John W. O'Connell (August 18, 1921 – July 12, 2010) was an American intelligence official, lawyer, diplomat, and author.
He left school to serve in the United States Navy in World War II.
He earned a law degree at Georgetown in 1948 and joined the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) that year.
He was sent to University of the Punjab in Pakistan on a Fulbright scholarship, receiving a master's degree in Islamic law in 1952.
[2] His first CIA assignment led to the uncovering of a military coup against King Hussein.