While at the academy he attended flying school at Stewart Field, N.Y., and 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 returned to the United States in September 1944 and attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kan., from October 1944 to January 1945.

In August 1969 O'Connor became vice commander of Aeronautical Systems Division, AFSC, at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base.

[1] This article incorporates public domain material from the United States Air Force