From Korea to Emly: a Tipperary son is on his way home

An Emly man who died in the Korean War in 1950 is to be laid to rest on home soil at the end of the month, 76 years after he was killed in action at the Taeryong River in present-day North Korea.

Sergeant Thomas Joseph O’Brien died at the age of 23 on October 26 1950 while serving with the US army in the Korean War. His mother Sarah O’Brien was notified that he was missing in action (MIA), and presumed dead. Before she died in 1957, she had had his name engraved on the stone at the family plot in St Ailbe’s graveyard in Emly in anticipation of his return and now, he is coming home to his final resting place.

Thomas Joseph O’Brien (Tom Jo) was born May 13 1927 to Michael and Sarah O’Brien on the family farm Ballyvistea near the village of Emly. He was one of seven children, including Margret, Una, Mary, Nancy, Michael and Sean. In pursuit of the American dream Thomas Joseph arrived in New York City at the age of 20, and joined the army on the promise of a green card.

In two years he was repeatedly promoted to his final rank of Sergeant Master. On October 26 1950 on the south side of the Taeryong River, north of Pyongyang in North Korea, his unit encountered a North Korean force of infantry.

As his niece Shivaun O’Brien explains: “Sgt O’Brien’s unit was pinned down and as a gunnery he drew enemy tank fire in his direction, which allowed ten men from his unit to retreat safely. Sergeant Thomas Joseph O’Brien was killed by enemy tank fire, and at the time of his death was only 23 years of age”.

Una’s daughter and Tom Jo’s niece Kate Phipps, living in Naas today, explained how the memory of Tom Jo was never forgotten.

“Una was the youngest girl and so lived with granny, and she was at home with her mother when they got the news”.

Una talked about her brother frequently, and kept a picture of Tom Jo with the list of his many awards by her bedside. Today, that picture is with Kate, detailing that for his “leadership and valour, [he] was awarded the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Good Conduct medal, the Korean Service medal, the United Nations Service medal, the National Defense Service medal, and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation”.

Following the war, the remains of Tom Jo were returned to US custody as part of the exchange of the war dead known as Operation Glory. While a tentative association was made at the time, it is only with the advance of technology that a link could be definitely affirmed. DNA was initally collected and stored in the 1990s from Michael O’Brien, Tom Jo’s brother. In the interim, the remains were interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific in Hawaii.

In 2003, Tom Jo and 27 other Irish men who had died in World War II, the Korean War, and The Vietnam War, were awarded their United States citizenship posthumously. The ceremony on Capitol Hill was attended by his brother Michael O’Brien, the last remaining sibling who passed away in 2014.

Tom Jo’s journey home began with a ceremony at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on June 8 this year, attended by his American nieces, great-nephew and family friends. After a cremation in Los Angeles, a ceremony is to be held at St Ailbhe’s in Emly with the American and Irish sides of the family on June 29, to bury Tom Jo with his mother and family at home.

On behalf of the family, Shivaun thanked the many people who assisted in bringing about a resolution, including the United States Veterans Administration, the DPAA, and the USO (United Service Organisations), a family of volunteers at the Bob Hope terminal at LAX who “provide weary troops and military families with a space filled with kindness, warmth and hospitality”.

She also thanked the US Veterans Motorcycle Club for escorting the family from LAX, and “most importantly we would like to thank those who serve today, those that served, as well as their families”.