Mike O’Brien
NAME: Mike O’Brien
ASN: Enlisted 6930541, Officer O-1703049
PLACE OF BIRTH: Grandville (Granville), Iowa also documented as Sheldon, Iowa. Mother Gretzen O’Brien.
DATE OF BIRTH: 25 September 1916
DATES OF SERVICE: 19 January 1938 to 01 November 1945.
UNITS ASSIGNED: A Company 3rd Infantry Regiment
C Company 504th Parachute Battalion
F Company 503rd Parachute Battalion
F Company 2nd Battalion 503rd Parachute Infantry Regiment
F Company 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
Scout Company 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment
G Company (Provisional) 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
C Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion
325th Glider Infantry Regiment
AWARDS: Parachutist Badge, 3rd Zouave Badge, Combat Infantrymen Badge, European Africa Middle Eastern Campaign Medal W/8 Bronze Stars, Croix de Guerre with Silver Star, American Defense Medal, World War II Victory Medal, Purple Heart W/1 Oak Leaf Cluster, Distinguished Unit Citation W/2 Oak Leaf Clusters, Bronze Arrowhead, Good Conduct Medal, Lapel Button Issued.
CAMPAIGNS: French Morocco, Tunisia, Sicily, Naples-Foggia, Rome-Arno, Southern France, Central Europe, Ardennes, Rhineland
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION: Height 6’, Weight 165 lbs., Eyes Blue, Hair Brown, Ruddy complexion.
SUMMARY OF SERVICE:
19 January 1938 Enlisted in A Company 3rd Infantry at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
21 January 1938 Smallpox vaccine.
04 February 1938 Typhoid vaccine.
13 May 1938 Weapons Qualification.
16 August 1940 Promoted to Corporal while assigned to A Company 3rd Infantry Regiment at Fort Snelling, Minnesota.
18 January 1941 ETS from A Company 3rd Infantry Regiment at Fort Crook, Nebraska.
19 January 1941 Re-enlisted in the A Company 3rd Infantry Regiment at the age of 24 at Fort Crook, Nebraska
27 September 1941 Transferred from D Company 6th Training Battalion, Camp Wheeler, Georgia to the Provisional Parachute Group at Fort Benning, Georgia.
29 September 1941 D Company 6th Training Battalion memo to Provisional Parachute Group requesting Mike O’Brien to pay $5.43 for lost or damaged property.
05 October 1941 Assigned to 504th Parachute Battalion.
22 October 1941 Promoted to Corporal while assigned to C Company 504th Parachute Battalion.
16 December 1941 Promoted to Sergeant while assigned to C Company 504th Parachute Battalion.
20 December 1941 Certificate of Completion for the Demolitions and Sabotage course.
01 January 1942 Smallpox vaccine.
02 February 1942 Certificate of Completion and award of the Parachutist Badge.
01 April 1942 Promoted to Staff Sergeant while assigned to F Company 503rd Parachute Battalion at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.
04 April 1942 Departed the United States.
09 April 1942 Arrived in European Theater of Operations (possibly date in which ship entered hostile waters)
24 May 1942 Typhus vaccine.
08 November 1942 On manifest for jump into North Africa assigned to F Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion. Plane 9, Seat 14, Weight 286 lbs.
15 November 1942 Jump into Youks les Bains Airfield.
06 March 1943 Placed on temporary duty from F Company to Casual Company.
25 March 1943 Promoted to First Sergeant.
15 July 1943 1st Sgt. Mike O’Brien awarded the Good Conduct Medal for 3 years service. Note it indicates he was in the Parachute Scout Company.
03 September 1943 to 19 October 1943 Participated as part of Combat Team 80.4 which included 3 Officers and 48 Enlisted in operations on Ventotene, Ischin and Frocida Islands.
21 October 1943 Transferred from Scout Company 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment to F Company 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment.
29 October 1943 Discharged from 118th Station Hospital and returned to duty to Scout Company 2nd Battalion 509th Parachute Infantry Regiment through the 29th Replacement Depot.
02 November 1943 Admitted to the 106th Station Hospital.
15 November 1943 Transferred from the 106th Station Hospital to the 118th Station Hospital.
24 November 1943 Discharged from 118th Station Hospital and transferred to EBS through 4th Field Hospital. Problem was a Cyst.
27 November 1943 Admitted to 3rd General Hospital for Cyst.
31 December 1943 Discharged from Hospital.
11 January 1944 Transferred from G Company (Provisional) 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion to C Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion.
22 January 1944 Transferred from G Company (Provisional) 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion to C Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion.
