A good friend of mine just passed last night. His name is Paul O'Brien and he was 87years old. This is a copy of my post on the Ford Barn recently. We will miss you big Paul. I will always remember the ride you and I took. "I decided to take my old friend for a ride. His name is Paul O'Brien. He is 87 and a WW II vet. (US NAVY 43-46). He told me he was a Machienist Mate on LST 521. He was also on the first wave of the Normandy Invasion and was part of a 3 man crew on an LCVP that carried 35 personnel and let them off on the shores of Normandy. He made 6 trips and obviously survived! Paul did many jobs in his life, but I met him where I work ( the Maryland State Police). Paul has been a volunteer there for 22 years! Unfortunately time is catching up with Paul and he is dealing with the typical medical issues that we all have to deal with eventually. Here is the cool car stuff he told me about. He said his first car was .......... Get this ...... a 1932 Ford Roadster with rumble seat. He told me his 3 friends and he bought it for $100. He said they would rotate using it every week and after their Friday and Saturday "dates" the next buddy would get it and so on. I asked him what ever happened to the 32 and he said they sold it when they all joined the Navy. He said they sold it for $250 so they doubled their money! I can't imagine kids actually sharing a car and making it work. He told me he owned a 35 like mine after he got out of the Navy so the ride brought back some good memories. Well that's all. Just thought some of you would like to hear a nice story from a real hero! Guys like Paul NEVER bitch about life, they just handle it. We will always remember you Paul. Thanks for showing all the troopers you encountered what a real man is!
What you did was very nice indeed. All vets are very special folks and deserving of such kindness and respect.
A very touching story ...thanks . And yes we did share cars back in the day although I'm 20 years younger than Paul . We hitch hiked and picked up hitch hikers too....never thought twice about it . It was a more civil time . T
Very nice of you to post this . I too have a few real old timer buddys , but as time goes on im loosing them but the stories they have will be passed on for the rest of my life.
Didn't know Paul, but he sounds like a fine man, would have loved to have met and talked with him. Wish that he and my father could have met--my father, who would be 94 if he were still with us, was among those who went ashore at Omaha Beach on D-Day. The last US WWI vet, Frank Buckles of Charleston WV, died two years ago at age 110. Won't be too many more years until the last WWII vet is gone.
Sorry for your loss, we owe Paul and all of his generation so much, thank you for posting the story. Bob
I am not sorry about Paul -- I am happy that you had a chance to know him and that you let him know how much you and all of us appreciate him for his service and his friendship. The WWII vets are fast leaving us , several hundred a day now . I still have trouble realizing that many Vietnam vets are 60 or better , seems like they should still be just kids! Korean war vets are often in their 80's now , where did all those years go?
Thanks for all the comments everyone. I know Paul would be happy to know people still appreciate what these vets from all wars did for us.
that was a nice post about your friend - really sounds like a guy you'd want to hang around with....about now he's meeting up with some of his old buds....rip Paul...
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