My Mother and her little brother, Joe

Rita Mary O'Donnell was born on March 25, 1917 and Joseph Thomas O'Donnell was born 5 years and 4 months later on July 23, 1922.  After 4 girls the family was delighted to welcome a boy! 

"...a thousand unanswered questions in our hearts"

    My father writes to the Lieutenant in the Jeep with Joe in an effort to learn about Joe's last days on earth.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       62 Interboro Parkway

                                                                             Brooklyn, 7, N.Y.

                                                                             Feb 4, 1952 

Lt. Paul Zinsky 0977219

Co. A, 38 Inf. Reg.

2^nd Inf. Division

APO 248 c/o Postmaster

San Francisco, Calif.

Dear Paul,

For some time now, I have intended to write to you but many little demands of everyday affairs prevented me from getting around to it.  However the sad events of the last few days reminded me of the promise I made to write to you about my wife’s brother, the late Lt. Joseph T. O’Donnell.

First let me thank you in the name of Joe’s wife, parents, and sisters for the thoughtful note you sent at Christmas time.  You will shortly hear from Marie directly on this matter.  In your letter you offered to visit Marie when you come home again.  We want to accept that offer with thanks.  In fact, there is no one more welcome than yourself.   In one of Joe’s last letters he told of meeting you.  On 14 November REV. Capt. James R. Meder wrote to us about meeting Joe and yourself.   He wrote; “He (Joe) and another officer, Lt. Paul Zinsky, had arrived at the regiment just the day before, (Oct. 6) and were on their way to the first battalion to which both of them were assigned.  As I was going past their unit, Joseph and Paul rode along in my Jeep. It was quite a long ride, which took us over a rather high mountain pass, so there was ample time to get acquainted.”  Father Meder then tells about the action near Hondang-ni.

So you see, Paul, I am very anxious to meet you.  It almost seems as though I know you already.  I suppose it is not difficult to understand how urgently we feel the need to talk to someone who was with Joe during the last few days of his life.  We have a thousand unanswered questions in our hearts, and if by your coming, only one is answered, you will have rendered us a very great service.

Shortly after the last war, Joe went to the home of one of the men in his unit who was a casualty during the battle of the bulge.  That evening I was with Joe and he explained how warmly he was received.  Although Joe pondered the advisability of this move for some time, there was no doubt that both he and the family benefited from it.

I am enclosing a clipping from the local newspaper.  It explains the “Sad event” mentioned above.

I know how busy you must be Paul, but if you find a little time we would appreciate hearing from you.  Perhaps you might be able to talk to some of the men of the first platoon who were with Joe on 13 October.  I wonder how Joe’s replacement and his men made out in subsequent engagements.  In fact, any news about the 38^th, especially Co. A will be most welcome.

I want to thank you in advance for any time or effort you might spend in our behalf.

If there is anything I can do for you please let me know.  Be assured that a petition for your safe return is included in our family prayers.

                                               Sincerely yours                                                                                                                                          Charles A. Fries

Letter to Marie 14 Nov 1952

The following is the letter that Fr. Meder referred to when he wrote to my father, Charles A. Fries) on Nov 16, 1951.
I almost certain that I have seen this letter in the past although I do not remember the fact that there was another Lieutenant (i.e., Paul Zinsky)  in the Jeep with my Uncle Joe and Father Meder.   I recently came across a letter that my Dad sent to Lieutenant Paul Zinsky imploring him for more details - I will transcribe this letter also in a day or two.
Here is the first ? letter that Father Meder sent to my Aunt Marie.

HEADQUARTERS
38^th INFANTRY REGIMENT
APO 248 c/o Postmaster

San Francisco, California

                                                                                          14 November 1951 

Mrs. Marie O’Donnell

73 Linden Street

Brooklyn, New York

Dear Mrs. O’Donnell:

                I write, Mrs. O’Donnell, to express to you my heartfelt sympathy in the loss of your beloved husband, First Lieutenant Joseph T. O’Donnell, 0-1059578, Company A, 38^th Infantry Regiment. On 7 October just after Sunday Mass I met Joseph for the first time.  He and another officer, Lieutenant Paul Zinsky, had arrived at the regiment just the day before, and we were on their way to the first battalion to which both of them had been assigned.  As I was going past their unit, Joseph and Paul rode along in my Jeep.  It was quite a long ride, which took us over a rather high mountain pass; so that there was ample time to get acquainted.  I told them all that I knew about Korea and the war, while Joe talked mostly of you and the children.  It was easy to see that he loved his family very dearly.

