Partner John Comerford Meets with Former U.S. Ambassador to the People’s Republic of China

Prior to becoming an attorney and joining Dowd Bennett LLP, John Comerford served as a Naval Flight Officer in the United States Navy for over seven years.  On April 1, 2001, Mr. Comerford and 23 other crew members landed their stricken EP-3 reconnaissance plane on Hainan Island after a mid-air collision with a Chinese fighter jet.  Mr. Comerford and his crew were freed after eleven days of tense negotiations.

Retired Admiral Joseph W. Prueher, USN served as the United States Ambassador to China during this time and played a central role in securing the release of the crew.  Admiral Prueher now serves on the Board of Directors of Emerson Electric Co., a Dowd Bennett client.  Mr. Comerford recently met Ambassador Prueher at Emerson’s St. Louis headquarters to discuss the 2001 incident with the help of Emerson’s CEO David Farr and General Counsel Frank Steeves.