EDMUND FRANCIS O'CONNOR

O'CONNOR Lieutenant General EDMUND FRANCIS O'CONNOR (Age 94) U.S. Air Force (Ret.) Passed away Friday, September 30, 2016 at his residence in Indian River Colony Club in Melbourne, Florida. O'Connor was born in 1922, in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, where he graduated from St. Bernard's High School. He graduated from the U.S. Military Academy, West Point, NY, in 1943 with a bachelor's of science degree in military engineering and a commission as second lieutenant. While at the academy, he attended flying school at Stewart Field, NY, and received his pilot wings in 1943. During World War II, O'Connor served in the European Theater of Operation as a pilot in Italy with the 459th Bombardment Group, Fifteenth Air Force. He served at Muroc Army Air Base (now Edwards Air Force Base), California, 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. He returned to the United States in 1953 and was assigned as chief, B-52 Weapon System 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 and went to Norton Air Force Base, California as deputy director of the Ballistic Systems Division. In November 1964 he became director of program management of the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center, NASA, Huntsville, AL where he was responsible for the management of Saturn/Apollo launch vehicle programs and that portion of the Saturn/Skylab program assigned to the Marshall Space Flight Center. O'Connor was appointed vice commander, Air Force Logistics Command, with headquarters at Wright Patterson Air Force Base, 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 has been awarded three NASA Medals, for Outstanding Leadership, in 1966, the Exceptional Service Medal in 1969 for his contributions to the Apollo 8 lunar orbital mission, and the Distinguished Service Medal, in 1969 for his contributions to the Apollo 11 lunar landing. He was promoted to the grade of Lieutenant General effective September 1, 1972. He retired October 1, 1975. He is predeceased by his wife and mother of his four children, Rita Hogan O'Connor. He is survived by his wife, June R. O'Connor of Melbourne, FL; four children, William (Mary Ann) O'Connor of San Diego, CA, Patricia O'Connor (Fred) Gahr of Kansas City, KS, Michael (Shawn) O'Connor of Anchorage, AL and Terry O'Connor of McLean, VA. He is also survived by nine grandchildren. Formal interment is scheduled for early 1917 at Arlington National Cemetery.