Colonel John William Russell (February 2, 1920 – September 30, 2020) was an American equestrian who won a bronze medal at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, Finland.

After his success at the 1952 edition, he continued to participate in events around the world, but military duties and a broken bone in his horse caused him to miss the 1956 Summer Olympics.

[1] In 1948 Russell was posted to Fort Riley in Kansas to serve as a riding instructor[1] and became a member of the United States national equestrian team.

[2][3] At the 1948 Summer Olympics he finished 21st in a field of 44 competitors in the individual jumping event and also helped represent his country in the team tournament, riding his horse Air Mail in both competitions.

[1] He received the Gold Medal of Honor from the Union Internationale de Pentathlon Moderne[3] and, in February 2012, he was inducted into the San Antonio Sports Hall of Fame.