O’Hara, Robert V.

Description

Robert Victor O’Hara was born on July 18, 1924, in Port Chester, New York, his father, Joseph, was 33 and his mother, Victoria, was 25. In Rye his family lived at 17 Brookdale Place and were members of the Church of the Resurrection. Robert was a Rye High School Graduate, Class of 1942, where he was senior class president.

He enlisted and served in the U.S. Marine Corps during World War II. Robert served as a Corporal with the Headquarters and Service Battery Sixteenth Antiaircraft Artillery Battalion

Okinawa
On March 12, 1945, the assault echelon of the battalion departed Tinian and sailed towards Okinawa, Japan for the upcoming amphibious landing. The assault echelon disembarked naval shipping on April 8, 1945 and was initially responsible for providing air defense for the 1st Marine Division.

On April 20 the battalion was retasked to provide light anti-aircraft protection for the III Marine Amphibious Corps landing at Hagushi and supplement the defenses of Yontan Airfield with their heavy antiaircraft guns. The remainder of the battalion arrived in a number of different waves during May 1945. During the Battle of Okinawa the 16th AAA Battalion was one of four AAA battalions that comprised the 1st Provisional Antiaircraft Artillery Group.

On May, 11, 1945 an SCR-270 crew from the battalion was attacked by 12-14 Japanese soldiers. 11 Japanese were killed in the incident and 1 Marine was killed in action (KIA) and six more wounded in action (WIA).[9] Two Marines from the battalion were KIA during the battle and another thirty two were WIA.The battalion remained on Okinawa providing air defense until September 20, 1945. View Robert’s Discharge Record Here

After the war Robert would graduate of Boston College Law School, he retired in 1987 after 20 years as a lawyer for the Internal Revenue Service. He had five sons and six daughters with Mary E Aungier.

He was a communicant of Most Holy Rosary Church, and a past president of their Holy Name Society. Robert was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 2839, Solvay, and of the Boston College Law School Alumni Society.

Robert Victor O’Hara, 74, of 100 Summerfield Village Lane, died June 16, 1999 at his home in Syracuse, NY.

At the time of his death he was survived by his wife, the former Mary A. Aungier; by five sons, the Rev. Michael E. O’Hara, and Joseph E., Kevin F., Robert G., and Daniel D. O’Hara; six daughters, Maureen T. and Kathleen O’Hara, Eileen Tickner, Sheila M. Coughlin, and Teresa M. and Donna M. Powell; by thirty grandchildren; and by one great-grandchild.

Funeral services were at Most Holy Rosary Church.

From the Syracuse post Standard June 18, 1999

Birth: Jul. 18, 1924 Port Chester Westchester County New York, USA Death: Jun. 16, 1999 Syracuse Onondaga County New York, USA