He attended the U.S. Command and General Staff college at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas, from 1959 to 1960. He served from 1956 to 1957 in Labrador, from 1960 to 1963 in England, and from 1966 to 1967 in Vietnam.

After his foreign service concluded, he attended the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, Pennsylvania, from 1967 to 1968; and the Army Management School at Fort Belvoir, Virginia, in 1968. 

As a Colonel, Connell served as the Walla Walla District Engineer from 1970 to 1973, and was then assigned to the Continental Army at Fort Monroe, Virginia. In the fall of 1974, he was promoted to Brigadier General, and was assigned to South Pacific Division, San Francisco, California, as the Division Engineer. He is a Master Parachutist, and is Ranger qualified.

He was a 35-year career military officer rising to the rank of Brigadier General. Dick graduated from West Point in 1949.

After retirement, Dick continued a 13-year consulting engineer career and retired as senior vice president of T.Y. Lin, Inc. in 1991. He was active at St. Clements Episcopal Church, Berkeley, numerous civil organizations, and his alma mater.

He was devoted to his wife Betsy; his children Rick and Bill; his daughters-in-law and three grandchildren. Service will be held at 2:00 PM, December 8, 2008, at St. Clements Church, 2837 Claremont Blvd, Berkeley. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Hospice Foundation, c/o Sutter VNA, 1900 Powell St, Ste 300, Emeryville, California 94608, or the charity of your choice.

General Connell will be laid to rest in Arlington National Cemetery in the Spring of 2009.
NOTE: Funeral services are now scheduled for 13 April 2009 at 1:00 P.M. at the Post Chapel At Fort Myer, Virginia, with interment to follow in Arlington National Cemetery.

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