Edmund F. O'Connor

1922 - 2016

Edmund F. O'Connor March 31, 1922 - September 30, 2016 Melbourne, FL Lt. Gen. Edmund F. O'Connor, 94, passed away Friday, Sept. 20, 2016 at his residence in Indian River Colony Club in Melbourne, Florida.O'Connor was born in 1922 in Fitchburg, Mass. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point in 1943 with a BS in Military Engineering and a Commission as Second Lieutenant. While at the Academy, he received his pilot wings in 1943. During World War II, O'Connor served in the European Theater of Operations as a pilot in Italy with the 459th Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. He served at Muroc Army Air Base (now Edwards AFB, CA) until April 1946 as a bomber test pilot.In June 1950 he was assigned to the 3rd Air Rescue Group in Japan and held positions as flight commander, squadron commander and later was assistant deputy commander of the group which was engaged in the Korean War.In 1953 he was assigned as chief, B-52 Weapon Systems Program at Headquarters Air Materiel Command and remained in that position until July 1958.In March 1962, O'Connor was assigned to the Air Force Systems Command at Norton Air Force Base, CA.In November 1964, he became director of program management of the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Huntsville, Ala., where he was responsible for the management of Saturn/Apollo launch vehicle programs and the Saturn/Skylab program assigned to the Marshall Space Flight Center.O'Connor was appointed Vice Commander, Air Force Logistics Command at Wright Patterson AFB, Ohio in October 1973.His military decorations and awards include the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal with oak leaf cluster, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal with seven oak leaf clusters, Army Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster and the Distinguished Unit Citation Emblem. He had been awarded three NASA Medals: for Outstanding Leadership, the Exceptional Service Medal in 1969 for his contribution to the Apollo 8 lunar orbital mission, and the Distinguished Service Medal in 1969. He was promoted to the grade of Lieutenant General effective Sept. 1, 1972 and retired Oct. 1, 1975. He was predeceased by his wife and mother of his four children Rita Hogan O'Connor. He is survived by wife June R. O'Connor of Melbourne, FL; children William E. O'Connor (Mary Ann) of San Diego, CA, Patricia A. Gahr (Fred) of Kansas City, Kansas, Michael R. O'Connor (Shawn) of Anchorage, Alaska, and Terry P. O'Connor of McLean, VA; nine grandchildren including Kelly O'Connor Conway (Tom) and Chad Hogan O'Connor (Lisa) of San Diego, CA, and Matt Gahr (Kelly) of Carlsbad, CA.Services in Melbourne, FL. Interment in Arlington National Cemetery in early 2017. Beckman Williamson Funeral Home.