Cyril O’Brien
I grew up in Camden, NJ and graduated from St. Joseph’s University, Philadelphia, PA in 1942. Following World War II I obtained a Master’s degree from American University, Washington, DC.
I entered the Marine Corps in July 1942, one month after finishing college. I enlisted because I was rejected as an officer candidate because I was an inch too short. I was offered a commission later but also received the opportunity to become a Marine Corps combat correspondent, which I eagerly accepted.
On the Bougainville campaign I was assigned to a line company as an infantry Marine and participated in numerous patrols, usually as a scout. In an interim rest area on Guadalcanal someone discovered I had been a pre-war newspaper reporter for the Courier Post in Camden and I was offered a slot as a combat correspondent.
I served as a correspondent on Guam and Iwo Jima, including the decisive battle on Guam for Chonito Ridge. It was on Guam that I nearly bought it. I was on a patrol with a Doberman war dog and, as we approached a patch of jungle, the dog refused to go in. As we were a small recon patrol we had to call for a larger combat patrol and the fighting continued for more than an hour. But for the dog I probably would not be putting together this bio.
Following the war I returned to journalism as a Washington correspondent covering the House and Senate for newspapers in New Jersey. My last job was ads a science writer and media representative for the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Lab, the principal Navy research and development lab for missiles, undersea warfare, space and earth satellites.
I have authored two publications. Liberation features Marines in the recapture of Guam and was published by the Marine Corps Historical Center. “Two Score and Ten” is a compilation of hundreds of anecdotes of war with the 3d Marine Division and includes photos, memoirs, battle reports, citations and tributes.
I married a lovely Philadelphia girl. We have four children and live in Silver Spring, MD.
