World War II Honoree

William Harold O'Brien

Branch of Service

U.S. Army

Hometown

Parsons, Kansas

Honored By

Family

HE SERVED 3 1/2 FROM 1942 UNTIL THE END OF THE WAR. HE WAS A CORPORAL IN THE 96TH ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY BATTALION AS A GUNNER. MOST OF HIS SERVICE WAS IN THE HAWAII ISLANDS INCLUDING THE INVASION OF THE MARSHALL ISLANDS. HE RETURNED TO HAWAII AND TRANSFERRED TO THE 948TH ANTI-AIRCRAFT ARTILLERY AND SENT TO OKINAWA. WITH THE POINT SYSTEM IN PLACE, HE HAD ACCUMULATED POINTS AND WAS ELIGIBLE FOR A FURLOUGH. THEY BOARDED A SHIP FOR THEIR FURLOUGH, BUT AFTER A FEW DAYS THEY WERE TOLD ABOUT THE BOMB IN JAPAN AND JAPAN'S SURRENDER. THEY WENT TO THE PHILIPPINE ISLANDS AND WENT BACK TO THE STATES BY FREIGHTER.