Roderic L. O'Connor
Encyclopedia
Roderic L. O'Connor was a United States
lawyer
and official in the United States Department of State
.
, a member of a third-generation family of Irish-Catholics. He was educated at St. Paul's School
in Concord, New Hampshire
, and then at Yale University
, graduating in 1943.
During World War II
, O'Connor served in the United States Army Air Corps
as a navigator
in the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force from March 1943 to October 1945. He flew over 50 combat missions and for his service during the war was made a Commander of the Order of Oranje-Nassau by the government of the Netherlands
. After the war, O'Connor enrolled at Yale Law School
, receiving his law degree in 1947.
After law school, O'Connor worked as an associate attorney
with Kelley, Drye, Newhall & Marshall from 1947 until 1949. In 1949, Governor of New York
Thomas E. Dewey appointed John Foster Dulles
as United States Senator from New York, after the resignation of Robert F. Wagner
. Dulles selected O'Connor as his administrative assistant, but served for only a few months before losing a special election to Herbert H. Lehman
. O'Connor then traveled to Germany
to provide legal advice to the United States Department of Defense
.
After the 1952 presidential election
, John Foster Dulles became United States Secretary of State
; Dulles appointed O'Connor as his special assistant in 1953. In this capacity, he accompanied Dulles to the 1954 meeting of foreign ministers in Berlin
, a ninepower meeting in London
in 1954 and the heads-of-Government fourpower meeting in Geneva
in 1955. From 1956 to 1959, he served two terms as U.S. representative on the Caribbean Commission
.
In 1957, Secretary Dulles designated O'Connor as Assistant Secretary of State for Security and Consular Affairs; O'Connor held this office from May 28, 1957 until December 29, 1958.
O'Connor left government service, becoming vice-president of Ciba-Geigy from 1959 to 1969.
In 1969, President Richard Nixon
appointed O'Connor as assistant administrator for East Asia
operations of the United States Agency for International Development
. In 1971, he became USAID's coordinator of supporting assistance, in which capacity he was responsible for aid
to East Asia and the Middle East
.
O'Connor died at the Veterans' Hospital in Far Hills, New Jersey
on October 24, 1982, at the age of 61.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
lawyer
Lawyer
A lawyer, according to Black's Law Dictionary, is "a person learned in the law; as an attorney, counsel or solicitor; a person who is practicing law." Law is the system of rules of conduct established by the sovereign government of a society to correct wrongs, maintain the stability of political...
and official in the United States Department of State
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
.
Biography
Roderic Ladew O'Connor was raised in ManhattanManhattan
Manhattan is the oldest and the most densely populated of the five boroughs of New York City. Located primarily on the island of Manhattan at the mouth of the Hudson River, the boundaries of the borough are identical to those of New York County, an original county of the state of New York...
, a member of a third-generation family of Irish-Catholics. He was educated at St. Paul's School
St. Paul's School (Concord, New Hampshire)
St. Paul's School is a highly selective college-preparatory, coeducational boarding school in Concord, New Hampshire affiliated with the Episcopal Church. The school is one of only six remaining 100% residential boarding schools in the U.S. The New Hampshire campus currently serves 533 students,...
in Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
, and then at Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
, graduating in 1943.
During World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, O'Connor served in the United States Army Air Corps
United States Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps was a forerunner of the United States Air Force. Renamed from the Air Service on 2 July 1926, it was part of the United States Army and the predecessor of the United States Army Air Forces , established in 1941...
as a navigator
Navigator
A navigator is the person on board a ship or aircraft responsible for its navigation. The navigator's primary responsibility is to be aware of ship or aircraft position at all times. Responsibilities include planning the journey, advising the Captain or aircraft Commander of estimated timing to...
in the 15th Expeditionary Mobility Task Force from March 1943 to October 1945. He flew over 50 combat missions and for his service during the war was made a Commander of the Order of Oranje-Nassau by the government of the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. After the war, O'Connor enrolled at Yale Law School
Yale Law School
Yale Law School, or YLS, is the law school of Yale University in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Established in 1824, it offers the J.D., LL.M., J.S.D. and M.S.L. degrees in law. It also hosts visiting scholars, visiting researchers and a number of legal research centers...
, receiving his law degree in 1947.
