USS O'BRIEN HISTORY

Comments: ALL OF THE O'BRIEN SHIPS WERE NAMED FOR;CAPTAIN JEREMIAH O'BRIEN USN,AND HIS FIVE BROTHERS,OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION(1775). THE FIRST USS O'BRIEN WAS TORPEDO BOAT-30,(TB-30).SHE WAS COMMISSIONED 15,JULY 1905,LT.EDWARD WOODS IN COMMAND,AND DECOMMISSIONED 3,MARCH 1909,AND USED AS A TARGET. THE SECOND WAS USS O'BRIEN(DD-51),COMMISSIONED IN PHILADELPHIA,PA, 22,MAY,1915,LCDR.C.E.COURTNET IN COMMAND.DECOMMISSIONED 9,JUNE,1922,STRUCK FROM THE NAVY,AND SCRAPPED IN 1935. THE THIRD WAS USS O'BRIEN (DD-415),COMMISSIONED AT BOSTON,MA 2,MARCH,1940,LCDR. CARL F.ESPEIN IN COMMAND.THE SHIP SUNK 19,OCT.1942, OFF OF SAMOA.THE FOURTH USS O'BRIEN(DD-725),WAS COMMISSIONED 25,FEB.1944,AT THE BOSTON NAVAL SHIPYARD, CDR.P.F. HEERBRANDT IN COMMAND.ON 25,JUNE,1944 GERMAN SHORE BATTERIES AT CAPE LEVI,NEAR CHERBOURG,FRANCE, MADE A DIRECT HIT ON THE O'BRIEN,JUST AFT OF THE BRIDGE. THIRTEEN MEN WERE KIA,AND NINETEEN WOUNDED. THEN IT WAS OFF TO THE PACIFIC WAR. ON 6,JAN.1945,A JAPANESE AIRCRAFT CRASHED INTO THE SHIPS PORT SIDE, FANTAIL,CAUSING MINOR DAMAGE. ON 27,MARCH,1945,OFF OF KERAMA RETTO,A SUICIDE PLANE,CARRYING A 500 POUND BOMB,CRASHED INTO THE O'BRIEN'S PORT SIDE AMIDSHIPS, EXPLODING A SHIP'S MAGAZINE. FIFTY CREWMEN WERE KIA, OR MISSING,AND SEVENTY-SIX MEN WERE WOUNDED. THE SHIP WAS DECOMMISSIONED AT SAN DIEGO,CA,4,OCT.1947.------- THE USS O'BRIEN(DD-725)WAS RECOMMISSIONED,WITH THE START OF THE KOREAN WAR,ON 5,OCT.1950,WITH CDR.C.W. NIMITZ JR. IN COMMAND,AND BECAME THE FLAGSHIP OF "DESTROYER DIVISION-132". THE O'BRIEN WAS OFF OF THE EAST COAST OF KOREA,WITH TASK-FORCE-77,THEN WITH TASK- FORCE-95 IN MARCH OF 1951. ON 17,JULY,1951,AT WONSAN HARBOR,ENEMY SHORE BATTERIES OPENED UP ON THE SHIPS, O'BRIEN,BLUE,AND CUNNINGHAM,FROM THREE SIDES,IN AN ATTEMPT TO DRIVE THE SHIPS FROM THE HARBOR. THE THREE SHIPS WENT INTO A "WAR DANCE",AN EVASIVE MANEUVER, WHERE THE SHIPS STEAMED AT 22 KNOTS,FIRING ON THE ENEMY BATTERIES IN EACH SECTOR,AS THEIR GUNS CAME TO BEAR. THE FOUR AND A HALF HOUR ENGAGEMENT,BECAME KNOWN AS THE "BATTLE OF THE BUZZ-SAW". THE SHIP RETURNED TO SAN DIEGO,CA IN SEPT.1951. THEN ON 23,JULY 1952,THE O'BRIEN WAS OFF TO THE KOREAN WAR AGAIN, JOINING TASK-FORCE-95. THE SHIP WAS IN "OPERATION FEINT",A MOCK INVASION OF KOJO-12-16,OCT.1952, ATTEMPTING TO LURE THE ENEMY INTO THE OPEN. THE SHIP RETURNED TO SAN DIEGO,CA IN JAN.1953. THE USS O'BRIEN (DD-725)WAS DECOMMISSIONED AT LONG BEACH,CA ON 18,FEB. 1972,AND STRUCK FROM THE NAVY LIST THE SAME DAY. THE GREAT SHIP WAS TOWED OUT TO SEA,BY THE TUG SIOUX(ATF-75)ON 13,JULY,1972,AND SUNK AS A TARGET OFF OF CALIFORNIA. THE USS O'BRIEN(DD-725),RECEIVED SIX BATTLE STARS IN WWII,FIVE BATTLE STARS IN THE KOREAN WAR,AND THREE BATTLE STARS IN THE VIETNAM WAR.-------- THEN CAME THE 5TH USS O'BRIEN(DD-975),COMMISSIONED 3,DEC.1977,DECOMMISSIONED,AND STRUCK 24,SEPT.2004, DISPOSED AS A TARGET IN 2006,IN THE PACIFIC MISSILE RANGE,NEAR KAUAI,HAWAII.------------------------ THERE WAS ALSO THE S.S. JEREMIAH O'BRIEN. THE ONLY SURVIVOR OF 2,751 LIBERTY SHIPS BUILT DURING WWII. SHE SITS TODAY AT PIER-45,IN SAN FRANCISCO,CA.--------

