James Dunne O'Connell
{{short description|United States Army general (1899–1984)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2024}}{{Use American English|date=December 2024}}
{{Infobox military person
| honorific_prefix = Chief Signal Officer, U.S. Army
| name = James Dunne O'Connell
| birth_date = {{birth-date|25 September 1899}}
| death_date = {{death-date and age|28 July 1984|25 September 1899}}
| image = James Dunne O'Connell.jpg
| caption = O'Connell as Chief of the U.S. Army Signal Corps
| nickname =
| birth_place = Chicago, Illinois, US
| death_place = Washington, D.C., US
| placeofburial = Arlington National Cemetery
| placeofburial_label = Place of burial
| allegiance = United States of America
| branch = United States Army
| serviceyears = 1922–1959
| rank = 35px Lieutenant General
| unit =
| commands = {{unbulleted list| Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories | United States Army Signal Corps}}
| battles = World War II
| awards = {{unbulleted list| Distinguished Service Medal | Legion of Merit}}
| relations =
| laterwork = {{unbulleted list| Vice President, General Telephone and Electronics Laboratories | Consultant, Stanford Research Institute | Special Assistant to the President for Telecommunications | Director of Telecommunications Management, Office of Emergency Planning}}
}}
James Dunne O'Connell (25 September 1899 – 28 July 1984) was a United States Army Lieutenant General who was noteworthy for serving as Chief of the United States Army Signal Corps.
Early life
O'Connell was born in Chicago, Illinois, on 25 September 1899.Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Region 6, published by the institute, 1969, p. 119 He was educated in Chicago, graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point in 1922 and was commissioned a Second Lieutenant of infantry.[https://books.google.com/books?id=mcHeAAAAMAAJ&q=%22james+dunne+o'connell%22+west+point Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y.], compiled by George Washington Cullum and Edward Singleton Holden, Volume 9, 1950, p. 385
Start of military career
File:James Dunne O'Connell (1899–1984) at West Point in 1922.png
After completing his initial infantry assignment, in 1925 O'Connell graduated from the Signal School at Camp Alfred Vail, New Jersey.[https://books.google.com/books?id=niQ7AAAAMAAJ&q=%22james+d+o'connell%22+camp+alfred+vail Telephone Engineer & Management], published by Telephone Engineer Publishing Corp., Volume 59, 1959, p. 26
During the early 1920s he served as communications officer for the 35th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii,Quadrennial Report of the Chief Signal Officer, U. S. Army, published by U.S. Army Signal Corps, 1955 and commanded a company in the 24th Infantry Regiment.[https://web.archive.org/web/20110604140408/http://www.dtic.mil/cgi-bin/GetTRDoc?AD=ADA274938&Location=U2&doc=GetTRDoc.pdf Biography, James D. O'Connell], published in "A Concise History of the U.S. Army Signal Corps", by Kathy R. Coker and Carol E. Stokes, Office of the Command Historian, U.S. Army Signal Center and Fort Gordon, 1964, p. 75
In 1928 O'Connell was assigned as an instructor at the Signal School.[https://archive.org/stream/officialarmyregi19571unit#page/642/mode/2up Official U.S. Army Register], published by U.S. Army Adjutant General, 1957, p. 641 In 1930 he received a master's degree in communications engineering from Yale University.Getting the Message Through: A Branch History of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, by Rebecca Robbins Raines, Center of Military History, 1996, p. 344[http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2008_09/necrology.html Necrology, Yale Alumni Magazine] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081023150906/http://www.yalealumnimagazine.com/issues/2008_09/necrology.html |date=October 23, 2008}}, September/October 2008
O'Connell graduated from the Army's Command and General Staff College in 1937.[https://archive.org/stream/officialarmyregi19561unit#page/636/mode/2up Official U.S. Army Register], published by U.S. Army Adjutant General], 1956, p. 636 He was then assigned to Fort Monmouth, New Jersey, first as a project officer and later as executive officer (second in command) of the Army's Signal Corps Laboratories.[https://books.google.com/books?id=D3M1AQAAIAAJ&q=%22james+d+o'connell%22+fort+monmouth Electronics World], published by Ziff-Davis Publishing Co., 1942, Volume 27, p. 35
World War II
During World War II, O'Connell served initially in the Office of the Chief Signal Officer as head of the General Development Branch. He was then assigned as executive officer of the Signal Supply Service. O'Connell also served on the staff of the 12th Army Group in England, France and Germany.[http://signal150.army.mil/18_oconnell.html Biography, James Dunne O'Connell] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101129150305/http://signal150.army.mil/18_oconnell.html |date=November 29, 2010}}, Signal Corps 150th Anniversary web site, published by U.S. Army, accessed March 19, 2011
Post World War II