After law school, O'Connor worked as an associate attorney
Associate attorney
An associate attorney is a lower-level employee of a traditional law firm who does not hold an ownership interest as a partner.-Attorneys:An associate may be a junior or senior associate, but normally does not yet hold an ownership interest in the firm even if they have been associated with the...
with Kelley, Drye, Newhall & Marshall from 1947 until 1949. In 1949, Governor of New York
Governor of New York
The Governor of the State of New York is the chief executive of the State of New York. The governor is the head of the executive branch of New York's state government and the commander-in-chief of the state's military and naval forces. The officeholder is afforded the courtesy title of His/Her...
Thomas E. Dewey appointed John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles
John Foster Dulles served as U.S. Secretary of State under President Dwight D. Eisenhower from 1953 to 1959. He was a significant figure in the early Cold War era, advocating an aggressive stance against communism throughout the world...
as United States Senator from New York, after the resignation of Robert F. Wagner
Robert F. Wagner
Robert Ferdinand Wagner I was an American politician. He was a Democratic U.S. Senator from New York from 1927 to 1949.-Origin and early life:...
. Dulles selected O'Connor as his administrative assistant, but served for only a few months before losing a special election to Herbert H. Lehman
Herbert H. Lehman
Herbert Henry Lehman was a Democratic Party politician from New York. He was the 45th Governor of New York from 1933 to 1942, and represented New York in the United States Senate from 1950 to 1957.-Lehman Brothers:...
. O'Connor then traveled to Germany
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
to provide legal advice to the United States Department of Defense
United States Department of Defense
The United States Department of Defense is the U.S...
.
After the 1952 presidential election
United States presidential election, 1952
The United States presidential election of 1952 took place in an era when Cold War tension between the United States and the Soviet Union was escalating rapidly. In the United States Senate, Republican Senator Joseph McCarthy of Wisconsin had become a national figure after chairing congressional...
, John Foster Dulles became United States Secretary of State
United States Secretary of State
The United States Secretary of State is the head of the United States Department of State, concerned with foreign affairs. The Secretary is a member of the Cabinet and the highest-ranking cabinet secretary both in line of succession and order of precedence...
; Dulles appointed O'Connor as his special assistant in 1953. In this capacity, he accompanied Dulles to the 1954 meeting of foreign ministers in Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
, a ninepower meeting in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
in 1954 and the heads-of-Government fourpower meeting in Geneva
Geneva
Geneva In the national languages of Switzerland the city is known as Genf , Ginevra and Genevra is the second-most-populous city in Switzerland and is the most populous city of Romandie, the French-speaking part of Switzerland...
in 1955. From 1956 to 1959, he served two terms as U.S. representative on the Caribbean Commission
Caribbean Commission
The Caribbean Commission, originally the Anglo-American Caribbean Commission, was established on 9 March 1942 to improve the common social and economic problems of the region and deal with wartime issues. In 1946, the governments of the U.S. and U.K. invited France and the Netherlands to join,...
.
In 1957, Secretary Dulles designated O'Connor as Assistant Secretary of State for Security and Consular Affairs; O'Connor held this office from May 28, 1957 until December 29, 1958.
O'Connor left government service, becoming vice-president of Ciba-Geigy from 1959 to 1969.
In 1969, President Richard Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
appointed O'Connor as assistant administrator for East Asia
East Asia
East Asia or Eastern Asia is a subregion of Asia that can be defined in either geographical or cultural terms...
operations of the United States Agency for International Development
United States Agency for International Development
The United States Agency for International Development is the United States federal government agency primarily responsible for administering civilian foreign aid. President John F. Kennedy created USAID in 1961 by executive order to implement development assistance programs in the areas...
. In 1971, he became USAID's coordinator of supporting assistance, in which capacity he was responsible for aid
Aid
In international relations, aid is a voluntary transfer of resources from one country to another, given at least partly with the objective of benefiting the recipient country....
to East Asia and the Middle East
Middle East
The Middle East is a region that encompasses Western Asia and Northern Africa. It is often used as a synonym for Near East, in opposition to Far East...
.
O'Connor died at the Veterans' Hospital in Far Hills, New Jersey
Far Hills, New Jersey
Far Hills is a borough in Somerset County, New Jersey, United States. As of the United States 2010 Census, the population was 919.Far Hills was incorporated as a borough based on an Act of the New Jersey Legislature passed on April 7, 1921, from portions of Bernards Township, subject to the results...
on October 24, 1982, at the age of 61.