The march from the church to the cemetery was led by active service U.S. Marines and also retired USMC Brigadier General Michael Neil (center) who, like Patrick Gallagher, is a Navy Cross and Purple Heart recipient. Photo by Airman Adam Murphy, Irish Defence Forces.
By Ray O’Hanlon
For a day it was Joint Base Ballyhaunis.
Serving and retired military personnel from both sides of the Atlantic, family members and many local people, gathered in Balyhaunis, County Mayo to remember Patrick “Bob” Gallagher, a hometown hero whose life was ended in Vietnam fifty years ago.
Gallagher was about to depart Vietnam and the war when his life ended on what would have been his last patrol.
But March 30, 1967 would be Patrick’s last day of life.
His hometown held “Patrick Gallagher Memorial Day” on the recent anniversary as a salute to the memory of the Navy Cross and Purple Heart recipient.
Serving and retired members of the United States Marine Corps and the Irish Defence Forces took part in the day’s events, which began with a Memorial Mass.
The Mass and ceremonies also honored Christopher Nevin and Brian Óg Freyne, who also died in Vietnam, and Ballyhaunis native Billy Keadin, who was killed while serving with the Irish United Nations peacekeeping force in the Lebanon.
An exhibition on Gallagher’s life was opened as part of the day’s ceremonies.
As the day came to an end the Marine Corps hymn was sung by the marines and Brigadier General Michael Neil USMC retired,” said Martin Durkan, one of the organizers of the anniversary gathering.
Like Gallagher, General Neil won the Navy Cross and Purple Heart.
The anniversary commemoration came against the backdrop of a petition drive aimed at having Gallagher’s name affixed to a U.S. Navy destroyer.
The goal is to have 10,000 signatures by the end of 2017, said Martin Durkan, who hails from Mayo, though is now a resident of California.
The petition requests that the Secretary of the Navy consider naming a destroyer in Gallagher’s honor.
Gallagher, from Derintogher, Ballyhaunis, won the Navy Cross for heroism in Vietnam, but was shot dead while on Patrol in Da Nang on what would have been his final day “in country.”
He was 23 years of age.
The petition effort has been led by Durkan, and Dallas, Texas-based Dublin native, Marius Donnelly.
“Patrick was one of at least 31 Irish citizens, mostly green card holders, who died during the Vietnam War,” said Durkan.
“Should the USS Patrick Gallagher sail, then it will sail for all 31,” he said.
As of the anniversary date the petition was approaching 8,000 signatures.
More on Patrick “Bob” Gallagher and the campaign to have a ship named after him at www.patrickgallagherusmc.info.
