John O'Brien (admiral)

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John O'Brien
Born 16 December 1918
Hove, Sussex
Died 24 March 1996
Ottawa, Ontario
Allegiance  Canada
Service/branch  Royal Canadian Navy
Naval Ensign of Canada.svg Canadian Forces
Years of service 1935-1973
Rank Vice-Admiral
Commands held HMCS Bonaventure
Maritime Command
NATO Defense College
Battles/wars Second World War
Awards Officer 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 1966 to 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]

References

  1. 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 O'Brien, John Charles The Nauticapedia
  2. Obituary: Stephanie Frances O'Brien The Telegarph, October 2006
Military offices
Preceded by Commander Maritime Command
1966-1970
Succeeded by
Henry Porter