P.S.---THE USS O'BRIEN(DD-725),WAS AN ALLEN M. SUMNER- CLASS DESTROYER,WITH A DISPLACEMENT OF 2,200 TONS, SPEED,34 KNOTS,AND COMPLEMENT OF 336 MEN.------------

Keywords: USS O'BRIEN(TB-30)----USS O'BRIEN(DD-51)---- USS O'BRIEN(DD-415)----USS O'BRIEN(DD-725)---- USS O'BRIEN(DD-975)----S.S.JEREMIAH O'BRIEN

USS O'Brien DD725 Shipmate

Comments: I and three other shipmates from Company 148, 1950 sent aboard the O'rien out of boot camp. We recommissioned the Obiren 5 Oct. 1950, had our shakedown cruise in January 1951. After several weeks of training we headed to Korea in early 1951. Our commanding officer was none other than Capt. C. W. Nimitz, Jr. We happened to be Division Commander and our Division Commander was none other than John D. Bulkeley, Congressional Medal of Honor receiptiant. I read an article where he retired after 55 years of service as Rear Admiral. My O'Brien home page was discontinued by Freehomepages without my knowledge. I still have all the information and perhaps one day I will find a place to install the information and get the pages up and running again.

Keywords: USS O'Brien DD725

The Nam years

Comments: Anybody here from the time period 64' - 69'?

Keywords: DD 725

USS O'BRIEN DD 725 20TH. REUNION

Comments: I am still looking for any shipmate that served aboard the O'Brien from 1943 to 1972. Please forward name, address, and phone number. I would be happy to talk to you about whats going on with the O'Brien's reunion Association. Our 20th. reunion will be in Chicago Sept. 15th thru 20th, 2009.

Keywords: My name is Herschel Luckinbill (Lucky) and I served on the USS O'Brien DD 725 from Sept 1964 to December 1967. I live in Montgomery, IL and will be hosting the 20th. Reunion. I left the O'Brien as a MM2.

Looking for Ships Plaques

Comments: I served on USS Pritchett DD561 from April 1964 through November 1964 on a Westpac cruise. I was a Radioman 2nd Class at the time. I transferred to USS O'Brien DD725 in November 1964 and served aboard her until April 1966. I'd like to locate ships plaques for both ships.

Keywords: USS O'Brien DD725, USS Pritchett DD561, Ships Plaques

USS O'Brien DD-725 photos

Comments: I served aboard USS O'Brien from 12/1951 to 12/1954 as a sonarman. In reviewing the postings of others on this listing, I noticed that several people have requested information about the availability of O'Brien photos. There are many posted on the internet, mostly available to download. The best sources are navsource.org, and Maritime Quest. (see google for more listings.)

Keywords: Task Force 77, Sea of Japan

Koreonwar

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Keywords: O'B

Searching for USS O'BRIAN DD725 Reunion Association Officer

Comments: My Father Gary G. Staves has perished and we still receive Reunion letters it hurts my mother to get these letters, I would Love to contact the proper person to have his name removed from the mailing records, if it is wished for the mailing to go to my mother instead that may be done, but to come in his name is a pain I would like to take away from her having to endure. She along with all of us are proud of his service and the memory will always be with us. any help would be very much appreciated

Keywords: Gary G. Staves, U.S.S O"BRIAN (DD-725)

U.S.S. O'Brien Task Force 58

Comments: My uncle served on the O'Brien in the Pacific in WWII when it was part of Task Force 58. I remember him telling about the Kamakazie attacks and being at General Quarters for 90 days or so. My grandfather had a large picture of the O'Brien underway hanging on the wall and I believe it's was DD725, but it's been a long time and I was just a boy.