06 February 1944 Order authorizing the wear of the 3rd Zouave Regiment Badge by 2nd Bn 503rd Parachute Infantry (French were not aware of unit redesignation) for cooperation with the 3rd Zouave Regiment on 15 November 1942 and after at Youks les Bains.
22 February 1944 to 31 March 1944 Combat duty at Anzio Beachhead.
28 February 1944 Cited for actions along with others who participated as Combat Team 80.4 between 09 September 1943 to 19 October 1943.
11 Apr 1944 Separation from Service for 1st Sgt. Mike O’Brien to accept Battlefield Commission
12 April 1944 Battlefield Commission as 2nd Lt. Assigned as Platoon Leader C Company 509th Parachute Infantry Battalion.
20 April 1944 Awarded Combat Infantrymen Badge. Note it indicates he was in C Company.
17 July 1944 Assigned additional duty as Range Officer.
15 August 1944 Invasion of Southern France.
18 September 1944 Appointed to serve on a Court-Martial Board with seven other Officers to be held in Lantosque (Nice) France.
26 September 1944 Awarded the Coix de Guerre with Silver Star for the liberation of Saint Tropez, France 12 hours prior to the arrival of the Invasion Forces and the capture of 450 enemy troops.
01 November 1944 Appointed to serve on a Court-Martial Board with seven other Officers to be held in Peira Cava (Nice), France.
06 November 1944 Appointed to 1st Lieutenant.
19 December 1944 Wounded in Action.
23 December 1944 Transferred to XVIII Corps (Airborne).
24 December 1944 Transfer Orders to XVIII Corps (Airborne) is revoked.
29 December 1944 Wounded in Action
19 March 1945 Transferred from 10th Replacement Depot to 11th Reinforcement Depot.
25 March 1945 Transferred from 11th Reinforcement Depot Det 102 to 51st Reinforcement Battalion.
14 May 1945 Awarded Purple Heart for wounds received on 19 December 1944 (first event). Oak Leaf Cluster awarded for wounds received on 29 December 1944.
27 May 1945 Completed first flight towards qualification for Glider Badge in glider Serial Number 56213.
29 May 1945 Completed second flight towards qualification for Glider Badge.
08 June 1945 Completed third and fourth flight towards qualification for Glider Badge.
05 August 1945 Transferred from 14th Replacement Depot, 87th Reinforcement Battalion, 485th Reinforcement Company to Reception Station No. 16 at Camp Mc Coy, Wisconsin.
06 August 1945 Moved by rail or motor T to the Seine Section Staging Area, Paris, France to proceed to the United States by air. Baggage limited to 200 lbs.
09 August 1945 Departed Paris by air at 2345.
10 August 1945 Arrived in Azores by air at 0830 (9hrs 15 min.). 0900 departed Azores. 1915 arrived in Newfoundland (10hrs 15 min.). 2000 departed Newfoundland.
11 August 1945 Arrived in New York, New York by air at 0215 (2215 Eastern Time) (6hrs 15min.) Total time of flight from Paris was 25hrs 45 min.
15 August 1945 Transferred from Reception Station No. 16 at Camp Mc Coy, Wisconsin to Parachute School at Fort Benning Georgia and proceed TDY for 30 days for recuperation to Alden, Minnesota reporting NLT 22 September 1945 to next duty station.
01 September 1945 Orders for 15 August 1945 were amended to transfer to the Separation Center for Discharge.
14 September 1945 to 15 September 1945 Processed out of billets at Fort Mc Coy, Wisconsin.
15 September 1945 Given 1 month, 16 days leave and 1 travel day to return home. At the end of his leave he would be Discharged on 01 November 1945. He was not required to report back. His temporary commissioning as an officer would be revoked due to policy for battlefield commissioning.
01 November 1945 Certificate of Service issued by the Separation Center at Camp Mc Coy, Wisconsin to 1st Lt. Mike O’Brien 01703049 Inf AUS assigned to the 325th Glider Infantry Regiment for service from 12 April 1944 to 01 November 1945.
20 May 1947 War Department changes policy on temporary appointments of commissioned officers to make them permanent to highest grade held during service in World War II.
Left to Right
1. Lt. Mike O’Brien formerly First Sergeant C/509 Original 504 PB
2. Lt. Raymond (Ray) F. Ruyffehere, C/509
3. Sgt. Joe Veteritto, C/509 Original 504 PB
4. Capt. Jess Walls, Company Commander, C/509
5. Lt. Orval “Spider” W. Webb, Asst. Platoon Leader, B/509
6. Lt. Mike Rueter B/509
Photo taken in Maritime Alps near Terini around 30 Oct 1944
Biography and photographs contributed by Matt Anderson.
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