Citizendia

George Herman O'Brien, Jr.
September 10, 1926(1926-09-10) – March 11, 2005 (aged 78)
  
George H. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. O'Brien, Jr. , Medal of Honor recipient
Place of birth Fort Worth, Texas
Place of death Midland, Texas
Allegiance United States of America
Service/branch United States Marine Corps
Years of service 1949-
Rank Major
Unit 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines
Battles/wars Korean War
Awards Medal of Honor
Purple Heart(x2)
Other work Petroleum geologist

George H. Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. Midland is a city in and the County seat of Midland County located on the Southern Plains of the western area of the U The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Major is a Military rank the use of which varies according to country The 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment (3/7 is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving O’Brien, Jr. (10 September 1926 – 11 March 2005) was a United States Marine Corps officer who was awarded the Medal of Honor, the United States's highest military decoration, for conspicuous gallantry as a second lieutenant for spearheading the capture of an enemy-held hill while wounded by enemy fire during the Korean War. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the The Korean War refers to a period of military conflict between North Korean and South Korean regimes with major hostilities lasting from June 25 1950 until the He was decorated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower during a White House ceremony on 27 October 1953, exactly one year to the day after the heroic action for which he was cited. The President of the United States is the Head of state and Head of government of the United States and is the highest political official in United States by Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (October 14 1890 – March 28 1969 was President of the United States from 1953 until 1961 and a five-star general See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1953 ( MCMLIII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar.

Contents

Biography

George Herman O’Brien, Jr. was born on 10 September 1926 in Fort Worth, Texas. Events 506 - The Bishops of Visigothic Gaul meet in the Council of Agde. Year 1926 ( MCMXXVI) was a Common year starting on Friday (link will display the full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Fort Worth is the fifth-largest city in the state of Texas and the seventeenth-largest city in the United States. He graduated from high school in Big Spring, Texas in 1944. Big Spring is a town in the US state of Texas at the crossroads of U From December 1944 until May 1946, he was a seaman in the United States Merchant Marine. Overview The merchant marine is a civilian auxiliary of the U He then entered Texas Technological College where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in Geology in May 1950. Texas Tech University is a public, coeducational research university in Lubbock Texas. A Bachelor of Science ( BS, BSc or BSc in the UK; less commonly S Geology (from Greek γη gê, "earth" and λόγος Logos, "speech" lit While in college, he enlisted as a private in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in July 1949. The Marine Forces Reserve ( MARFORRES or MFR) (also known as the United States Marine Corps Reserve ( USMCR) a part of the United States

Ordered to active duty on 27 November 1951, he entered the Officer Candidate School at Quantico, Virginia. Events 1095 - Pope Urban II declares the First Crusade at the Council of Clermont Year 1951 ( MCMLI) was a Common year starting on Monday. Events of 1951 January The United States Marine Corps Officer Candidates School (OCS is a school located on Marine Corps Base (MCB Quantico that trains screens and evaluates potential Quantico Virginia lies in Prince William County, north-northeast of Fredericksburg Virginia, United States, near Dumfries and Stafford He completed that course in February 1952, and entered the Basic Course the following month, graduating in August 1952. The Basic School ( TBS) is where all newly commissioned United States Marine Corps officers are sent to learn the art and science of being an Officer of Marines After further training at Camp Pendleton, California, he embarked for Korea in September 1952, where he joined the 1st Marine Division. Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton is the major West Coast base of the United States Marine Corps and serves as its prime amphibious training base Korea is a geographic area composed of two sovereign countries a civilization and a former state situated on the Korean Peninsula in East Asia. The 1st Marine Division is the oldest largest (active duty and most decorated division in the United States Marine Corps representing a combat-ready force He was promoted to major in the Reserve in 1963.

Major O'Brien died from complications associated with emphysema and pneumonia on 11 March 2005 in Midland, Texas. Emphysema is a chronic obstructive Pulmonary disease ( COPD) formerly termed a chronic obstructive Lung disease (COLD Pneumonia is an inflammatory illness of the Lung. Frequently it is described as lung Parenchyma / alveolar inflammation and abnormal Events 1425 BC - Thutmose III, Pharaoh of Egypt, dies (according to the Low Chronology of the 18th Dynasty Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Midland is a city in and the County seat of Midland County located on the Southern Plains of the western area of the U He was laid to rest in the Texas State Cemetery in Austin, Texas.

