Duty is not an uncommon thing, gentlemen. Men are performing it in the ordinary walks of life all around us all the time, and 

they are making great sacrifices to perform it. What gives men like these peculiar distinction is not merely that they did their 

duty, but that their duty had nothing to do with them or their own personal and peculiar interests. They did not give their lives 

for themselves. They gave their lives for us, because we called upon them as a Nation to perform an unexpected duty. That is 

the way in which men grow distinguished, and that is the only way, by serving somebody else than themselves.

 President Woodrow Wilson at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, May 11, 1914

From its inception, the United States Navy has been tasked by its leaders to project power and show 

the flag beyond our nation’s shores. In order to accomplish this task, throughout time, the Navy has 

utilized a wide range of ships, aircraft, and weapons to guard the sea lanes, engage aggressors, and 

protect our nation’s vital interests. 

But while the ships and equipment of the Sea Service are critical to the mission, in the end, the 

success of the U.S. Navy has been and always will be dependent on the dedicated men and women who 

have pledged their lives and fortunes to protecting freedom, both on land and on the high seas. CTM3 

Matthew J. O’Bryant was just such a person. 

Matthew J. O’Bryant was born on the 10th of May 1986 and raised in Theodore, Alabama, near the 

port city of Mobile. He attended the local high school where he joined the Junior ROTC and worked 

a variety of part-time jobs to help save money for college. After graduation he began to build a life for 

himself and his high school sweetheart, Bridget. He would subsequently enroll in the Art Institute of 

Atlanta, and he and Bridget would eventually be married in July of 2006. 

In March of 2007, he enlisted in the Navy to learn new skills and 

pay off his student loans. In doing so, Matthew joined his brother and 

two cousins serving in the largest of America’s Sea Service. After 

bootcamp and initial technical training, he was assigned to Navy 

Information Operations Command Maryland at Fort Meade, Maryland. 

From the time he enlisted until the moment that he made the ultimate 

sacrifice in defense of his country, Petty Officer O’Bryant was a proud 

and dedicated member of the United States Navy. CAPT Richard 

Bodziak, NIOC Maryland’s Commanding Officer noted that “He was 

exactly the kind of Sailor we want in the Navy.”
While he was a skilled Sailor, Matthew was most adept at the 

installation, configuration, diagnosis, and repair of cryptologic 

information systems. As the “Shield of the Republic,” the Navy must 

develop and utilize a wide range of state of the art technologies to 

protect our nation. Matthew’s efforts as a cryptologic technician not only 

enabled his fellow cryptologists to gain knowledge and forewarning 

of a wide variety of threats but also gave them the ability to protect 

the Navy’s own critical information. During his time in this vital 

field, Matthew developed a reputation for innovation, creativity, and 

dedication in his work. 

For over two centuries young Americans have joined the Navy to 

gain experience and increase their knowledge of the greater world. In 

peacetime, military cryptologists routinely perform their vital work in 

safe, secure surroundings. However, in times of war and armed conflict, 

cryptologists, and those who support their efforts, must carry out their 

work on the front lines. In such times, these brave men and women must, 

to quote John Paul Jones, “go in harm’s way” to perform their duties. It 

was in the performance of these critical duties that Petty Officer O’Bryant 

lost his life. 

Matthew O’Bryant, in his day and time, accomplished many things. But he will be remembered most 

for his devotion to his family and his service to the nation. Because of his dedication and sacrifice, both 

the United States Navy and the American nation will continue to be, as Harry S. Truman once noted, 

“invincible weapons of liberty.” 

We are expected to put the utmost energy of every power that we have into the service of our fellow-men, 

never sparing ourselves, not condescending to think of what is going to happen to ourselves, but ready, if 

need be, to go to the utter length of complete self-sacrifice.

 Woodrow Wilson

CTM3 Matthew J. O’Bryant

10 May 1986 - 20 September 2008

Photos courtesy of the O’Bryant family

www.nsa.gov

MEMORIAL DAY 2009

NSA Creative Imaging-32062tea