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How did a near-sighted farm boy
from Booneville, Arkansas become one of the most renowned military leaders
of the mid-20th Century?
This is the story of that farm boy.
It is the story of a young man that tried 4 times to get into West Point
before being accepted. It is the story of a West Point cadet who was
the second most decorated cadet in the Academy's history, who graduated as
1st Captain. It is the story of a professional soldier who's rise
through the military ranks was described as "meteoric" by his peers.
It is the story of a farm boy from Booneville, Arkansas who retired as a
beloved four-star General, and US Air Force Chief of Staff.
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General McConnell was born John
Paul McConnell on February 7, 1908 in Booneville, Arkansas, the oldest of
three boys. His
father, Dr. S. P. McConnell , was one of Arkansas' oldest practicing
physicians. General McConnell was named after his grandfather, John,
and father, Paul, both of which were physicians in the Booneville area.
General McConnell's mother was Desseau (Dorsey)
McConnell. He also had two younger brothers, Dorsey and Robert. |
Dr. S. P. McConnell |
Anne McConnell |
When General McConnell was 12 years
old, his father married Anne Bibb, who had two daughters from a previous
marriage. Anne quickly won
the heart of a young General McConnell, who called her "Mother" for the
rest of his life. |
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While General McConnell was able to
get through elementary and high school in 9 years, he was not a
"straight-A" student. Dr McConnell said of his son:
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"I'd like to say he did [make
straight-A's], but I'm afraid that's not the case. He was just
interested in getting by. Afterwards, he decided what was to
be gained by learning and he applied himself. [During college]
He was on the Henderson-Brown debating team three years and won them
all except one." |
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General McConnell's Father riding
an early
Indian Motorcycle |
General McConnell's Diploma from Booneville
High School
He graduated in 1923 at the age of 15 |
General McConnell received his
first appointment to West Point in 1923, the year he graduated from
Booneville High School. But, as he was 15 years old, he was turned
down due to the Academy's minimum age of 16. General McConnell
received a substitute appointment the next year, but the principal
appointee was accepted. He received a third appointment, but was
turned down because of poor eyesight. |
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While attempting to enter West
Point, General McConnell attended Henderson-Brown College at Arkadelphia
(now Henderson State University), where he graduated magnum cum laude
in 1927 with a degree in science. While at Henderson-Brown, he had been President of the
Pre-Med Club and on the debating team.
After graduating, while waiting on
the right doctor to hopefully pass him, General McConnell spent the next
year as the coach of high school football at Stephens, Arkansas. He
also worked in the area oil fields. |
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General McConnell's Cadet Uniform & Other
Personal Items
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According to individuals who knew General McConnell, he was determined to
overcome the eye-sight restrictions for admission to West Point. His
father, Dr. McConnell, obtained every type of eye-chart that was available
at the time. By memorizing the eye charts, General McConnell was
able to pass the eye-exam.
Finally admitted to West Point in 1928, General McConnell was described by
his fellow cadets as having the most "military bearing" and pride in
uniform of any of the cadets. He graduated from West Point as 1st
Captain, the top cadet in his class, in 1932. While at the Academy,
he earned decorations and awards second only to General Douglas MacArthur.
General McConnell had been an avid
football player, first as a Bearcat in Booneville, then at Henderson-Brown
College and at West Point. However, a knee-injury during his first
year at the Academy ended his athletic career.
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After graduating from the Academy as a commissioned Second Lieutenant,
Field Artillery, General McConnell once again managed to get by the
eye-exam to take flight training at Randolph and Kelly Fields in
Texas. Once again beating the odds, he received his wings in 1933.
When asked what led him to be
interested in flying, General McConnell stated, "I always wanted to fly.
Damned if I know exactly why. It looked to me as if it had all kinds
of possibilities and I wanted to get in on the ground floor."
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Graduation photo from General McConnell's
Kelly Field Flight Training Class - It is titled "PURSUIT SECTION - CLASS
of OCT. 1933" |
Miscellaneous items presented to or collected
by General McConnell during his lifetime |
While serving as a pursuit fighter pilot in the early years of the Army Air Corps,
General McConnell was able to gain experience through a variety of
operational and administrative assignments, including being assigned
assistant executive in the office of the Chief of Air Forces in
Washington.
During this time, General McConnell
also suffered personal tragedy. His
younger brother, Dorsey, was killed in an accident in 1938, while the other
brother, Robert "Bob", an
Army Air Corps Major, was shot down over Okinawa during WW II.
General McConnell became chief of staff of the China-Burma-India Air Force
Training Command at Karachi, India in 1943. |
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In 1946, General McConnell Married
WAC Lieutenant Colonel Sally Dean, whom he had met during WWII.
Lieutenant Colonel Dean had served on the staff of Lord Mountbatten during
the war.
General McConnell and Sally had two
sons, Bruce and Dorsey.
In 1950, General McConnell was
assigned to England. After serving as the Deputy Commander of the
3rd Air Force, he was appointed as Commander of the 7th Air Division of
Strategic Air Command and the 3rd Air Force.
