Captain O'Brien was a veteran of World War II. During the Korean War, he was a pilot of an F-84 jet with the U.S. Air Force "Skyblazers" aerobatic jet team from Fuerstenfeldbruck, Bavaria. On 21 May 1952, after his team completed for the 123rd Fighter Bomber Wing at Manslon, England, his aircraft crashed and exploded near Mansion.

Captain O'Brien was awarded the National Defense Service Medal and the World War II Victory Medal. >