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Korean War Congressional Medal of Honor Recipient
2nd Lt. George Herman OBrien, Jr. USMC
Friends remember late Medal of Honor recipient as hero
Emily Baker
Midland Reporter Telegram
03/13/2005
Friends of a local Medal of Honor recipient remembered him as a humble, gracious man and as a hero as news of his death spread across Midland.
George H. O'Brien Jr., a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, died Friday following a hospital stay. He was 78.
"He was one of the finest men I've ever had the honor of getting to know," said Russell "Rusty" McInturff, director of development of the Commemorative Air Force, where a new addition will bear O'Brien's name. "He was honest in all dealings, a gentleman. I don't know of a person who has a better reputation in this town."
The CAF is currently constructing a hall that will recognize the 82 Texans who received the Medal of Honor. The CAF announced the hall would be named after O'Brien in the fall of 2003.
O'Brien received the Medal of Honor from President Eisenhower following heroic actions during the Korean War.
O'Brien was a 2nd lieutenant and platoon leader who successfully fought off the enemy to maintain a strategic position. O'Brien was seriously injured, but he continued the fight and tended to other wounded Marines before he allowed himself to be treated.
This incident is indicative of O'Brien's character, said long-time friend Frank Cahoon. He wasn't just doing his job as a Marine; he was a real hero, Cahoon said.
"He was a very humble man, and really you would have never known he was a recipient of the Medal of Honor unless someone else told you," said Cahoon, who knew O'Brien for more than 20 years. "He conducted himself in a way I think we can not only be proud of him as a (Marine) but as a wonderful citizen of Midland."
O'Brien was described as being personable, unusually thoughtful and someone who "never met a stranger." He was respected by other Medal of Honor recipients around the country because of the dignified way he lived his life, Cahoon said.
O'Brien initially said he didn't want the publicity of having the CAF addition named after him. But a friend talked him into it by explaining that the hall will be important in teaching young people about the medal and the actions that earned it, Cahoon said.
O'Brien never really considered the medal an honor that was exclusively his.
"He was hugely humble," McInturff said. "One of my favorite quotes, and I may not get it right, but it was something to this effect, 'I hold this Medal of Honor for all of those who didn't get to become grandparents like I did.'
"That tells you everything you need to know about the guy," he said.
Of the approximately 3,400 recipients of the Medal of Honor, which was established in 1862, roughly 130 are still living. There are now three remaining living recipients in Texas.
O'Brien remained close to the Marine Corps long after his honorable discharge following the Korean War. He was involved with the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation and the Medal of Honor Society.
O'Brien is survived by his wife, three sons, three daughters, a brother and several grandchildren.
Memorial services are scheduled for 3 p.m. Monday at First Presbyterian Church. Interment is scheduled for Wednesday at the Texas State Cemetery in Austin.
"We've lost a great American, and we've lost a person who was a great citizen of our community," Cahoon said.
Into the Fray
by Lane Phalen
Putting His Men First
A young Marine leader provides the spark to recapture lost ground
George H. OBrien, Jr., makes it clear: This Medal of Honor is not mine; I hold it in trust for so many young people who didnt become grandfathers.
Nominated for the medal by many of his men, OBrien received it for his actions during a battle on Oct. 27, 1952. A second lieutenant at the time, he was a platoon leader with the Marine Corps Reserve, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced).
Suddenly, he and his men found themselves coming under an intense mortar and artillery bombardment while preparing to assault a vitally important hill position on the main line of resistance (MLR). The enemy, with a numerically superior force, had overrun the MLR the night before.
When the attack signal was given, OBrien leaped from his trench, shouting for his men to follow. Exposed to enemy fire, he ran across and up the enemy-held hill through a hail of deadly small-arms, artillery and mortar fire. Shot in the arm, the Fort Worth, Tex., native continued to crawl near the well-entrenched enemy position. He stood and waved his men onward, pausing just long enough to help a wounded marine.
Closing on the enemy, OBrien used hand grenades and his carbine with deadly effectiveness, killing at least three of them. Wounded himself by grenades on three occasions, he refused to be evacuated for medical treatment. His platoon was his main concern. For nearly four hours, OBrien continued to lead and encourage his men.
When the attack finally halted, he quickly set up a defense with his remaining men, and prepared for a counterattack, all the while tending to the wounded and expediting their evacuation. Relief troops arrived to man the position, but OBrien remained to cover the evacuation to ensure no wounded were left behind. A constant source of inspiration to all who observed him, OBrien was instrumental in the recapture of a strategic position on the MLR.
Though not a POW himself, OBrien accompanied the first American POWs to return to the United States. On the trip, he interrogated returning Marines. After getting home, he sought to return to the life he had left and set up a business he still works today. OBrien enjoys his growing family that includes 13 grandchildren. Reflecting back, he said, The Lord has been awfully good to me.
Taking Charge
Another Marine platoon leader rushes to rescue an embattled unit
It was Nov. 22, 1952, a chilly Saturday night five days before Thanksgiving. Second Lt. Raymond G. Murphy watched helplessly as Chinese mortar and artillery fire rained down on his marines in their bunkers near Ungok, South Korea. But the order had gone out: there was to be no return fire, at least not now. Instead, Murphy and the others assigned to the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company A, 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Division (Rein.) were to undergo preparations for a counterattack. D-Day was February 3.
