Won
Lee, made the journey to America in 1976 aboard a flight of orphaned children.
His life would be forever altered by the event.
Not only would Josh grow up as an
American, he would later join the U.S. Air Force and serve his country. Josh,
20, is stationed in Southwest Germany in a place they call "K Town."
He is a security policeman in the law enforcement division. He is in Austin on
a 30-day leave checking out the University of Texas where may attend college
once his four-year military stint ends in a year and a half.
Eddie and Paula Younger fell in love
with Josh within weeks of his arrival in the U.S. They had two daughters
already but the Arkansas couple felt that their family was not complete.
"We loved the girls of course and were really happy about having the g girls.
But, Eddie wanted a little boy badly, "said Paula, Josh's adoptive mother.
She glanced at a sizable photo
collection of Josh's baby pictures spread across the kitchen table -- some of
which Josh had never seen before. The photographs brought back memories: how
the Youngers were turned away by many adoption agencies because the y already
had children, how they had to bargain with a social worker to obtain Josh; how
it took an unusual five years to complete the adoption and naturalization
process.
"We've tried to expose him to
Korean culture wherever we were at, "Eddie Younger said, "Like when
we were in Houston, we'd go down to Korean restaurants and the Korean part of
Houston just so he could stay in touch with his heritage."
The link between Josh and heritage that
his loving parents tried to provide was not always appreciated, Josh admitted,
especially when he lived in Arkansas throughout middle school.
"When I was growing up, I really
didn't want to have anything to do with my heritage, "Josh said. "I
don't want to say I was ashamed, but it was just that I was so different from
everyone else. "As far as I can remember back in Arkansas, I imagine I was
the only Korean or Asian child. Probably the first that most of those guys had
seen. I didn't know what to do. I wasn't raised to be aggressive, so I didn't
get in any fights. I was just kind of bearing it and getting through it. "I
kept losing friends. I'd have some good friends and when we got older they
would stop coming around or hanging out because people were pressuring them not
to hang out with me. I think that is when I started bonding with my father, and
he really became my best friend. W e did a lot of stuff together -- I guess the
stuff that a kid at that age should do with other kids," Josh said.
Josh never gave in to the prejudice, and
one look into his eyes that always seem to be full of mischief, is a dead give-away
that his spirit never flagged. Overcoming his early life experiences he said he
has made many friends with people of all colors.
When he moved from Arkansas to Houston
for high school, the typical American teen-ager, hatched from Josh's quite
shell, mostly because he was with kids of diverse ethnic backgrounds.
His senior year brought him a busy
social life, and black 5.0 black clear-coated Mustang LX. There is something to
be said for the "cushy" lifestyle as Josh puts it, reflecting on his
blessings. The fun was interrupted when the car was stolen and graduation crept
up and forced Josh to make a career decision. After much debate with himself
and friend Josh chose to enlist in the Air Force over college. He wanted
military police training, somewhat following in his father's footsteps as a
former deputy sheriff.
Stationed first in San Antonio, Texas,
then in Fort Dix, N. J., Josh finally moved to Germany in 1995, which was his
base of first choice. There, acting as a typical uniformed officer he has
handled stabbing, suicides, and motorcycle accidents. He just missed being
deployed to Bosnia, a possibility he prepared for with little trepidation. When
his military career is over Josh will face new career decisions. He said he
plans to attend the University of Texas and possibly become a U.S. Marshal or
an act or -- he is not sure which just yet.
"As I was growing up, my mother has
always put in my head that I was meant for something better. So, I kind of grew
up thinking that in my mind. I feel that I am going to leave my mark somehow. I
tell everybody that I'm going to be famous someday, "Josh said.
It is hard not to believe him. It would
be foolish to expect less from an individual who believed until he was 9 that
the country celebrated his birthday by erecting flags all across America.