O'Brien, Robert F. (Interview outline and video)

Jones, Adam (Interviewer)

Robert O'Brien was born on October 31, 1922 in Detroit, Michigan. His family moved to Grand Rapids, Michigan when he was a baby and he grew up there. In the spring of 1942 he enlisted in the Navy with the intention of becoming a pilot for the Navy. After receiving training in Ohio and Iowa he was commissioned as an officer (receiving the rank of ensign) in Corpus Christi, Texas and then went on to receive further training in Florida and California before being assigned to Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. He was assigned to a land based squadron, VP 199, while at Whidbey Island where he flew a Curtiss Helldiver and patrolled the waters off the northwestern coast for Japanese submarines. After the war was over he received orders to go to Great Lakes Naval Station, Illinois to be discharged and left the Navy in November 1945 with the rank of lieutenant junior grade.

2015-05-22

Grand Valley State University Libraries. Allendale, Michigan

Veterans History Project (U.S.)

RHC-27_OBrienR1774V

application/pdf

video/mp4

Text

Moving Image

eng