Jim Farrell
Who Is Jim Farrell?
Born in the Bronx, NY, in 1956, Jim Farrell's childhood unfolded in the Mott Haven section of the South Bronx during the tumultuous 1960s and 70s. Growing up as a shy Irish-American kid in a neighborhood undergoing immense social and economic shifts, he faced unique challenges. The Bronx in the 70s was grappling with urban decline, symbolized by abandoned buildings, rising crime, and the emergence of street gangs. This was further complicated for Farrell by having a father who served as an NYPD police officer at a time when the force was predominantly Irish American and the subject of both positive and negative stereotypes. Navigating the complexities of his neighborhood as the son of a police officer in a community facing significant hardship presented an extraordinary challenge.
Jim Farrell: From Bronx Roots and Military Service to Honoring a Family Legacy
Due to the escalating violence and threats experienced by Irish-American families in the Mott Haven section during this era, Farrell's family, including his brothers Jackie and Marty, and sisters Liz and Pat, made the difficult decision to move to the Fordham Road area of the Bronx when he was 11 years old. His older brother, Jackie, became a role model, inspiring him to play tough basketball in their new neighborhood, a necessary skill for fitting into the Fordham Road community. He witnessed both the resilience of the community and the burgeoning creativity of the era, including the rise of hip-hop and graffiti art, which emerged from the block parties and streets of the South Bronx.
Farrell's basketball career highlight was at the YMCA in Hillside, Queens, where he was picked first in a game over the legendary "Mr. Outside" Kevin Hamilton. Hamilton, a well-known player from Iona, was later drafted by the Boston Celtics in the fourth round of the 1980 NBA draft, but suffered a career-ending injury during the preseason. Farrell often enjoyed reminding Kevin about this particular pick for years afterward, attributing the choice to his own guts and fearlessness on the court. It was at the Hillside Queens YMCA that Jim also met the love of his life, Monica, with whom he has shared a successful and loving marriage for over 37 years and counting.
Inspired by the stories of his Uncle Matty, a World War II hero, Jim joined the US Army in 1974. He served proudly with the 110th Military Police Company in Operation Paul Bunyan in August 1976. This operation was a response to the "Axe Murder Incident" where North Korean soldiers killed two US Army officers in the Joint Security Area in the Korean Demilitarized Zone. He returned home from the army in April 1977. During the great blackout in the summer of 1977, he couldn't help but think he was safer in Operation Paul Bunyan than back home in the Bronx. Following his military service at Fort Lewis, WA, and Camp Ames, South Korea, where he was assigned to the 110th Military Police Company, he leveraged the G.I. Bill to earn a B.S. in Accounting from SUNY Binghamton in 1983.
After a successful career as a CFO, including co-founding Single Throw Inc., a thriving digital marketing agency, Jim's life took a significant turn in 2016. The unexpected discovery of his Uncle Matty's D-Day rifle, 72 years after his uncle's death in Normandy, ignited a passion to learn more about his uncle and honor his memory. This deeply personal quest led him to write "Uncle Matty Comes Home", a book chronicling the rifle's journey and exploring the lasting impact of war on families. His research and travels, including trips to Normandy, were driven by a desire to bring his Uncle Matty home in spirit by repatriating the rifle. The book offers a unique perspective on a specific time and place, resonating with those who grew up in the same era. Jim Farrell's efforts have brought his uncle's story to a wider audience, including military figures like General Mark Milley and Brigadier General Patrick Collet.
Uncle Matty Comes Home Kindle Edition
On Saint Patrick’s Day 2016, Jim Farrell received a surprising email: an M-1 rifle engraved with the name M. Teahanhad been discovered in Normandy 72 years after its owner, Martin (Matty) Teahan, Jim’s uncle, had been killed in the June 1944 D-Day invasion of France. A young private in the 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Matty had been laid to rest beside his fellow heroes in the Normandy American Cemetery, but now French Army General Patrick Collet was writing to inform the family that Matty’s rifle had been recovered and was safe in his possession. Luck of the Irish!
Thus began Jim Farrell’s adventure of discovery and self-discovery, as he and his family embarked on the successful quest to bring his uncle home in spirit by repatriating his historic rifle. A saga spanning four generations and multiple countries, the rifle’s extraordinary journey and recovery is also the story of Matty Teahan, a humble private made of the stuff that made so many of his generation great—the strength of character, courage, and will-power to prevail against great odds, and the guts, determination, and sheer daring-do to jump out of a perfectly good airplane over enemy territory.
Martin Teahan’s emblematic M-1 rifle currently hangs in office of the Chief of Staff of the US Army, awaiting donation to the new US Army Museum at Fort Belvoir, Virginia. Similarly, the Farrell family’s quest represents something larger than itself: the intensifying search by the children of the Greatest Generation to understand the facts and meaning of their fathers’ and grandfathers’ war, and their intense desire to come to terms with the often tragic, yet seldom discussed, repercussions of the death and violence their elders experienced in World War II.
