Staff Report
NewsWest 9
BIG SPRING - With the New Year, comes a name change for the V.A. Hospital in Big Spring.
On January 18th, the hospital will be re-named after George H. O'Brien, Jr.
O'Brien became the only Howard County veteran to be awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor.
He enlisted in the Marine Corps after graduating from Big Spring High School.
During the Korean War, he was shot in the arm and struck down by grenades but he refused to evacuate and continued leading his men.
After his military career, O'Brien became a petroleum geologist in the Midland area and he volunteered many hours at the Big Spring V.A. Hospital.
He passed away in 2005.
