Ed O'Brien, Jr. was a Lieutenant and Gunnery Officer on the USS Cleveland, a Light Ship in the Pacific. He became the unnofficial ship photographer by default, as he had one of the few good cameras on board and liked to take pictures.
When General Douglas MacArthur was ordered to leave Corregidor in the Philippines during World War II, he issued a brief statement ending with these words: "I shall return." When he made that historic return trip, he did so not on a battleship or a cruiser but rather on the USS Cleveland, which was was one of the less conspicuous and quicker ships in its convoy and was therefore a better transport for the General in case of an attack.
There was a spare berth in Ed O'Brien's quarters on the USS Cleveland, and General MacArthur became his bunkmate for more than two weeks as they sped to the Philippines. During that time, the two men became fast friends. When they arrived on the Philippine Islands, MacArthur took Lieutenant O'Brien with him to survey Borneo and the Philippines by plane. O'Brien was clicking off photographs during the entire trip. Ed and Cathy shared with us many of those photographs, as well as posters and memorabilia of the wars which have touched their family and this country.
The preceding was adapted from the October 2006 Historical Society Bulletin, written by Ken Funkhouser.
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