Texas Medal of Honor Memorial "Articles"

Articles about the Texas Medal of Honor Memorial

02/15/2005
CAF addition to recognize Medal of Honor recipients
Emily Baker
Midland Reporter Telegram
MONUMENT -- This statue located in Kentucky, was sculpted by Midlander Doyle Glass who has been commissioned to create a similar statue for the CAF. Courtesy Photo Wounded and bleeding, U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. George H. O'Brien Jr. continued to fight off the enemy and lead his platoon in a four-hour assault that helped maintain a strategic position.

When the assault was over, he tended to other wounded Marines before he allowed himself to be treated. For these actions during the Korean War, O'Brien, a Midlander, was presented the Medal of Honor by President Eisenhower in 1953.

A hall bearing O'Brien's name is planned as part of the Commemorative Air Force's expansion efforts to honor all 82 Texans who have received the Medal of Honor.

Groundbreaking on a new hangar and the O'Brien hall is expected to take place this summer.

The hall will feature the state's largest monument recognizing Medal of Honor recipients, said Russell "Rusty" McInturff, the CAF's director of development.

"This will help teach young people about the Medal of Honor and what it's about," said Frank Cahoon, a member of the expansion's fund-raising committee.

An 8-foot bronze sculpture will be included in the hall and will be fashioned after the state Medal of Honor monument in Kentucky, which was modeled after O'Brien. Doyle Glass, a Midland native, sculpted the Kentucky statue and has been commissioned to create the CAF's statue, McInturff said.

The city of Midland had plans to dedicate a Medal of Honor recipient monument, but a suitable location for it could not be decided upon, McInturff said. Centennial Plaza and the airport were considered before the CAF expansion was selected, he said.

Of the 82 Texas Medal of Honor recipients, four are living. The recipients represent 38 communities. The CAF has plans to recognize a handful of recipients per year. The recipient's family and home-town leadership will be invited for the recognition, McInturff said. A replica of the hall's panels honoring the recipients will be presented to the recipient's hometown, which could spark some tourism interest, he said.

The CAF has units in 28 states and hopes the monument at the organization's headquarters will encourage the other units to develop monuments in their states, McInturff said.

Texas Medal of Honor Memorial sculpture by Doyle Glass Bronze Medal of Honor Sculpture by Doyle Glass

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