Richard E. O'Connor

U.S. Army
Vietnam War
1967-1968 | KIA

Richard Edward O'Connor was born in Staten Island, New York to a large Irish Catholic family. Richard was the son of William P. O'Connor who predeceased his son and Helen M. O'Connor. He was the brother of John, William, Ellen and Mary. He grew up at 55 Collfield Avenue and graduated from Port Richmond High Schoo in 1966, where he was voted "Mr. Personality" by his graduating class. He worked for the St. George Trucking Company in Rosebank prior to joining the army in June 1967. In July 1967 he announced his engagement to Phyllis Massetti of Port Richmond. They were scheduled to be married in January 1969.

After basic training at Ft. Gordon Georgia, Richard received advanced infantry training at Ft. Jackson, South Carolina. He was home in November for a 20 day leave and arrived in Vietnam after Thanksgiving Day.

Richard started his tour of Vietnam on November 25, 1967 and served with Company E, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry, 198th Infantry Brigade, America Division USARV. His duties included guarding bridges and patrolling.

Richard was killed during the Viet Cong Tet offensive when, on January 31, 1968, a bunker near the An Tan Bridge just west of the Chu Lai Military Complex in Quang Tin Province was hit by enemy mortar fire. Richard was one of the three men killed while on watch as a result of multiple fragments from the hostile fire. He had been in Vietnam for two months. He was 21 years old.

He was awarded the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Combat Infantry Badge, Vietnam Service Medal with One Service Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal.

Sponsored by Port Richmond North Shore Alliance