Arthur O’Leary

Arthur O’Leary

Arthur enlisted in the Marine Corps reserve in January 1954, shortly after the Korean armistice. He shared his experiences of being trained by his D.I. for “One quarter million Chinese soldiers,” referring to the Chosin Reservoir incident, where Marines displayed incredible survival skills. Arthur was primarily stationed at Cherry Point, North Carolina, which served as a Navy and Marine air base. He worked as a member of the Crash Crew, responsible for rescuing pilots and extinguishing fires.

He attended Parker High School and was a senior during the first year of the then-new CCHS. Although he struggled in History class, he greatly enjoyed Mr. King’s teachings and the Shop classes. Arthur’s two older sisters graduated from Parker, while four younger siblings graduated from CCHS. The family resided on Harding Road, only two residential streets west of Transit Road. Despite the mailing address being Williamsville, they belonged to the Clarence School District, which was the center of their lives.

After his discharge, Arthur married Kathy and was accepted as a Plumber’s Apprentice. They rented a cozy little apartment above a garage on Ransom Road in Clarence, where they welcomed their first child, Eileen, one of four.

Arthur was a remarkable man. In times of combat, he was someone you’d want in a foxhole with you. Sadly, he passed away in September 2019.

Military Branch:  Marine Corps

Rank:  Sergeant

Years Enlisted:  1954-1956

Honors and Awards:  National Defense Service Award

Status:  Honorably Discharged