Honor A Veteran

Frank R. O'Neil, US Marine Corps

Albany County Executive Mike Breslin, Congressman Paul Tonko and the Honor-A-Veteran Committee commemorated veteran Frank R. O'Neil at a ceremony on Monday, July 6, 2010 in the Harold L. Joyce County Office Building in Albany.

O'Neil, a native of Hudson, NY, enlisted in the United States Marine Corps in 1945 and served in the Pacific Theater during the closing months of World War II. In October 1950, he was recalled to active duty during the Korean War. After training at Camp LeJeune, he arrived in Korea at Po-hang-dong as a forward observer in Easy Company, 2nd Battalion, 1st Division, 5th Marines and was part of the attack northward across the 38th Parallel into North Korea. During a bayonet charge at Hwacheon, a hand grenade exploded near him, inflicting wounds to his right arm and leg, requiring his evacuation to the medical battalion hospital for a week to recover from his injuries

O'Neil was discharged in 1951 and for his service was awarded the Purple Heart Medal, Presidential Unit Citations with Ribbon Bar and one Bronze Star, the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, the World War II Victory Medal, the China Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Service Medal with one star, the United Nations Service Medal and the Korean Presidential Unit Citation.

His dedication to his country, family and friends was evident both in his active military service and his life and community service thereafter; O'Neil worked for ADT and New York State before retiring in 1983.

O'Neil was a long time member of both the U.S. Marine Corps League and Post #133 of the Disabled Veterans of America.

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