Honors for BRAVO! Marine Michael E. O’Hara
Last week BRAVO! Marine Michael E. O’Hara was awarded the Congressional Veterans Commendation for the Ninth Congressional District of Indiana. This prestigious award was presented by Congressman Todd Young in a special ceremony in southern Indiana’s Martinsville.
O’Hara was a member of Second Platoon, Bravo Company, before and during the Siege of Khe Sanh. During the Siege, he earned three Purple Hearts. O’Hara then returned to garrison duty where he became a Primary Weapons Instructor training over 120,000 young Marines at the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton in California. Back home in Indiana, he became a homebuilder and has been actively and unselfishly involved in local Veterans affairs since 1993.
Photo by Betty Rodgers
Honored alongside Michael were Colonel Shirley M. Ohta and Staff Sergeant Merrill E. St. John. Eligibility for the award is based on the following items. A candidate must reside in Indiana’s Ninth Congressional District and must have served on active duty in the Armed Services of the United States or have been in a branch of the Armed Forces reserve and called up to active duty. Candidates must also have been retired or honorably discharged. Candidates are chosen by a review board comprised of Ninth District veterans.
Congressman Todd Young is a graduate of the United States Naval Academy and was a captain in the Marine Corps.
Attending the honors ceremony along with Michael were his soulmate, Maxine Bailey, his daughter, Charlene Folz, and his brother Wayne (also a Marine).
I personally served with Michael in the Third Squad, Second Platoon, of Bravo Company. He was, as Bravo Skipper Ken Pipes calls him, a “gunfighter.” He was a squared-away Marine then and he’s squared-away now.
Congratulations, Michael E. O’Hara, you have made your BRAVO! brothers proud.
On the screening front, BRAVO! will be shown in Nampa, Idaho, on September 25, 2014 at the Elks Lodge. Doors will open at 6:00 PM with the screening of the film at 6:30, followed by a Q & A session. Suggested donation, $10.00 to benefit the Wyakin Warrior Foundation. http://www.wyakin.org.
If you would like to host a screening of BRAVO! in your town this fall or winter, please contact us immediately.
DVDs of BRAVO! are available. For more information go to https://bravotheproject.com/buy-the-dvd/.
BRAVO! has a page on Facebook. Please “like” us and “share” the page at https://www.facebook.com/Bravotheproject/. It’s another way you can help us reach more people.
Well! Thank You kind sir.
Congratulations to Michael O’Hara and to Ken and Betty Rodgers for your dedication to a very honorable job of raising awareness for the many veterans that are in need of help around this great nation we live in!
I was able to watch Bravo! Common Men Uncommon Valor, the story of Khe Sanh.
My father served during this time frame; He was a field hospital X-ray tech who was Combat Medic trained. Before his death I asked him why two tours? His answer was I hoped you would not have to go.
I wish to say to Michael, Ken and all the others who participated in the telling of the events that we the
American people thank you for your service!
Michael speaks of serving with the finest Marines for a short amount of time. Michael I hope you know you are one of those finest. Surviving does not make you less so.
God help us if we ever need Marines of that caliber again.
God grant you all serenity and the knowledge that you will see your fallen brothers. Your sacrifices a not forgotten. There is a special place for those that have served.
God bless you all,
B. Green