Daniel P. O'Neill, Jr.

Bar Harbor, ME

U.S. Army Private 1st Class Daniel J. O’Neill, born June 22, 1926, faded away on October 3, 2023. At 97, Dan’s was a full life, but it was WWII service that defined him.  Born in New York City and raised in Edgewater, Dan was one of 4 children to Irish immigrants  Helen (Stephens) and Daniel O’Neill, Sr. Living through tough times, the boys took refuge on playing fields. Dan, with a storied left handed curve ball, was All-County Honors at Englewood High. In 1944, “Lefty O’Neill”, the “Edgewater Hurler”, led his team to the championships while the team roster diminished by military conscription. Scouted by the New York Giants, New York’s first professional baseball team, he instead enlisted in the Army with Company K, 114th Infantry Regiment of the 44th Infantry Division. In the Battle of the Bulge, Dan and the 44th defended against the last German offensive of World War II. They endured harsh winter conditions and brutal battles. The 44th further endured the painful discovery of concentration camps. The Nazi’s built and ran over 1,000 camps for the purpose of holding and eliminating whole groups of people, mostly Jewish. Dan helped liberate them, carrying weak and wasted survivors to food and medical care.  At War’s end, Dan was one of 12,000 troops aboard the 2,000-passenger Queen Elizabeth II.  Crammed in a drained swimming pool of the luxury liner, he sailed for New York and never forgot Marlene Dietrich, among millions lining the Hudson River to greet them.  Dan did not pursue a pro ball career, although he did play local leagues, including for the Port Authority Team. He received a bachelor’s degree at Seton Hall and MBA at NYU. He made a career as controller for large corporations.  Dan is survived by his cousin Kay DeLuca (Elmsford, NY), nephews Terry (Albany, NY), Sean (Perryburg, Ohio), Patrick Leary (Bar Harbor), Dennis Leary (Cambridge. MA): nieces Oona Thober, (Gloucester, MA), Moira (Surry, ME) and Eleanor Rose (Cambridge). In Dan’s memory, thank a veteran for their service.