John Joseph O’Hara Jr. grew up admiring the service, especially the Navy and the Coast Guard. His father, John J. O'Hara Sr. had served in the U.S. Coast Guard on the U.S.C.G.C. DUANE during World War Two. When he was in high school at Thomas Edison High School in Jamaica Hills, Queens, he admired his older classmates who returned after graduation to show off their Navy uniforms to their former teachers. He was raised with tremendous respect for the military and aspired to serve his country. On October 13th, 1969, John enlisted in the United States Coast Guard. He was first stationed on the U.S.C.G.C. DUANE. This was a significant assignment, because it was the same ship that his father had served on during World War Two. His job was Engine Room Mechanic and Fireman. During World War Two, his father had been an Electrician's Mate. Father and son shared many conversations fondly discussing the entire layout of the U.S.C.G.C. DUANE. The U.S. government was looking for volunteers to go to Vietnam. John heard from other sailors that serving in Vietnam was not too bad because the ships went to exotic ports like Hong Kong, Tokyo, and ports in China. Plus an added bonus was that once you completed a successful year in Vietnam, the Coast Guard let you have a port on your "Wish List." John volunteered to serve in Vietnam and was stationed on the U.S.C.G.C. CASTLEROCK. According to John, “the crew broke their backs getting the ship to Vietnam because it left port from Maine making it the furthest point possible to sail from to get to Vietnam.”

Once in Vietnam, the officers gave the crew a pep talk telling the crew that their mission was to train the South Vietnamese to become sailors who would then eventually take over the care of the ship. The officers told the crew that the South Vietnamese were eager to learn and would prove to be an asset to the crew. However, that was certainly not the case. The South Vietnamese did not even want to be on the ship. They did not like that they would be so far away from their homes because the mission of the U.S.C.G.C. CASTLEROCK was to patrol the coasts of Vietnam. In addition, they did not like the size of the ship itself. The South Vietnamese preferred smaller river-boats, not three hundred-foot Coast Guard Cutters. From the very start of the training, the South Vietnamese proved to be difficult students. According to John, they would “sit around in their underwear and drink beer while we had to work our tails off” The South Vietnamese were not held to the same high standards as the U.S.C.G. crew. This caused hostility on the ship. The crew had a hard time with the South Vietnamese because they were proud of their ship and were afraid they would be leaving her in incapable hands. There was also difficulty in communication because of the language barrier. In addition, the South Vietnamese were terrible mechanics. They would often allow the engines to operate on low oil. Worst of all, John recalls: “the other American ships were allowed to R.R. in Hong Kong and places like that. Because we had the South Vietnamese on board, we could only go to Singapore.” It was not an easy mission for the crew of the U.S.C.G.C. CASTLEROCK.

After his service in Vietnam, the Coast Guard stationed John in Boston. It was in Boston, that this lifetime Mets fan developed a fondness for his second favorite baseball team, the Boston Red Sox. John seized the opportunity to request a transfer to the U.S.C.G.C. MENDOTA. John went down to Baltimore, Maryland to pick up the ship. Dressed in his U.S.C.G. uniform in BWI airport, he was met with some unkind words from a stranger. He was shocked and saddened by the comment. It was a very different homecoming then his father had post World War Two. On the U.S.C.G.C. MENDOTA, John went to New Bedford, Massachusetts. He enjoyed his time in New Bedford, “It is a beautiful, old New England Whaling town.” For the most part, John says: “I really only got recognition for being in Vietnam from my shipmates in the States. It meant something to them that I had been there, my status was improved automatically, they expected more of me.” To the rest of his fellow Americans, John did not stand out for his service. According to John, “Some people blamed us, but mostly we came home in silence.”

After he was honorably discharged on October 13th, 1973, He became interested in motorcycles. Inspired by the films, Then Came Bronson and Easy Rider, John O'Hara saved up $1,000 and bought a Kawasaki motorcycle. He then went on a lone motorcycle trip form New York to Florida. “I wanted to buy a Harley-Davidson and ride it ’cross country to California but because it was just Christmas, it was all I could afford, but at least I did it.” John enjoyed the solitude of his trip experiencing the natural beauty of the America landscape through the many campgrounds of the southeast. “You could say it was a reflective trip.” After about sixty days, John returned to New York to work at Con Edison. He would eventually go on to serve forty-four years with the company as a rigger and tractor-trailer driver based in Astoria, Queens. In 1979 he met and fell in love with a local Queens teacher, Felicia McCabe. They married in 1980 and have had three children together.

John is proud of his service in Vietnam and proud of his lifetime V.F.W. membership. John reports that: “We are always recruiting for new members, we are especially interested in creating a welcoming place of acceptance for all returning veterans." Beginning in 2014, John became a Granddad, his favorite role yet. In 2019, Levittown V.F.W. Post #9592 bestowed on John the great honor of serving as the grand marshal of Levittown's 70th anniversary Memorial Day parade. Most of all, John was a devoted family man who loved each member of his extensive family tree. Finally, the family of John O'Hara wishes to remember and recognize all of the veterans who made the ultimate sacrifice to our great country. May God bless America and may God bless the families of our fallen heroes.

The Levittown V.F.W. Monday April 15th afternoon/evening. All are welcome to attend. Levittown V.F.W. Post #9592 55 Hickory Lane Levittown, N.Y. 11756