U.S. Department of Defense
Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense (Public Affairs)
News Release
IMMEDIATE RELEASE No. 496-11
June 10, 2011
DOD Identifies Marine Casualty
The Department of Defense announced today the death of a Marine who was supporting Operation Enduring Freedom.
Lance Corporal Nicholas S. O’Brien, 21, of Stanley, North Caroloina, died June 9, 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan. He was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, IMarine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
For additional background information on this Marine, news media representatives may contact the 1stMarine Division public affairs office at760-725-8766.
Lance Corporal Nicholas S. O’Brien
Lance Corporal O’Brien, 21, died June 9, 2011 while conducting combat operations in Helmand province, Afghanistan.
Lance Corporal O’Brien was assigned to the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, 1st Marine Expeditionary Force, Camp Pendleton, California.
Nic was born May 23, 1990 in Charlotte, and was a graduate of East Gaston High School.
His family includes his parents; Richard O’Brien, Jr. and Tammy O’Brien, his sister; Haley O’Brien, grandparents; Johnny Bright and Barbara Bowen, and great-grandmother; Lila Harrison, as well as uncles; Jeff Bright and family, Sean O’Brien and family, and aunt; Bonnie Knight and family, and extended family in Charlotte, and Appomattox, Virginia, and his longtime girlfriend; Hayley Black and her family.
Services with full military honors will be held at 2:00 PM Monday, June 20th at First Assembly of God, 777 S. Myrtle School Road in Gastonia. Further honors and interment will follow in Arlington National Cemetery at 9:00 AM on Tuesday, June 28, 2011. Following the service in Gastonia, the family will receive friends at Shady Brook Baptist Church in Charlotte.
In lieu of flowers, the O’Brien family respectfully requests memorials be sent to the Josh Cawthorn Fund, in care of Shady Brook Baptist Church, 2940 Belmeade Drive, Charlotte, North Caroolina 28214.
Josh was Nic’s friend who was seriously injured in the incident which took Nic’s life.
O’BRIEN, NICHOLAS S
- LCPL US MARINE CORPS
- AFGHANISTAN
- DATE OF BIRTH: 05/23/1990
- DATE OF DEATH: 06/09/2011
- BURIED AT: SECTION 60 SITE 9520
- ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY
Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.
Reviewed by: Michael Howard