Posted by Bill Murphy on October 16, 2009:

My first encounter with OB was shortly after our class was shuffled and we both found ourselves in A-2 for our last two years as cadets. Joe loved practical jokes as did I. Never forget the time he and Neil Mieras, who were room mates at the time, decided to play a trick on a guy in the class of 1963. At the time Joe lived in the 1st Division. In front of the division were large granite blocks with black chains running through them. Joe organized the plebes and placed one of these huge blocks in Ed Carnes bed. It was so heavy that the bed collapsed. Poor Ed had to sleep on the floor until some strong backs could be recruited to move the block. Another time he talked one of the plebes in to streaking naked from the A-2 divisions across the Plain, around Trophy Point and then back to his room. The poor kid did so. As he approached his division some Firsties returning from a lecture saw him and yelled for him to stop. The poor kid did so. Joe and I were aghast as we watched him bracing with nothing on. We were worried that our names would be revealed for our part in the escapade and that we would soon be walking punishment tours. Thankfully we escaped and an understanding TAC officer just chewed out the plebe rather than slugging him. Joe fell madly in love with a beautiful blond from his home town. Pat drove up from New Jersey every weekend sometimes bringing along a blind date for me. We Irishmen take care of each other. Ha! I visited his home several times. His family treated me as if I was part of the clan. Joe was a great boxer and would yearly be one of the final contestants in the Brigade Boxing Championships. I was glad I was in a different weight class and therefore escaped being pummeled unmercifully. He was very fast, could put his weight behind the punches, and most of the time ended up winning any match he entered into. His Golden Gloves experience prior to entering as a cadet was quite evident. As 3 Jun approached I do not know which he looked forward to the most - graduating or getting married. I believe it was to get married to Pat. He served in the Signal Corps and after a tour in Viet Nam decided to get out of the Army and return to his native New Jersey. Pat and the kids went home by themselves and Joe followed a week later as a brand new civilian. Unfortunately his life ended too soon as he was killed in a car accident on the way home. Pat took his passing hard and found herself suddenly the chief bread winner for her young family. Being a true champion, like Joe, she charged ahead and eventually became one of the most successful realtors in the Washington DC area. I was shocked when I heard of his death. I lost one of my best friends from my cadet days and think of him often. Rest in Peace my good Irish friend.

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