Tim enlisted in the United States Army in January 1948. This decision was heavily influenced by the death of his older brother Tommy who died from injuries sustained on Okinawa June 6, 1945 prior to the end of WWII. Tim, like most young men of that era, felt a strong need to serve his country.  After basic training, Tim completed small arms weapons mechanic training in Aberdeen, MD, then shipped off to Japan to join the 8^th Army of Occupation in Zama. He would work with processing and providing transportation to incoming troops. When North Korea invaded South Korea in June of 1950, his unit remained part of the 8^th Army but fell under the newly created Japan Logistical Command (JLC) and unit identification of 8042^nd Army unit. It was about this time that Tim’s father, after losing Tommy in WWII, applied for sole surviving son status which prohibited him from being assigned to an active combat theater. Tim was unhappy at the time but came to realize how important this was to his parents years later.

Tim was promoted to Sergeant in August of 1951 and honorably discharged in November. He earned the Good Conduct Medal and was awarded the Army of Occupation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal and the United States and United Nations Korean Service Medals.

- The O’Callaghan and Getschman Families