Joseph P. O'Toole

September 26, 1923 – July 26, 2011

Retired Col. Joseph Patrick O'Toole, 87, of Vienna, who was a member in the Army Air Corps and later the U.S. Air Force and the CIA, died from respiratory failure on July 26, 2011, in Reston
H o s pit a l.

He was born on Sept. 26, 1923, in Butte, Mont., to the late Patrick and Ida O'T oole, and then grew up on the south side of Chicago during the Great Depression.

Col. O'T oole enlisted in the Army Air Corps in 1942, becoming a B-17 pilot in the 8th Air Force, 95th Bomb Group, flying 25 missions out of Horham, England, and receiving a Distinguished Flying Cross with Oak Leaf Cluster and an Air Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters. After the war he returned to Chicago, where he attended the Aeronautical University of Chicago and graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering in 1949.

He returned to active duty, and during this time he met and married the late Joan V. Erhart of Chicago Heights, Ill., on Nov. 29, 1952, at St. Agnes Church in Chicago Heights. Two months after their wedding, she joined him on assignment in Germany. Together they explored Europe, and their journey was a source of many stories through the years.

In 1959, he was assigned to 6594th Satellite Test Wing , Sunnyvale, Calif., to work on the new Discoverer project. Not known until 1995 when it was declassified, the Discoverer/Corona Project was the nation's first photo reconnaissance satellite whose imagery allowed the U.S. government to make more informed national security decisions based on accurate information, rather the speculation about what was going on behind the Iron Curtain. This joint Air Force/CIA effort was the cornerstone for agencies such as the National Reconnaissance Office. Then Maj. O'Toole was chief of controllers, and he and his staff developed the procedures to control the satellites in orbit. The Air Force awarded several Outstanding Unit Awards to the personnel on this project.

In 1965, he was transferred to the Space and Missile Systems Organization in Los Angeles, where he was director of test operations for the Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) Program, the Air Force's first manned space program. He was responsible for the planning and management of MOL's orbital operations including data systems, flight planning and flight direction. He was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal for his outstanding contributions.

After cancellation of the MOL program in 1969, Col. O'T oole was sent to the Electronic Systems Division at Hanscom Field, Bedford, Mass., where he was responsible for the development of an advanced airborne command post for the National Command Authority and Strategic Air Command.

In 1971, Col. O'Toole was assigned to the Pentagon and the Defense Intelligence Agency as a staff development engineer. He was responsible for developing new systems for collection and surveillance for the National Command Authority and forces in the field. During this period, he was awarded a Legion of Merit Award for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding service.

In 1974, Col. O'Toole retired from active duty but continued working in the same role as a civilian for the CIA. He continued to work on various projects and, in 1981, was promoted to the Senior Intelligence Service. He retired from the CIA in 1987 and was awarded the CIA Career Intelligence Medal.

His hobbies included woodworking, painting, photography and going to the gym on a regular basis. He is survived by his three sons, Terrance and his wife, Sandi, of King George County, Timothy and his wife, Meighan, of Gainesville and Sean and his wife, Colleen, of South Riding; 11 grandchildren; and five great-grandchildren.

A Mass of Christian burial will be celebrated at 10:45 a.m. Thursday, Nov. 17, at the Fort Myer Chapel, followed by interment in Arlington National Cemetery with full military honors. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to ALS Association-DC/MD/VA Chapter, 7507 Standish Place, Rockville, Md. 20855.

Janie McKnightJune 13, 2019