Donald Eugene O'Brien

Who is Donald Eugene O'Brien?

Donald Eugene O'Brien is a United States district judge, in service since 1978, on senior status since 1992. He was an officer in the United States Army Air Corps in World War II, a Democratic nominee for the U.S. House of Representatives, a United States Attorney, and a political organizer.

O'Brien was born in Marcus, Iowa to Michael J. and Myrtle O'Brien on September 30, 1923. He interrupted his college coursework at Trinity College in Sioux City, Iowa to serve as a lieutenant in the United States Army Air Corps from 1942 to 1945. He flew 30 bombing missions over Europe and receiving the Distinguished Flying Cross. After completing his undergraduate studies at Trinity College, he entered Creighton University School of Law, graduating in 1948 with an LL.B. degree. He was in private practice in Sioux City from 1948 to 1949, before becoming an assistant city attorney of Sioux City in 1949. He married Ruth Mahon in 1950. In 1952 he chaired the Adlai Stevenson's presidential campaign in his Iowa congressional district. After serving as the County Attorney of Woodbury County, Iowa from 1955 to 1958, he served as a Sioux City municipal judge from 1959 to 1960.