In 1957, General McConnell was
appointed Commander of the 2nd Air Force. |
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In 1961, General McConnell became
the Vice Commander in Chief of the Strategic Air Command.
General McConnell was appointed
Deputy Commander in Chief of the U. S. European Command (and promoted to
General) in 1962.
In 1964, General McConnell was
appointed Vice Chief of Staff of the U. S. Air Force. |
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In 1965, General John Paul
McConnell was appointed Chief of Staff of the United States Air Force.
In this position, he served as dual role as a member of the Joint Cheifs
of Staff and as the head of the most powerful air combat force the world
had ever seen.
He served as Chief of Staff until
his retirement in 1969. |
This is a piece of a Russian made North
Vietnamese rocket that exploded at Tan Son Nhut Air Base, Republic of
Vietnam, on November 1, 1968 - this occurred during a night rocket attack
while General McConnell was visiting the base |
This Flag and Mission Patch was presented to
General McConnell by the Astronauts of the Apollo 8 Mission, which paved
the way for lunar landings by being the first to orbit the Moon |
General McConnell passed away
November 21, 1986. His funeral services were held in the National
Cathedral in Washington D.C. on November 25, and he was laid to rest with
full military honors at the U. S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs,
Colorado. |
This US Air Force Chief of Staff Flag was
carried into orbit by
Astronauts Stafford and Cernan during the Gemini IX Mission
June 1966 |
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Various items presented to or collected by
General McConnell during his travels around the world |
This award reads "1964 DANIEL BOONE SQUIRRELY
AWARD - Presented to GENERAL JOHN PAUL MCCONNELL, USAF - In recognition of
his eyeball to eyeball shooting technique - 41 out of 42" |
This is a close-up of the powder horn
displayed in the case on the right - The inscription above is "PENN.
RELAYS - 400 METERS 57.4 SEC." |
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A close-up of one of the panels on the chest
displayed in the picture to the left - there are three rows of these
insets, each with a different design |
This painting was presented to General
McConnell by his staff at his retirement |
General McConnell's footlocker |
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A flight suit worn by General John McConnell
- note the four stars |
A close-up of the "Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant"
presented to General McConnell by Thailand |
A Lifetime of Achievements
1923 - Graduated From High School at age 15
1927 - Graduated from Henderson-Brown College magna cum laude
1928 - Admitted to West Point despite poor eyesight
1932 - Graduated from West Point as 1st Captain (Top Cadet)
1932 - Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant, Field Artillery
1933 - Earned pilots wings despite poor eyesight
1940 - Promoted to Captain
1941 - Promoted to Major
1942 - Promoted to Colonel
1944 - Promoted to Brigadier General at age 36
1946 - Married WAC Lieutenant Colonel Sally Dean
1950 - Commander - 7th Air Division - Strategic Air Command
1962 - Promoted to General
Awarded the Bronze Star
Awarded 28 other U. S. and foreign decorations and service awards (see
list below photos)
1965 - Became the United States Air Force Chief of Staff |
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"The American military
personnel stationed overseas play a unique and significant role in
America's international relations for many reasons. These people
represent the true cross-section of our nation; they most often live in
allied communities as neighbors, experiencing with the host population the
facets of daily life. They are not stationed along the paths which
tourists generally travel, but rather live at the grassroots level, in the
villages and countrysides. Therefore, their actions and those of the
military families, witnessed at neighborly distance over a period of time,
constitute the dynamic, people-to-people relationships which are so
influential in the world today."
- General John Paul McConnell
(Excerpt referenced to The Airman, February 1965.
pp. 25 - 26) |
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 U. S.
Decorations & Service Medals
Bronze Star
Distinguished Flying Cross
U.S. Air Force Distinguished Service Medal w/ Cluster
U.S. Army Distinguished Service Medal w/ Cluster
Legion of Merit w/ 3 Clusters
Air Medal
American Defense Service Medal
National Defense Service Medal w/ Bronze Star
American Campaign Medal
Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal w/ 4 Bronze Stars
World War II Victory Medal
Air Force Longevity Service Award w/ 1 Silver & 2 Bronze Clusters |
Foreign Decorations &
Service Medals Pilot's Wings
Chinese Air Force
Pilot's Wings
Royal Thai Air Force
Pilot's Wings
Republic of Vietnam Command
Commander of the Order of the British
Empire (England)
Legion of Honor - Degree of Commander (France)
Order of the Rising Sun -1st Class w/ Grand Cordon (Japan)
Order of Service Merit - 1st Class (Korea)
Most Exalted Order of the White Elephant (Thailand)
Lou Shou Decoration - Air Force (China)
Air Force Cross - 1st Order (Republic of Vietnam)
Distinguished Flying Medal (Republic of Vietnam)
Great Star of Military Merit (Chile)
Order of Aeronautical Merit - Grand Official (Brazil)
Tashou Cloud Banner Decoration
Pao Ting Medal w/ Banner
Grand Cordon of Yun Hui - 2nd Class
Collar Order of Pao Ting - 5th Class |
