Franklin O'Rorke

Franklin O'Rorke (2 February 2080 - 21 January 2161) was the second head of the American Unionist Party.

## Early Life:

Franklin O'Rorke was born in Dublin, Ireland in 2080 to a middle-class Irish family. His father was a Company Sergeant in the Irish Army and his mother was a news anchor. In 2093 Franklin's family fled Ireland and lost contact with Franklin's father, Martin. He was presumed killed during the German invasion of Ireland. From 2094 until the end of the war the O'Rorkes lived in Boston MA as non-citizen refugees. In 2097 Franklin's older brother Evan joined the American Foreign Legion in an attempt to obtain citizenship for the family. On 15 November 2099, Evan was killed when his troop transport sank in the Gulf of Mexico, killing him before he could complete his 3-year tour of duty.

## Military Service:

At age 20, in 2100, O'Rorke joined the American Foreign Legion to obtain citizenship for his family. He was rushed through training at Fort Devens MA with other Foreign Leagon Recruits. He was assigned a rifleman position in Alpha Company of the 607th Foreign Battalion.

## World War Four:

Pvt. O'Rorke was deployed to the front lines during the Battle of the Amazon. Reportedly Pvt. O'Rorke dove on a grenade to save a command, Pvt. P. LeMahieu. The grenade ended up being inert, never the less, his Battalion Commander, Lt. Col. P. B. Smith, recommend him for a Silver Star. Shortly after O'Rorke was promoted to Corporal just before the end of the Battle of the Amazon the Retreat from South America.

In O'Rorke's private journals which were not made public until the end of the war, he confesses he has become disillusioned with the cause he is fighting for.

> "I used to fear the Germans. All the movies told us kids that the evil Kaiser is just waiting to pounce on Europe and crush her under his iron jackboot. We we're told by all the movies that it was the AGL and America that would protect us. But I've seen America. I've seen the way they treat us. They can't protect us in our homeland so they invite us to live in their's, in tent cities with no plumbing, where the children eat cold meat and stale bread. And when we want more they ask us to fight. Fight in the rain and the mud with others just like us. To die for them, like Evan did, and get nothing in return.
>
>

> "Its times like this I remember the Kaiser gave Ireland a chance to join him but our leaders voted no."
>
>

## Founding of the UAF:

After the Expulsion, O'Rorke met Lincoln Rockford aboard the Patriot. In the Election of 2103 O'Rorke threw his support behind George Taylor. During the creation of the UAF Army O'Rorke volunteered for service and was granted the rank of Sergeant due to his wartime experience.

Sgt. O'Rorke spent most of his UAF Military Carrier training new recruits at Fort Nielsen. This ended in 2109 when Zeta 7 attempted to succeed. O'Rorke was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant and placed in Charlie Company of the 3rd Light Infantry Battalion.

## Zeta 7 Occupation:

The 3rd Light Infantry Battalion was assigned to be part of the offensive led by Major General James K. Davis. During the Invasion of Zeta 7 The 3rd Light Infantry Battalion was supported by the 9th Mechanized Infantry, the 2nd Powered Heavy Infantry, and from the UFS Copenhagen's fast attack wing commanded by VADM. Rockford. The invasion went smoothly for the well-disciplined 3rd Light Infantry Battalion, only suffering minor casualties. GySgt. O'Rorke would win the Merit of Valor for his actions and cool temperament during the battle.

After the battle, most of the Zetan forces escaped into the major population centers of the area and blended in with the local populous who would give them food and shelter. This dragged out what was supposed to be a quick invasion into an occupation that lasted for three years. IEDs would regularly be used against UAF convoys including many of O'Rorke's soldiers. One notable casualty would be Maj. Astier the commander of Charlie Company. This lead to brutal retaliation from some UAF troops against the civilian population.

It was during this time in 2111 that O'Rorke received news of his previously thought dead father had just passed away on Earth. After the invasion of Ireland ended O'Rorke's father had joined the Irish Aryan League (German Collaborators) and rose to the rank of Colonel before he passed. Reading how his father kept peace in occupied territory painted a stark contrast to the UAF's Occupation of Zeta 7 in O'Rorke's mind. He would resign after the end of the war in 2112 and join Rockford's Unionists.