When the war ended, O'Connell returned to the United States as Chief of Engineering at the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories at Fort Monmouth, which he subsequently commanded.[https://www.scribd.com/doc/48467876/The-Amphibious-Eighth The Amphibious Eighth], prepared and edited by Eighth United States Army Historical Section, 1948, pp. 110, 113[https://books.google.com/books?id=vv-StsOSqgYC&dq=%22james+d.+o%27connell%22+%22fort+monmouth%22&pg=PA62 Fort Monmouth], Wendy A. Rejan, 2009, p. 62
O'Connell served as Signal Officer of the Eighth Army in Japan from 1947 to 1948, afterwards serving as Chief Signal Officer of the Second Army.[https://archive.today/20120804152004/http://www.history.army.mil/books/30-17/S_9.htm Biography, James Dunne O'Connell], published in Getting the Message Through: A Branch History of the U.S. Army Signal Corps, by Rebecca Robbins Raines, 1996, chapter IX, p. 344
From 1955 to 1959 O'Connell was assigned as the Army's Chief Signal Officer.[https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=o9lFAAAAIBAJ&sjid=w-cMAAAAIBAJ&pg=3161,3555909&dq=james-d-o-connell+army&hl=en Newspaper article, Gen. O'Connell Chosen Chief of Signal Corps], by United Press International, published in Lawrence (Kansas) Journal-World, February 28, 1955
Military retirement and awards
General O'Connell retired in 1959.[https://www.nytimes.com/1959/04/27/archives/signal-chief-honored-retiring-general-is-feted-at-fort-monmouth.html "Signal Chief Honored; Retiring General Is Feted at Fort Monmouth"], The New York Times, p. 10 , April 27, 1959 {{Subscription required}} His military awards included the Distinguished Service Medal and the Legion of Merit.[https://archive.org/stream/officialarmyregi19541unit#page/558/mode/2up Official U.S. Army Register], published by U.S. Army Adjutant General, 1954, p. 557[http://www.homeofheroes.com/verify/recipients_o.html Index of recipients, Major U.S. Military Awards] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110525203320/http://www.homeofheroes.com/verify/recipients_o.html |date=2011-05-25 }}, Military Times Hall of Valor web site, accessed March 19, 2011
Civilian career
After leaving the Army O'Connell was Vice President of the General Telephone and Electronics Laboratories in Palo Alto, California, for three years,Army, Navy, and Air Force Journal, Volume 96, 1959, Issues 27-52, p. 839 and he spent two years as a consultant with the Stanford Research Institute and manager of its Washington, D.C., office.Pacific Research & World Empire Telegram, Volumes 1-6, 1969
O'Connell was a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, and chaired its Joint Technical Advisory Committee from 1961 to 1964.[https://ewh.ieee.org/soc/emcs/acstrial/newsletters/winter06/history_of_armour.pdf Newsletter Article, Ninth Armour Conference] History of the Armour Conferences, by Daniel Hoolihan, History and 50th Anniversary Chair of the Electromagnetic Compatibility Society Society, and Warren Kesselman, Founder of the EMC Society, 2006, p. 4
In 1964 O'Connell joined the staff of President Lyndon Johnson, serving until 1969 as Special Assistant to the President for Telecommunications and Director of Telecommunications Management in the Office of Emergency Planning.[https://books.google.com/books?id=VhMwZccf1GIC&dq=%22james+d.+o%27connell%22+office+emergency+planning&pg=PA213 LBJ and the Presidential Management of Foreign Relations], by Paul Y. Hammond, 1992, p. 213
Retirement and death
After retiring from full-time employment in 1969, O'Connell resided in Bethesda, Maryland, and Boca Raton, Florida. From 1978 to 1982 he served on the Secretary of Commerce's Frequency Management Advisory Council. He died of cancer on 28 July 1984, at Walter Reed Hospital.In Memorium, James D. O'Connell, published in Signals, the magazine of the Armed Forces Communications Association, Volume 39, 1984, Issues 1-4, p. 87 General O'Connell was buried at Arlington National Cemetery on August 2, 1984.[https://ancexplorer.army.mil/publicwmv/#/arlington-national/search/results/1/CglvJ2Nvbm5lbGwSBWphbWVzGgFk/ Burial Detail: O'Connell, James D] – ANC Explorer
Personal life
In 1933 O'Connell married Edith Chase Scholosberg (born 1908), who died in 1965.[https://www.nytimes.com/1965/09/12/archives/mrs-james-o-oconnell-wife-of-presidential-aide.html "Mrs. James O. O'Connell, Wife of Presidential Aide"], The New York Times, p. 87, September 12, 1965 {{Subscription required}} He was survived by his second wife, Helen and two children, Peter D. O'Connell of Bethesda and Sally Ann O'Connell of Fairbanks, Alaska.
References
{{Reflist|2}}
External links
- [http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/jdoconnell.htm James D. O'Connell], ArlingtonCemetery.net, an unofficial website
{{Chiefs of Signal, U.S. Army}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Oconnell, James Dunne}}
Category:Military personnel from Chicago
Category:Military personnel from Bethesda, Maryland
Category:People from Boca Raton, Florida
Category:United States Military Academy alumni
Category:Army Black Knights men's ice hockey players
Category:Yale University alumni
Category:United States Army Command and General Staff College alumni
Category:United States Army generals
Category:United States Army personnel of World War II
Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Service Medal (US Army)
Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit