John J. O’Brien
Home Town: Dorchester, MA
Distinguished Service Cross
U.S. Army
World War I
General Orders No. No. 3, W.D., 1929
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John J. O’Brien, Private, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near Trugny, France, July 22, 1918. Private O’Brien was one of a party of eight soldiers led by Lieutenant Charles E. Nelson in an attack upon a machine-gun emplacement, the fire of which was inflicting severe losses on his company. In the advance two of the detachment were killed and two wounded but Private O’Brien with the remaining members of the party, with unhesitating gallantry and courage, promptly attacked, captured a machine gun, killed five of the enemy, including one officer, and captured eleven prisoners, thereby aiding in saving his company from further severe losses.
Distinguished Service Cross
U.S. Army
World War I
General Orders No. 23, W.D., 1919
The Distinguished Service Cross is presented to John J. O’Brien, Sergeant, U.S. Army, for extraordinary heroism in action near St. Etienne-a- Arnes, France, October 5 – 7, 1918. Advancing ahead of the infantry, Sergeant O’Brien made several reconnaissances of the town of St. Etienne-a-Arnes; and, in spite of the danger exposed to machine-gun and artillery fire of our own and enemy guns, he procured and returned with valuable information.
