CC Veteran Cy O’Brien and 3rd Marine Division Honor Canadian Regiment

Former U.S. Marine combat correspondent Cyril O’Brien (3rd from left) presents a plaque honoring the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in ceremonies at Grand Falls , Newfoundland , on June 17. The plaque was presented on behalf of the U.S. Third Marine Division Association to regimental veterans (from left) Colonel Jim Molloy, Gunner Robert Rideout and Jiggs Borland. (Photo by Sue Hickey, Grand Falls/Windsor Advertiser)

A plaque displaying the U.S. Marine Corps emblem now hangs on the wall of a branch headquarters for the Royal Newfoundland Regiment in Grand Falls , Newfoundland , Canada .

It got there because a former U.S. Marine captain and combat correspondent, Cyril J. O’Brien, of Silver Spring, Md., a member of the Lucas Chapter, USMCCCA, believed it was time to pay formal tribute to members of the Canadian regiment who fought beside Americans in both World Wars and are  fighting today alongside Third Division Marines in Afghanistan .

O’Brien a native of St. Johns , Newfoundland , came to the U.S. at age 9, later joined the U.S. Marine Corps and fought with the Third Marine Division on Bougainville, Guam and Iwo Jima in World War II.

His ties to native Canada were never really severed, however. So 15 years ago when he returned to Iwo Jima on tour he gathered up a vial of coral sand from an Iwo invasion beach and eventually presented it to veterans of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment.

He returned to Grand Falls in Newfoundland again last month, this time with a plaque, his own idea, to be presented on behalf of the Third Marine Division Association.

The plaque, citing the Canadian regiment’s motto “Better Than The Best” was presented by O’Brien to Lt. Col. James F. Molloy, a WW II veteran and former commanding officer of the Royal Newfoundland Regiment. In a presentation letter to the regiment, former Sgt. Phil A. Willey, president of the Third Marine Division Association, wrote that “Americans will ever remember the historic engagements of Beaumont Hamel and Gueudecourt (France in World War I) where you made such sacrifices for your country and your kingdom…and today is sharing battle with us in Afghanistan .”      

“ Mission accomplished,” said the feisty O’Brien from his home in Maryland . He’ll likely find a reason to return to Canada sometime in the future. But he’s 90 years old now. Time to stand down? Don’t count on it.