Beech Tree News Network

Butler County Chapter National Society Daughters of the American Revolution is honored to recognize Specialist Joshua O’Driscoll as one of our Veterans of the Year 2021. 

In 2004 while a Senior at Butler County High School, O’Driscoll enlisted in the army and upon graduating he soon headed to Basic Combat Training followed with advanced individual training at Ft Leonard Wood in Missouri.  He was deployed in Sept 2005 in Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

In Iraqi, O’Driscoll was first stationed in Forward Operating Base Speicher (Tikrit, hometown of Saddam Hussein) and then in Camp Warrior.  

On August 6, 2006, O’Driscoll was in a convoy of army vehicles carrying IED damaged vehicles between Speicher and Warrior when his 18-wheeler was hit.  The Humvee in front of O’Driscoll‘s  truck ran over the IED and it did not detonate. O’Driscoll’s truck wasn’t as fortunate.  He had known of incidents where after a hit, some vehicle doors would not open so he immediately spring into action and pushed his door open and out on the ground he went. He was immediately surrounded by other service men. He quickly told everyone that he was all right.  It was his comrades who told him he wasn’t alright , as he was hurt and bleeding.

Sharpnel was embedded in his hip.  He was taken to a medic where he was treated and released.  O’Driscoll retired from military service  in 2010,  after 6 years in service, and returned to Rochester, KY. 

In September 2013, Army specialist Joshua O’Driscoll received a letter in the mail informing him that he was being presented with the Purple Heart.   The purple heart was first called the “Badge of Military Merit” and was introduced by George Washington in 1782. It is one of the most recognized and respected medals awarded to members of the US Armed Forces.  The Purple Heart is also the nation’s oldest military award.  

O’Driscoll is the son of Patrick and Linda (Hammers) O’Driscoll of Rochester.  He and his wife Destney and family continue to live in Butler County, KY.