By Candice Ludlow
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wkno/local-wkno-875026.mp3
Memphis, TN – Sometimes mistakes are made, and sometimes those mistakes take a long time to come to light. Candice Ludlow has a story about a man who thought he had US citizenship - until he applied for a passport.
We're inside the beige United States Citizenship and Immigration Services office in Memphis. Eighty-seven-year-old, James Patrick O'Donnell is wearing a red, white and blue tie his grand niece gave him for this occasion. Today, he's taking the Oath of Allegiance, the last step to becoming an American.
"Mr. O'Donnell that you stand and repeat after me," Immigration Services Officer Kimberly Williams said.
O'Donnell lives in Beebe, Arkansas. His family emigrated from Ireland in 1922. He was only four years old.
In December 1942, O'Donnell joined the United States Army and was shipped to Europe. He thought his papers were in order.
"Well, when I was discharged from the Army, I got my discharge papers that said I was a citizen. Everybody told me it was automatic," he said.
But a few years ago when he went applied for a passport, he was denied because he didn't have the number from the citizenship papers he completed while in the service.
"That I just fell through the cracks. I shipped out too soon, and they did not complete the operation. Agent Williams said that was probably what happened. I was an incomplete. And when you're an incomplete, they just drop you. And if you want to go through it again, you have to start all over from the beginning," O'Donnell said.
O'Donnell doesn't appear to hold any resentment.
Well, I'm happy to finally, finally after all these years becoming an American citizen. My grand niece over there in the red jacket got me a red white a blue tie here so I could wear it to this ceremony.
O'Donnell says he has plans now that he's a citizen of the U.S.
"Well, I'd like to get my passport and go over to Ireland and see what the place looks like. I don't remember anything and I don't even know the relatives I have over there. I know I have relatives because they were all over there when I was born. That's what I'd like to do as long as I can manage it in health, that's what I intend to do,"