Graduate, U.S. Military Academy, Class of 1927. Colonel Lovell was a former U.S. Olympic boxing team coach and a decorated World War II veteran. He was also a veteran of Cold War espionage.

During the Korean War, he was assigned to the Directorate of Intelligence, U.S. Air Force, at the Pentagon and was, as a result, a very valuable target for the communists. He was placed on temporary duty with the 5th Air Force. On 4 December 1950, Col Lovell was serving as an Observer while on a reconnaissance mission over the Yalu River. During that flight, his RB-45C Tornado bomber was shot down by Russian MiG-15s. He was taken prisoner by the Chinese forces, interrogated by the Russians and then turned over to the North Korean Armed Forces. He was beaten to death by North Korean civilians on 10 December 1950. His remains were not recovered. His name is inscribed on the Courts of the Missing at the Honolulu Memorial.

For his leadership and valor, Colonel "Jack" Lovell was awarded the Legion of Merit, the Air Medal, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the Purple Heart, the Prisoner of War Medal, the Korean Service Medal, the United Nations Service Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation and the Republic of Korea War Service Medal.

Personal

John Lovell was married to Norma M. and they had one daughter, Nancy.