James Dunne O'Connell
Lieutenant General, U.S. Army

James Dunne O'Connell was born on 25 September 1899 in Chicago, IL. He was educated in Chicago.

O'Connell graduated from the U.S. Military Academy in 1922 and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant of Infantry. After completing his initial infantry assignment in 1925 O'Connell graduated from the Signal School at Camp Alfred Vail, NJ.

During the early 1920s, he served as Communications Officer for the 35th Infantry Regiment at Schofield Barracks, HI, and commanded a company in the 24th Infantry Regiment. In 1928, O'Connell was assigned as an Instructor at the Signal School. In 1930 he received a Master's degree in Communications Engineering from Yale University.

O'Connell graduated from the Army's Command and General Staff College in 1937. He was then assigned to Fort Monmouth, NJ, first as a Project Officer and later as Executive Officer of the Army's Signal Corps Laboratories.

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.

Post-World War II

When the war ended, O'Connell returned to the U.S. as Chief of Engineering at the Signal Corps Engineering Laboratories at Fort Monmouth, which he subsequently commanded. O'Connell served as Signal Officer of the Eighth Army in Japan from 1947-48, afterwards serving as Chief Signal Officer of the Second Army. From 1955-59, O'Connell was assigned as the Army's Chief Signal Officer.

General O'Connell retired in 1959.

Medals and Awards

Distinguished Service Medal
Legion of Merit
Army Commendation Medal
American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal
World War II Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal

In Retirement

After leaving the Army, O'Connell was Vice President of the General Telephone and Electronics Laboratories in Palo Alto, CA, for three years, and he spent two years as a Consultant with the Stanford Research Institute and manager of its Washington, DC, office.

O'Connell was a fellow of the Institute of Electrical and Electronic Engineers, and chaired its Joint Technical Advisory Committee from 1961 to 1964.

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.

After retiring from full time employment in 1969, O'Connell resided in Bethesda, MD, and Boca Raton, FL.

From 1978-82, he served on the Secretary of Commerce's Frequency Management Advisory Council.

Personal

In 1933 O'Connell married Edith Chase Scholosberg (born 1908), who died in 1965.

Death and Burial

Lieutenant General James Dunne O'Connell died of cancer on 28 July 1984 at Walter Reed Army Hospital. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA.

He was survived by his second wife, Helen; and two children, Peter D. O'Connell of Bethesda, MD, and Sally Ann O'Connell of Fairbanks, AK.