Throughout January, Murphy and his men made practice runs for the harrowing mission they would undertake at Ungok. During this time, the 23-year-old Pueblo, Colo., native ran through simulated assaults with live ammo until they could almost visualize in their dreams how the attack would unfold.
As February 3 dawned, Murphys platoon was assigned to both evacuation and reserve. Two other platoons of Company A attacked with Army support, tanks and Marine air power. As soon as the assault began, a constant roar of grenades and M-1 rifles was heard. Murphys marines aided the steady stream of wounded returning from the front.
The firefight continued booming in the air, but no casualties or prisoners were coming down the hill. After an hour, Murphy felt something was wrong and moved up to take a look. The scene that greeted him was one of absolute chaos. Encountering enemy resistance far stronger than anticipated, the attack had stalled, with almost all of the officers and senior NCOs either killed or wounded.
Instinctly, Murphy took charge. Shouting encouragement to his platoon, he led it in an attack on a key enemy strongpoint. Maneuvering from one position to the next, the marines were able to rescue their comrades trapped in the earlier fighting. Several times Murphy deliberately exposed himself to enemy fire to pull the wounded to safety. A mortar round exploded near him, sending fragments into his left side, but he ignored his many wounds and continued to help with the casualties. A sergeant who saw Murphys heroics said, It would be impossible to know how many trips he made under enemy fire to pull guys to safety.
Two weeks after the October battle, the 7th Marines ran into weather so cold that it could send temperatures plummeting to 40F, with a wind chill of 120F. Courtesy Stan Smith, Co. G/3rd Battalion/7th Marines
In touch with his battalion commander via radio, Murphy was told to end the attack. He passed the word and covered his men as they pulled back. At the base of Ungok, Murphy continued helping casualties back to the MLR. Before withdrawing himself, he organized a party to sweep the battlefield to ensure that no marines were left behind.
On the way back, as Murphy was about to help lift the stretcher of a badly wounded marine, a piece of shrapnel tore into his right hand but he steadfastly held onto the stretcher. Once out of harms way, Murphy refused medical treatment until he was assured that all the other casualties had been treated. The attack on Ungok was a disaster, killing eighteen marines and wounding seventy others. Were it not for Murphys heroics, undoubtedly more would have suffered.
Because of his numerous wounds, Murphy had to be evacuated. In the spring, fully recovered, he was sent stateside and released from active duty. While in New York with friends, Murphy got a call from his parents saying the Pentagon sent a letter stating that he was to receive the Medal of Honor. On Oct. 27, 1953, surrounded by his parents, three brothers and sister with their spouses, Murphy stood proudly on the White House steps as President Dwight D. Eisenhower slipped the blue-ribboned Medal of Honor around his neck.
Lane Phalen is a freelance writer residing in Elburn, Ill. These are the twentieth and twenty-first articles in a series of stories on surviving Medal of Honor recipients from the Korean War.
*2d Lt. George H. OBrien, Jr.
George Herman OBrien, Jr., makes it clear: This Medal of Honor is not mine; I hold it in trust for so many young people who didnt become grandfathers.
Nominated for the medal by many of his men, OBrien received it for his actions during a battle on Oct. 27, 1952. A second lieutenant at the time, he was a platoon leader with the Marine Corps Reserve, Company H, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Reinforced).
Suddenly, he and his men found themselves coming under an intense mortar and artillery bombardment while preparing to assault a vitally important hill position on the main line of resistance (MLR). The enemy, with a numerically superior force, had overrun the MLR the night before.
When the attack signal was given, OBrien leaped from his trench, shouting for his men to follow. Exposed to enemy fire, he ran across and up the enemy-held hill through a hail of deadly small-arms, artillery and mortar fire. Shot in the arm, the Fort Worth, Tex., native continued to crawl near the well-entrenched enemy position. He stood and waved his men onward, pausing just long enough to help a wounded marine.
Closing on the enemy, OBrien used hand grenades and his carbine with deadly effectiveness, killing at least three of them. Wounded himself by grenades on three occasions, he refused to be evacuated for medical treatment. His platoon was his main concern. For nearly four hours, OBrien continued to lead and encourage his men.
When the attack finally halted, he quickly set up a defense with his remaining men, and prepared for a counterattack, all the while tending to the wounded and expediting their evacuation. Relief troops arrived to man the position, but OBrien remained to cover the evacuation to ensure no wounded were left behind. A constant source of inspiration to all who observed him, OBrien was instrumental in the recapture of a strategic position on the MLR.
Though not a POW himself, OBrien accompanied the first American POWs to return to the United States. On the trip, he interrogated returning Marines. After getting home, he sought to return to the life he had left and set up a business he still works today. OBrien enjoys his growing family that includes 13 grandchildren. Reflecting back, he said, The Lord has been awfully good to me.
CITATION:
Rank and organization: Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, Company H, 3d Battalion, 7th Marines, 1st Marine Division (Rein.). Place and date: Korea, 27 October, 1952. Entered service at: Big Spring, Tex. Born: 10 September 1926, Fort Worth, Tex. 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, in action against enemy aggressor forces. 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, 2d Lt. 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 mortar fire. 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. Encountering the enemy at close range, he proceeded to hurl handgrenades into the bunkers and, utilizing his carbine to best advantage in savage hand-to-hand combat, succeeded in killing at least 3 of the enemy. Struck down by the concussion of grenades on 3 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 4 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, 2d Lt. 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 U.S. Naval Service.
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