My uncle's name was Andrew M. Johnson II from Indiana. I believe he was a fireman and worked in the engine room. I remember him telling me that he knew a Kamakazie plane was going to hit the ship when he heard the 20mm, or was it 40 mm, guns open up because by that time the plane was so close that the only way to stop it would be to blow it to bits with one of the bigger guns and it was too late for that. Seems like he also told me that the pilots bodies were sometimes booby trapped.

My uncle died suddenly of a heart attack many years ago so I can't ask him to referesh my memory, but I really wish I could. I still miss him at times.

I think the O'Brien talked about in the messages here is the same ship he served on.

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Re-Commissioned 1950

Comments: I had the privelage of being in boot camp from which several members from Company 149 helped in putting the OBrien back in commission in October of 1950. After shakedown cruise we headed for Korea in January 1951 with a stop over in Pearl Harbor for some repair work on one of our 5" Mounts...We were also privilaged to have Admiral Nimitz son Chester Jr as our Skipper. One event that happened that I remember was when the USS Walke either hit a mine or was hit by a torpeda and most everyone seems to think it was the latter which blew a large hole in one side and killed 26 men. We were operating with Task Force 77 at the time. What an unfortunate situation.. I am prowd to have served my country and prowd to have served on a ship that has been so unique in the many battles since the first OBrien was launched. I would not trade the experiences that I had for anything in this world...What an honor to Be an AMERICAN and serve your country...Thanks for letting me spout of a little....G.L. "Bud" Midkiff

Keywords: Bud

Looking For Shipmates

Comments: I served on the USS O'Brien from November 1957 to December 1960. I would like to hear from any other BT's who served on her during that time.

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June 1957, TAD on the O'Brien

Comments: In June of 1957 we were refueling off the Kearsarge (CV-33). I was second-last man on the line. When we got the hose over, the last man dropped the line and started walking away. Just then a wave came up the side and way up over the 01 deck. The last guy went overboard and I ended up half-way over the side with a death-grip on the line. Two other guys were hurt. I had to help them ashore and onto the Haven. I left before any of the injured guys came back (if they did). I only remember a particular boatswains mate's name and I've been putting hexes on him ever since.

Keywords: O'Brien

O'Brien shipmates 1961-1964

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Keywords: Jonesie SO3 looking for shipmates 1961-1964, Flaps, Mouse, Sully, Joe Cox, Set of brothers from Cal', (Big sonarman Schira?)also Cal.

reunion in Nashville tn.

Comments: The 2005 reunion is september 14 -17 in Nashville Tn. hope to see you there!

Keywords: tin can sailors

Uss Obrien

Comments: If anyone has pictures of the ship and of the crew during the Korean War please email me some I would really appreciate it. My father served during world war II and also during the Korean War. He Passed away 8 years ago and I have been tring to gather some history of history Milatary time.

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MMC Donald Simoneau

Comments: Retired Chief Donald R. Simoneau has asked me to see if I can find anyone who served with him onbaord the USS O'Brien during 1951 to 1953. At the time he was an FN and advanced to MM3 while onboard. He worked primarily in the Engineroom. He now live in South Texas. Both Chief Simoneau and I appreciate any help you van provide.

Craig biegel

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Uss Obrien

Comments: ANY BODY THAT SERVED ON THE USS OBRIEN DURING THE KOREAN WAR TAKE ANY PICTURES? IF SO EMAIL ME WITH THEM PLEASE. MY UNCLE SERVED ON THAT SHIP

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shipmates 1956-58

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Comments: John Stacey and Frank Kabris

Keywords: Looing for shipmates

Comments: Pictues of ship and shipmates

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looking for shipmates

Comments: served in OI div from 1961-1963 - looking for shipmates of same time period, westpac 1962, FRAM in 1961

Keywords: DD-725 USS Obrien

U.S.S. O'brien DD 725 1956-1957

Comments: I served on the U.S.S. O'brien DD 725 in 1956. I was the engineers log room yoman. I am looking for Lt. JG Funkhouser, or any other member of the engineering crew. You might remember me best by my wifes cousin, the permanent scullery duty seaman DALE EYLER. If there is a re-union planned, fellow seaman DEAN DAVIS from Colorado and I would love to attend. Any info. you can provide will be greatly appreciated. Thanks.

Keywords: Yomen

Phil Cash

Comments: My dad Phil Cash was aboard the USS O'Brien when it was torpedoed. He was a Chief Warren Officer I beleive. He passed away 10 years ago and would be greatfull for any information, Thanks

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U.S.S. O'BRIEN DD725

Comments: westpac,taskforest77,the OB

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