Michael John O'Brian

No. 35 Wing
No. 35 Wing
	In office; 1 August 1961 – 28 January 1962
Personal details
Born	1 May 1928; No. X Squadron X-Fire; No. 35 Wing
Battles/wars	Indo-Pakistani War of 1947; Indo-Pakistani War of 1965 Indo-Pakistani Air War of 1965; ; Indo-Pakistani War of 1971;
Awards	Golden Eagle Award

1971.^[2]^[3]^[4]^[5]

Early life

Of

Christian family in Lahore. His brother, Charles O'Brian was a Excise and Taxation officer in Sargodha.^[6]

Royal Indian Air Force career and accident

O'Brian enlisted in the Royal Indian Air Force on 29 April 1946 after graduating the 39 Course. O'Brian was promoted to Pilot Officer on 29 October 1946.^[3]^[7]

On 9 December 1946, he was struck by a Spitfire XIVe while parked in his Spitfire LF Mk VIII at RIAF Ambala. There were no injuries.^[8]

Pakistan Air Force career and education

O'Brians portrait at the National Defence College (1974)

After the partition of

Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. O'Brian was promoted to Flying Officer on 29 April 1947. After the war, O'Brian pursued his Bachelor of Science in mathematics at Forman Christian College in 1948.^[3]

O'Brian attended the

National Defence College, Islamabad.^[3]

O'Brian was promoted to Wing Commander on 1 August 1961 commanding the No. 35 Wing until 28 January 1962.[3]

O'Brian played an important role in setting up the training institutes within the Pakistan Air Force.^{[citation needed]}

O'Brian participated in the

Deputy Chief of Air Staff.^[9]

In 1974, O'Brian was given command of

Sargodha Air Force base.^{[citation needed}

]

On 13 May 1974, O'Brian was appointed as the Deputy Chief of Air Staff until 31 August 1975.^[10]

Visit to Peking

On 22 April 1976, Commandant

Peking, China where banquets were held by both countries for each other. The Pakistani delegation returned to Pakistan on 3 May 1976.^[11]^[12]^[13]^[14]^[15]

O'Brian retired in April 1978.[1]

Death

He lived a quiet life and died on 1 December 1995.^{[citation needed]}

References

^ ^a ^b The Gazette of Pakistan. 1978.
^ "PAF'S GALLANT CHRISTIAN HEROES CARRY QUAID'S MESSAGE". November 1998.
^ ^a ^b ^c ^d ^e History of the Pakistan Air Force, 1947-1982. 1982.
^ Shah, Mansoor (2002). The Gold Bird: Pakistan and Its Air Force, Observations of a Pilot.
^ "PAF'S gallant Christian heroes carry Quaid's message". 25 December 2022.
^ S SAJAD HAIDER, FLIGHT OF THE FALCON: Demolishing myths of Indo-Pak wars 1965 & 1971, page 121, VANGUARD BOOKS, Lahore, 2009
^ Pioneering Officers: See Pilot Officers
^ Spitfire Mk VIII Accident Report (1946)
^ "The Wages of Obedience".
^ History of the Pakistan Air Force, 1947-1982. p. 222.
^ News Review on China, Mongolia and the Koreas. p. 265.
^ Summary of World Broadcasts Far East Part 3. 1976.
^ Survey of People's Republic of China Press. 1976.
^ Survey of People's Republic of China Press. 1976. pp. 94, 213.
^ Pakistan Horizon. Vol. 29. p. 1976.

[Gazette-1] The Gazette of Pakistan. 1978.

[2] "PAF'S GALLANT CHRISTIAN HEROES CARRY QUAID'S MESSAGE". November 1998.

[PAF-3] History of the Pakistan Air Force, 1947-1982. 1982.

[4] Shah, Mansoor (2002). The Gold Bird: Pakistan and Its Air Force, Observations of a Pilot.

[5] "PAF'S gallant Christian heroes carry Quaid's message". 25 December 2022.

[Falcon-6] S SAJAD HAIDER, FLIGHT OF THE FALCON: Demolishing myths of Indo-Pak wars 1965 & 1971, page 121, VANGUARD BOOKS, Lahore, 2009

[7] Pioneering Officers: See Pilot Officers

[8] Spitfire Mk VIII Accident Report (1946)

[9] "The Wages of Obedience".

[10] History of the Pakistan Air Force, 1947-1982. p. 222.

[11] News Review on China, Mongolia and the Koreas. p. 265.

[12] Summary of World Broadcasts Far East Part 3. 1976.

[13] Survey of People's Republic of China Press. 1976.

[14] Survey of People's Republic of China Press. 1976. pp. 94, 213.

[15] Pakistan Horizon. Vol. 29. p. 1976.

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