The following Wednesday I offered up Holy Mass in the field for the first battalion as they were to go on the line the following day.  Joseph attended this Mass and received Holy Communion as well.  The next day Joseph’s unit went into the attack.  Your husband was platoon leader, and though he was with his men only a few days, they had the greatest respect and admiration for him.   This action took place in the vicinity of Hondang-ni, North Korea, on a ridge line, 1,100 meters high.  In this very difficult terrain Joseph personally led two assaults against the enemy.  Both times he came through without being wounded.  Sometime later when another platoon needed help, your husband rushed forward to assist them.  As he did so an enemy mortar round exploded not more than a foot or so from Joseph, wounding him in the head.  He died instantly, and thus was spared any prolonged suffering.

Several days after this engagement I was able to get to say Mass just a few yards from the place where Joe was killed.  The Mass was offered for all the members of Company A, who had given their lives in that action.

You should make a sincere effort, Mrs. O’Donnell, not to let bitterness take possession of your heavy in your loss of such a brave and good husband.  Joseph would want you, I am sure to be brave and courageous for the sake of your children and his.  They are the greatest heritage he has left you.  If at times your burden of sorrow seems too heavy, lean heavily on Our Lord and His sorrowful Mother for help and consolation.

Should you desire any further information, Mrs. O’Donnell, do not hesitate to write me.

Your husband, Joseph, and all the other brace men of the 38^th Regiment, who have made the supreme sacrifice, are remembered daily at the altar.  May God grant them eternal rest, and peace and comfort to you in your bereavement.

                                                                              James R. Meder,
                                                                               Catholic Chaplain

                                                                                                                                                               

                                                                                                                              

Nov. 16, 1951 - a family searches for answers

HEADQUARTERS
38^th INFANTRY REGIMENT
APO 248 c/o Postmaster

San Francisco, California

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                         November 16, 1951

Mr. Charles A. Fries

62 Interboro Parkway

Brooklyn 7, New York

Dear Mr. Fries:

                Your letter of inquiry concerning First Lieutenant Joseph T. O’Donnell, 0-1059578, Company A, 38^th Infantry Regiment, arrived just a few hours after I had parted a letter to his wife.

I included in that letter all of the information available.   Although I talked with Joseph at length on only one occasion, I received the impression that he was a devout Catholic and a devoted husband and father.  From your letter it is clear that the impression was a true one.

                It always seems harder, Mr. Fries, to lose the good, perhaps because they are loved more deeply than others.  And it is heart rending when a wife and child are left behind.  It is not possible for us poor human beings, with our limited perspective, to understand God’s ways.  That understanding is reserved for the next life, when all will be made known to us.  We can but try and imitate Christ in the Garden of Gethsemane.  Only after the sweat of blood did our Lord say to His Father:  “Thy will be done.” And so it must needs be with us too.

                It is so hard to give up one so good and beloved as Joseph, there is also great comfort in the knowledge that he was ready to go to his eternal reward.

               

                I am very grateful for your prayers for me and all our officers and soldiers in Korea.  Your intentions and those of Joseph’s family will be included in my Mass this evening.

                May God lessen the deep hurt in your hearts caused by Joseph’s death.

With expressions of sincere sympathy, I remain.

                                                                                                                                                                                    JAMES R. MEDER                                                                                                                                                        Chaplain ( Captain)

Sister Mary Agnes Kehoe, I love you. Thank You

Sister Mary Agnes Kehoe

I first met Sister Mary Agnes Kehoe when she started “hanging around” our parish, St. Francis de Sales.   Eventually she became the pastoral associate at St. Francis de Sales and stayed on in this capacity when Our Lady of Mercy and St. Francis de Sales merged to become one community,  Christ Our Light Catholic Community.    I could say so many wonderful things about this very special lady but I am sure that she had such a marvelous influence on so many people that these things were felt and will be shared by many others. 

Words don’t really describe my feelings about this beautiful person, but they are all I have to use so they will have to do – I’m certain Sister Mary Agnes would say, “Don’t worry, Mary Beth, it’s OK, God is kind and loving and He understands what is in our hearts even when are words are imperfect.”  

 For me personally, Sister Mary Agnes exuded the love of Christ by simply being who she was.   

No lectures were ever needed. 

She lived and I learned.  

She spoke and I absorbed.

She smiled and I felt a joyous God.    

She hugged me and I felt the presence of our Lord and Savior.

So in the end, what I must say about Sr. Mary Agnes is that shortly after meeting her, I quickly came to love her.   She was not just some “pious nun” but a strong and vibrant liberated spirit.  She was a real human being and she was a beautiful model of womanhood.   I knew she had made the decision to stop ineffective medical treatments in some futile attempt to ward off death.  Instead, after making this decision, she seemed to begin living in an even more vibrant, magnificent way.  I feel honored and privileged to have known her, and I thank God for allowing me to cross paths with this splendid, glorious woman of God.   
Today, I remember the words Sr. Mary Agnes shared with a group at the RPI Chapel this past Lenten season.   She summarized the group's discussion with these words,   "in the end, Love is the only thing that matters." Bishop Howard Hubbard, RPI's guest presenter that evening answered, "Amen".    These will be the words that I will carry in my heart from Sr. Mary Agnes.