Priest's war-time heroism becomes nephew's one-man show

On March 19, 1945, a Japanese plane dropped two bombs on the USS Franklin, an aircraft carrier cruising off the coast of Japan. As sailors scrambled for their lives, tons of ammunition and scores of fully fueled planes began to explode.

Lt. Commander Joseph T. O'Callahan, a Jesuit priest and the ship's chaplain, leapt into the flames to save sailors; he lugged bombs out of the ship's storage bays before they could explode; he convinced men to follow him as he barged to the ammo magazine to douse it with water to prevent more explosions.

Because of Father O'Callahan and the brave men he inspired, lives were saved and the carrier stayed afloat. The priest was awarded the only Congressional Medal of Honor ever given to a Navy chaplain.

Uncle's story

Thanks to the priest's nephew, Jay O'Callahan, an actor and story-teller, the Jesuit's courage is living on in a one-man show that is coming to Albany.

Although he had heard the story of his uncle's courage, "I didn't get to really know him well until I attended Holy Cross," Mr. O'Callahan told The Evangelist. Father O'Callahan taught at Holy Cross College in Worcester, Mass., and headed its math department.

"He sought me out, and we began to see more of each other," the actor said. "He became a mentor to me."

Telling stories

After college, Mr. O'Callahan was a teacher who eventually evolved into a story-teller. He has appeared at Lincoln Center in New York City, at Dublin's Abbey Theatre and on National Public Radio.

"I always knew what [Father O'Callahan] did was a great story," he said. "But, when I first began to think about telling it, I wasn't sure how I wanted to approach it."

He struggled to relate the bombing of the ship and his uncle's brave acts while also revealing the priest's gentler side. A year's writing produced "Father Joe: A Hero's Journey," a two-hour presentation, which will be performed Nov. 9, 7:30 p.m., at the American Legion Zaloga Post in Albany.

"This is the story of a national hero, known and admired by thousands," Mr. O'Callahan said. "It's also the story of a priest who became a leader, a saver of lives and a caring uncle who guided a young man through his college years. In the telling of my story, the audience sees what war does to people. It's a story of heroism."

(When he isn't telling stories, Mr. O'Callahan runs writing and story-telling workshops. See his website, www.ocallahan.com. His performance is sponsored by the USS Slater Museum in Albany and the Holy Cross College Alumni Association of Albany. To purchase tickets, call 431-1943.)

(11/3/05) [[In-content Ad]]