Posted By: oseabee
Freda's Tribute to Bill - 10/04/02 11:52 PM
The O'Brien Family Motto -
"Lamb Laidir an Ucahdar"
Translation: "The Strong Hand Uppermost"
(This letter is framed and on a wall in Bill's apartment) Guess we know why Bill could speak his mind and speak it with such authority. ~smile~
April 11, 1978
Department of the Navy
Transient Personnel Unit
Naval Administrative Command
Naval Training Center
Great Lakes, Illinois 60088
From: Commanding Officer, Transient Personnel
Unit, Great Lakes
To: BU1 William F. O'Brien, USNR-R, 023-20-3601
Subj: Letter of Appreciation
1. You were attached to the Transient Personnel Unit, Great Lakes, Illinois from 23 June 1977 to 11 April 1978. During this period, you were assigned as Master-at-Arms of Barracks 177-3 with an average of 100 Naval Veterans and Separation Personnel; Barracks 25B, a discipline barracks with an average of 150 personnel; and Barracks Watch Officer. All these varied and complex duties assigned during your tour were handled with tact, compassion, humility and professionalism of the highest degree.
2. In addition to the above, during your last few months, you took charge of the barracks maintenance crew and self help program which greatly improved the appearance of numerous office spaces. You displayed professionalism in your chosen field and sound leadership and supervisory ability of the highest degree. Your efforts and the many extra hours you spent ensuring that the Barracks Division was operating in an efficient and effective manner were greatly appreciated. Your efforts most certainly enhanced personnel control during a period when the population of the Transient Personnel Unit was at a high of 750 personnel, sixty-five percent of which were in a disciplinary status.
3. I wish to express my appreciation for the manner in which you performed your dities while attached to this Unit. It is refreshing to meet and work with Petty Officers of your caliber; it is unfortunate however, for this Unit to lose a Petty Officer of your talents. I join with all personnel of the Transient Personnel Unit in extending you a "Well Done" and wishing you much success in your future endeavors.
J. R. Peak
In Nova Scotia Bill would accompany me when I did my Hospital visiting. Also, I volunteer at our local Young Offenders Centre. I admired him for his natural ability to chat with young and old and make them feel at ease. He would always have a little story to tell.
I had the privilage of being with Bill at the time of his death (Fri. evening the 27th. of Sept. '02). If death can be beautiful, his death certainly was. He did not suffer.
I'm sure that God knew that he had suffered enough in these recent years. Like Bill's Officer, God said, "Well done, good and faithful Servant" and took Bill to that place where suffering will be no more. He had a lot more living to do and did it with great gusto and enthusiasm. We will sure miss him but I'm so certain in my heart that we will see him again.
It is comforting to know that Bill had so-o many friends and how he looked forward to getting on the Forum every chance he got to see who had written. (I hadn't realized that he had spoken so much about me on the forum. Actually, I am quite flattered).
On behalf of Bill, I say "thank-you", "thank-you" for all your words of kindness and especially your prayers. We serve an awsome God and I know in His own time and way that He will answer all of those prayers.
From a beginning to be - Lighthouse lover,
Freda
"Lamb Laidir an Ucahdar"
Translation: "The Strong Hand Uppermost"
(This letter is framed and on a wall in Bill's apartment) Guess we know why Bill could speak his mind and speak it with such authority. ~smile~
Quote:
April 11, 1978
Department of the Navy
Transient Personnel Unit
Naval Administrative Command
Naval Training Center
Great Lakes, Illinois 60088
From: Commanding Officer, Transient Personnel
Unit, Great Lakes
To: BU1 William F. O'Brien, USNR-R, 023-20-3601
Subj: Letter of Appreciation
1. You were attached to the Transient Personnel Unit, Great Lakes, Illinois from 23 June 1977 to 11 April 1978. During this period, you were assigned as Master-at-Arms of Barracks 177-3 with an average of 100 Naval Veterans and Separation Personnel; Barracks 25B, a discipline barracks with an average of 150 personnel; and Barracks Watch Officer. All these varied and complex duties assigned during your tour were handled with tact, compassion, humility and professionalism of the highest degree.
2. In addition to the above, during your last few months, you took charge of the barracks maintenance crew and self help program which greatly improved the appearance of numerous office spaces. You displayed professionalism in your chosen field and sound leadership and supervisory ability of the highest degree. Your efforts and the many extra hours you spent ensuring that the Barracks Division was operating in an efficient and effective manner were greatly appreciated. Your efforts most certainly enhanced personnel control during a period when the population of the Transient Personnel Unit was at a high of 750 personnel, sixty-five percent of which were in a disciplinary status.
3. I wish to express my appreciation for the manner in which you performed your dities while attached to this Unit. It is refreshing to meet and work with Petty Officers of your caliber; it is unfortunate however, for this Unit to lose a Petty Officer of your talents. I join with all personnel of the Transient Personnel Unit in extending you a "Well Done" and wishing you much success in your future endeavors.
J. R. Peak
I had the privilage of being with Bill at the time of his death (Fri. evening the 27th. of Sept. '02). If death can be beautiful, his death certainly was. He did not suffer.
I'm sure that God knew that he had suffered enough in these recent years. Like Bill's Officer, God said, "Well done, good and faithful Servant" and took Bill to that place where suffering will be no more. He had a lot more living to do and did it with great gusto and enthusiasm. We will sure miss him but I'm so certain in my heart that we will see him again.
It is comforting to know that Bill had so-o many friends and how he looked forward to getting on the Forum every chance he got to see who had written. (I hadn't realized that he had spoken so much about me on the forum. Actually, I am quite flattered).
On behalf of Bill, I say "thank-you", "thank-you" for all your words of kindness and especially your prayers. We serve an awsome God and I know in His own time and way that He will answer all of those prayers.
From a beginning to be - Lighthouse lover,
Freda