John O'Brien
Born16 December 1918
Hove, Sussex
Died24 March 1996
Ottawa, Ontario
Allegiance Canada
Service/branch Royal Canadian Navy
Canadian Forces
Years of service1935–1973
Rank Vice-Admiral
Commands heldHMCS Bonaventure
Maritime Command
NATO Defense College
Battles/warsSecond World War
AwardsOfficer of the Order of Canada
Canadian Forces' Decoration

Vice Admiral John Charles O'Brien OC, CD (16 December 1918 – 24 March 1996) was a Canadian Forces officer who served as Commander Maritime Command from 19 July 1966 to 6 July 1970.

Career

O'Brien joined the Royal Canadian Navy in 1935.[1] He was in action off Norway in 1939, commanded a small boat at the Dunkirk evacuation in 1940, served as a Signals Officer for the Allied invasion of Sicily in 1943 during the Second World War.[1] He became Director Naval Training in 1955, Director Naval Communications in 1957 and Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier HMCS Bonaventure in 1959.[1] He went on to be Naval Member of the Canadian Joint Staff in Washington, D.C. in 1961, Senior Canadian Officer Afloat (Atlantic) in 1964 and Commander Maritime Command in 1966.[1] His last appointment was as Commandant of the NATO Defense College in Rome in 1970 before retiring in 1973.[1]

O'Brien married Stephanie Frances Swire; she died on 2 October 2006.[2]



Awards and decorations

Obrien's personal awards and decorations include the following:







RibbonDescriptionNotes
Order of Canada (OC)
  • Appointed Officer (OC) on 26 June 1970[3]
1939–1945 Star
  • WWII 1939-1945
Atlantic Star
  • WWII 1939-1945
Africa Star
  • WWII 1939-1945
Italy Star
  • WWII 1939-1945
Defence Medal (United Kingdom)
  • WWII 1939-1945
Canadian Volunteer Service Medal
  • WWII 1939-1945 with Overseas Service bar
War Medal 1939–1945
  • WWII 1939-1945
Special Service Medal
  • with NATO-OTAN Clasp
Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 1952
Canadian Centennial Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 1967
Queen Elizabeth II Silver Jubilee Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 1977
  • Canadian version
125th Anniversary of the Confederation of Canada Medal
  • Decoration awarded in 1992
Canadian Forces' Decoration (CD)
  • with two Clasp for 32 years of services
  • George VI version
Order of Merit of the Italian Republic
  • Decoration awarded 31 August 1973
  • 2nd Class / Grand Officer level
  • Italy Italian award

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 O'Brien, John Charles The Nauticapedia
  2. ↑ Obituary: Stephanie Frances O'Brien The Telegraph, October 2006
  3. ↑ "The Governor General of Canada List". Gouvernment of Canada.
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