George K. Young Jr., a retired U.S. Army Ranger master sergeant and Vietnam War veteran whose decade-long legal battle resulted in the feds ruling Hawaii’s counties must issue concealed-carry gun permits to law-abiding citizens, died March 19 at home in Hilo. He was 74.
The Hilo-born Young first sued Hawaii County in 2012 after he was refused a concealed-carry permit. He sued and lost in federal court three times.
But in 2022, Young, represented by San Diego attorney Alan Beck, prevailed in an appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court, which compelled Hawaii’s counties to start issuing concealed-carry permits in accordance with the high court’s decision in New York State Rifle &Pistol Association vs. Bruen. That ruling held that New York state’s similarly restrictive concealed-carry laws violated the Second Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.
Beck told the website Of Arms &the Law that Young “was a dear friend, and he will be deeply missed.”
“Everything that we’ve accomplished in Hawaii is thanks to George. He inspired the whole movement we are a part of,” Beck said.
On X — formerly known as Twitter — the Hawaii Firearms Coalition described Young as “a true patriot and defender of the Second Amendment.”
“His can-do spirit is something that we embrace every day as we move forward defending and advocating for the right to their arms in the state of Hawaii,” the group said. “We send our condolences to those he has left behind and want them to know that he will be missed, but never forgotten.”
Young lived his entire life in Hilo except for his 21 years in the Army.
Visitation is 3-5 p.m. Tuesday, April 9, at Dodo Mortuary Chapel. Funeral service will be held at 5 p.m. Cremation will follow. The family requests casual attire; no flowers.
Young his survived by his wife, Fumiko Young of Hilo; son, George Young III of Hilo; daughters, Lynn (Christopher) Viale of France, Sherri (Shane Hanohano) Young and Kimi (James Skyles) Young-Skyles of Papaikou; brothers, Clarence Young of Hilo and Rudolph (Joydee) Young of Keaau; sisters, Melinda (Tim) Lovejoy of Florida and Kapeka Nonaka of Honolulu; two grandsons; plus cousins, nieces and nephews.
Email John Burnett at jburnett@hawaiitribune-herald.com.