Jack G. Downing

Jack G. Downing was Deputy Director for Operations (DDO) for the Central Intelligence Agency from 1997 until July 1999.

Downing was educated at The Hill School and graduated in 1958. He graduated from Harvard University, majoring in Chinese language and history, as well as Asian studies. He served two combat tours in Vietnam as an officer in the U.S. Marine Corps before joining the CIA in 1967. Downing was appointed chief of station in Kuala Lumpur, Moscow and Beijing. He eventually was selected as Chief of the East Asia Division. He retired in 1995, but left retirement two years later when he was asked by then-Director of Central Intelligence George Tenet to head the Directorate of Operations in 1997. He retired in 1999.