The
President of the United States of America, authorized by Act of Congress, March
3, 1863, has awarded in the name of The Congress the Medal of Honor to
FIRST LIEUTENANT
WILLIAM J. O'BRIEN
UNITED STATES ?
*O'BRIEN, WILLIAM J.
Rank and organization: Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army, 1st Battalion, 105th
Infantry, 27th Infantry Division. Place and date: At Saipan, Marianas Islands,
20 June through 7 July 1944. Entered service at: Troy, N.Y. Birth: Troy, N.Y.
G.O. No.: 35, 9 May 1945. Citation: For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at
the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty at Saipan, Marianas
Islands, from 20 June through 7 July 1944. When assault elements of his platoon
were held up by intense enemy fire, Lt. Col. O'Brien ordered 3 tanks to precede
the assault companies in an attempt to knock out the strongpoint. Due to direct
enemy fire the tanks' turrets were closed, causing the tanks to lose direction
and to fire into our own troops. Lt. Col. O'Brien, with complete disregard for
his own safety, dashed into full view of the enemy and ran to the leader's tank,
and pounded on the tank with his pistol butt to attract 2 of the tank's crew
and, mounting the tank fully exposed to enemy fire, Lt. Col. O'Brien personally
directed the assault until the enemy strongpoint had been liquidated. On 28 June
1944, while his platoon was attempting to take a bitterly defended high ridge in
the vicinity of Donnay, Lt. Col. O'Brien arranged to capture the ridge by a
double envelopment movement of 2 large combat battalions. He personally took
control of the maneuver. Lt. Col. O'Brien crossed 1,200 yards of sniper-infested
underbrush alone to arrive at a point where 1 of his platoons was being held up
by the enemy. Leaving some men to contain the enemy he personally led 4 men into
a narrow ravine behind, and killed or drove off all the Japanese manning that
strongpoint. In this action he captured S machineguns and one 77-mm. fieldpiece.
Lt. Col. O'Brien then organized the 2 platoons for night defense and against
repeated counterattacks directed them. Meanwhile he managed to hold ground. On 7
July 1944 his battalion and another battalion were attacked by an overwhelming
enemy force estimated at between 3,000 and 5,000 Japanese. With bloody
hand-to-hand fighting in progress everywhere, their forward positions were
finally overrun by the sheer weight of the enemy numbers. With many casualties
and ammunition running low, Lt. Col. O'Brien refused to leave the front lines.
Striding up and down the lines, he fired at the enemy with a pistol in each hand
and his presence there bolstered the spirits of the men, encouraged them in
their fight and sustained them in their heroic stand. Even after he was
seriously wounded, Lt. Col. O'Brien refused to be evacuated and after his pistol
ammunition was exhausted, he manned a .50 caliber machinegun, mounted on a jeep,
and continued firing. When last seen alive he was standing upright firing into
the Jap hordes that were then enveloping him. Some time later his body was found
surrounded by enemy he had killed His valor was consistent with the highest
traditions of the service.
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