Barnegat Branch of Ocean County Library

112 Burr St. (609-698-3331)
theoceancountylibrary.org

Father Joseph T. O’Callahan was the first military chaplain to receive the Medal of Honor for his brave actions aboard the USS Benjamin Franklin during World War II. Jack Satterfield, a retired U.S. Navy lieutenant commander, was very much intrigued with the life of this Jesuit priest, and the result was the book Saving Big Ben: The USS Franklin and Father Joseph T. O’Callahan. Satterfield will discuss and sign copies of the book on Tuesday, Nov. 13, 7 p.m.

Satterfield, who also served as an intelligence officer in the Naval Reserves, said the USS Franklin sustained the heaviest damage of any of the Navy’s surviving fleet.

“In March 1945, she was badly damaged in a Japanese air attack, losing more than 800 of its crew,” said the author. “For Father O’Callahan, this was a very challenging task. The chaplain organized fire fighting crews and ministered to the injured and the dying.”

After the war, O’Callahan returned to the College of the Holy Cross, where he was a mathematics and philosophy professor. He died in 1964 at the age of 58.

Satterfield said the carrier was decommissioned in 1947 and after undergoing several reclassifications, was sold for scrap in 1966.

Satterfield is also the author of We Band of Brothers: the Sullivans and World War II.

On Wednesday, Nov. 14, at 7 p.m. the branch will hold a reception for longtime area artist Cathleen Engelsen, who will have paintings on display in November and December. The works will feature historical sites and coastal scenes. Engelsen works with oils, watercolors and acrylics.

The next Monday movie is “The Avengers” on Oct. 22 at 2 p.m. When an unexpected enemy threatens global safety and security, Nick Fury, director of a peace-keeping operation known as S.H.I.E.L.D., finds himself in need of a team to pull the world from the brink of disaster. The movie stars Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans and Mark Ruffalo. The next family movie is “The Pirates: Band of Misfits” on Thursday, Oct. 23, at 6:30 p.m.

The branch will hold a holistic health fair on Saturday, Oct. 27,  from 2 to 4 p.m. The public is invited to learn about alternative therapies and holistic treatments available in the area.

Young children are invited to a Halloween Parade on Wednesday, Oct. 31, at 10:30 a.m. There will also be a story time and snacks provided by the Friends of the Library. That evening at 6, the teen advisory group hosts a Halloween movie night.

On Wednesday, Nov. 7, the Ocean County Health Department conducts free blood pressure screenings from 10 a.m. to noon. Appointments are not necessary. That evening at 7, the anime and manga club meets. Teens can share ideas with others who are fans of the popular form of Japanese animation.

The library system’s Gangwise Project presents “Girls in Gangs”  on Nov. 13 at 6:30 p.m. Held in conjunction with several law enforcement agencies, the workshop will provide the knowledge and tools to recognize as well as understand girls within the gang culture. The talk will explore the sociological and psychological tendencies of the girl gang member as well as explore the realm of girl gangs. 

— Eric Englund

ericenglund@thesandpaper.net