mem n\ I'.imiiUHTS Ai'liT ;i -liml ixtIihI oI li:iiiiin,u ;il Ciiiiii) Li'wis, 

 lie went \n ihc Ironl with the l;mi(ni> K.iinlidW l)i\isi()n. So great 

 was llii- nci'd of n-rnfori-i'mriil oii ilic li.ililc line hi sustain llic moralr 

 vi (ho sorr-piTSsnl and (i\ cr wnumlil \clrraiis ihcrc cii.iia^cd thai 

 tho Rainbow Division was sent ahnost iniiiU'(Halrly into the trcnrhcs. 

 History has already recorded how well the division bore itself, and 

 how, on several occasions when the need was sdic, the engineers ihcin- 

 sHves took arms and engaj^ed in thi' thick of the fray. Probably 

 th.e danger was no greater in lighting, however or perhaps not so 

 great, as in their regular line of duty in exploring no-man's land, and 

 other hazardous undertakings which fall to the lul of (he engineers. 

 With his comrades O'Brien had six months of the strenuous life at 

 the front, in which he bore himself so gallantly that he was first pro- 

 moted to Sargent, and afterwards to Lieutenant. 



After the allotted period of this strenuous activity, the regiment 

 was sent back to join the reserves, and Lieutenant O'Brien rendered 

 good service in connection with the commisary department in Paris. 

 Later, by way of reward for his dangerous and faithful work, he was 

 given a furlough to visit some of the principal cities in France, and 

 later he entered the" A. E. F. university at Baume. At the institute of 

 .^gronomy he received special recognition, in that his graduation pa- 

 pers, out of those of 130 Amerrcan students, w^ere translated into 

 French and read at the public closing exercises. 



Lieutenant O'Brien was born near Alma, Michigan, April 29th, 

 1870. .After working his way through the Alma High School, he 

 look up the occupation of teaching. He taught successively in the 

 Brady school, the Prat school of Claire county, and the Grammar 

 school. Later he secured a position with a publishing house, and 

 earned sufficient money to pay his way through Albion College. 

 After graduation he became principal of the Michigan State School 

 for the Blind. In 1893 he took a course in the law college of Michi- 

 gan University at Ann Arbor. 



After graduation he removed to Milwaukee, where, in 1896, he 

 married Miss Dana Squires, a union which proved most happy to 

 the end of his life. 



In 1902 Mr. and Mrs. O'Brien took up their residence in Los 

 Angeles. His first business here was in the insurance and real estate 

 line. He later became interested in public affairs, and was elected to 

 serve with the famous reform Council of 1910-11. He served on the 

 not less famous county grand jury of 1912. 



Mr. O'Brien took a deep interest in civic and social matters. He 

 w'as one of the organizers, and secretary and main-stay of the Prox- 

 imo Club for several years, and was afterw-ards elected President and 

 then President Emeritus of the club. He was also President of the 

 Michigan Society. 



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