Honors

In addition to the Medal of Honor, he held the Purple Heart with Gold Star in lieu of a second award, the Korean Service Medal with two bronze stars, and the United Nations Service Medal. The Purple Heart is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those who have been wounded or killed while serving

On April 14, 2005, the Texas State House unanimously passed a House Resolution honoring George H. Events 43 BC - Battle of Forum Gallorum: Mark Antony, besieging Julius Caesar 's assassin Decimus Junius Brutus in Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. O'Brien, Jr. [1] In turn, on April 15, 2005, the Texas State Senate adopted Senate Resolution Number 399, "In Memory of George Herman O'Brien, Jr. Events 1450 - Battle of Formigny: Toward the end of the Hundred Years' War, the French attack and nearly annihilate English Year 2005 ( MMV) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. The Texas Legislature is the state legislature of the US state of Texas. ", recognizing[2]

Medal of Honor citation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the MEDAL OF HONOR to

SECOND LIEUTENANT GEORGE H. O'BRIEN, JR.
UNITED STATES MARINE CORPS RESERVE

for service as set forth in the following CITATION:

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty as a Rifle Platoon Commander of Company H, Third Battalion, Seventh Marines, First Marine Division (Reinforced), in action against enemy aggressor forces in Korea on 27 October 1952. Events 312 - Constantine the Great is said to have received his famous Vision of the Cross. Year 1952 ( MCMLII) was a Leap year starting on Tuesday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. With his platoon subjected to an intense mortar and artillery bombardment while preparing to assault a vitally important hill position on the main line of resistance which had been overrun by a numerically superior enemy force on the preceding night, Second Lieutenant O'Brien leaped from his trench when the attack signal was given and, shouting for his men to follow raced across an exposed saddle and up the enemy-held hill through a virtual hail of deadly small-arms, artillery and weapon fire. Small arms is a term used by the Armed forces to refer to Infantry Weapons such as the Firearms that an individual soldier can carry Artillery (from French artillerie) is a military Combat Arm which employs any apparātus machine A mortar is a muzzle-loading Indirect fire weapon that fires shells at low velocities short ranges and high-arcing ballistic trajectories Although shot through the arm and thrown to the ground by hostile automatic-weapons fire as he neared the well-entrenched enemy position, he bravely regained his feet, waved his men onward and continued to spearhead the assault, pausing only long enough to go to the aid of a wounded Marine. An automatic firearm is a Firearm that automatically extracts and ejects the fired cartridge case and loads a new case usually through the energy of the fired Encountering the enemy at close range, he proceeded to hurl hand grenades into the bunkers and, utilizing his carbine to best advantage in savage hand-to-hand combat, succeeded in killing at least three of the enemy. A military bunker is a hardened shelter often buried partly or fully underground designed to protect the inhabitants from falling bombs or other attacks A carbine is a Firearm similar to a Rifle or Musket, but generally shorter and of lesser power Hand-to-hand combat (sometimes abbreviated as HTH or H2H is a generic term for Close quarters fighting, particularly when the outcome is potentially fatal as in Melee Struck down by the concussion of grenades on three occasions during the subsequent action, he steadfastly refused to be evacuated for medical treatment and continued to lead his platoon in the assault for a period of nearly four hours, repeatedly encouraging his men and maintaining superb direction of the unit. With the attack halted, he set up a defense with his remaining forces to prepare for a counterattack, personally checking each position, attending to the wounded and expediting their evacuation. When a relief of the position was effected by another unit, he remained to cover the withdrawal and to assure that no wounded were left behind. By his exceptionally daring and forceful leadership in the face of overwhelming odds, Second Lieutenant O'Brien served as a constant source of inspiration to all who observed him and was greatly instrumental in the recapture of a strategic position on the main line of resistance. His indomitable determination and valiant fighting spirit reflect the highest credit upon himself and enhance the finest traditions of the United States Naval Service. The United States Department of the Navy was established by an Act of Congress on April 30 1798 to provide administrative and technical support and civilian leadership

/S/ DWIGHT D. EISENHOWER

Quotes

See also

Notes

  1. ^ Texas State House Resolution — 79(R) HR 1065, unanimously adopted on April 14, 2005, honoring George H. The Medal of Honor is the highest military award in the US military. This list represents all of the United States military personnel who received the Medal of Honor for their actions during the Korean War. O'Brien, Jr. (URL accessed on June 3, 2006)
  2. ^ 79(R) SR 399, Texas State Senate Resolution Number 399, in Memory of George Herman O'Brien, Jr. (URL accessed on June 3, 2006)
  3. ^ Phalen, Lane. "Putting His Men First", Into the Fray. (Retrieved from MedalofHonor. com on June 3, 2006)

References

This article incorporates text in the public domain from the United States Marine Corps. The public domain is a range of abstract materials &ndash commonly referred to as Intellectual property &ndash which are not owned or controlled by anyone

External links

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