Contains spoilers for the series.
Conn MacCleary, also called Conrad MacCleary, is Harold W. Smith’s senior aide and CURE recruiter in The Destroyer novels. CURE is a covert U.S. organization based at Folcroft Sanatorium. MacCleary identifies Remo Williams as a capable candidate, arranges his recruitment and introduces him to Chiun, the martial arts teacher who trains him.
Recruitment of Remo
MacCleary first notices Remo during the Vietnam War, where Remo serves as a Marine. He later engineers a frame-up that leads to Remo’s execution sentence, then arranges a staged escape and offers him a place in CURE. Remo accepts after MacCleary admits his part in the deception and explains the agency’s purpose.
MacCleary’s work with Remo is remembered as more than a recruitment tactic. Years later, Smith says MacCleary believed that one person could make a difference, explaining why he sought a single operative for CURE’s field work.
CURE’s field team
MacCleary helps form the partnership at the center of CURE’s field operations. After Remo joins, MacCleary brings Chiun to Folcroft as Remo’s teacher. Later descriptions characterize MacCleary as the person who selected Remo and Chiun for the enforcement team.
Deborah, a woman Remo meets in Israel, recognizes a movement that Remo associates with MacCleary’s training. In her recollection, MacCleary volunteered to teach special skills to her village before Israel’s independence. The details come through Deborah’s memory and do not establish a full account of MacCleary’s wartime service.
Injury and reported death
During a mission, MacCleary is gravely injured. Smith orders Remo to kill him to prevent disclosure of CURE, but Remo refuses. A newspaper later reports MacCleary’s death as suicide; the novel does not depict Remo carrying out the order. In a later story, Nobile recalls that he and MacCleary trained in the Office of Strategic Services together and says Smith later rescued him from German captivity. That history remains Nobile’s recollection.
Book appearances
- #1Created, the Destroyer
CURE operative who identifies and recruits Remo; severely injured during the Felton investigation. Appears in a Capuchin-priest disguise.
- #2Death Check
Mentioned in Deborah’s account and Remo’s memories; Remo’s former recruiter, previously trained Deborah’s village.
- #4Mafia Fix
Former employee whose file leads Hopkins to suspect a secret organization.
Only mentioned; he is not shown in a scene in this work.
- #9Murder's Shield
CURE recruiter who trained/ recruited Remo and killed himself to protect CURE’s secrecy, recalled by Chiun.
- #14Judgment Day
OSS agent who served with Harold Smith during World War II.
- #32Killer Chromosomes
CURE recruiter who selected Remo; Chiun calls him a good man with courage and intelligence.
- #35Last Call
Deceased CIA recruiter whom Smith says selected Omega’s assassins; Remo attributes coercive threats against Nina to him.
- #38Bay City Blast
One-handed CURE recruiter recalled by Remo as deceased; Nobile recognizes Conrad MacCleary and calls him Conn while recounting their shared OSS training.
- #57Date with Death
CIA agent who intervenes when Deke Bauer threatens Remo on a Vietnam hill and later recruits Remo for Smith and CURE.
- #70The Eleventh Hour
Former CIA operative who recruited Remo into CURE and arranged his false execution and Sinanju training.
- #85Blood Lust
One-armed former CIA agent credited in Remo’s retrospective account with identifying him in Vietnam and recommending him for CURE’s enforcement role. This is the novel’s recruitment account, not independent real history.
- #100Last Rites
CURE agent who arranged Remo’s staged execution and recruitment; Sister Novella’s letter reaches Smith in his name.
- #113The Empire Dreams
Deceased acquaintance whom Smith says believed one person could make a difference and recruited Remo.
- #128The End of the Beginning
CURE’s sole field agent at the outset and Remo’s recruiter; after surviving a severe fall, he attempts suicide in hospital and Chiun completes the throat cut at Conn’s request.
- #131Unnatural Selection
Smith’s former field deputy and CURE’s early right hand; his effects supply the locket and suicide pill Smith gives Mark.
- #134Bloody Tourists
Smith’s former CIA colleague and right-hand man who selected Remo and Chiun for CURE’s enforcement team.
References
- ↑
- #1 Created, the Destroyer · ch06:p0027, ch06:p0058, ch06:p0090, ch12:p0072, ch12:p0075
- ↑
- #1 Created, the Destroyer · ch06:p0027, ch06:p0090, ch03:p0054, ch03:p0056, ch10:p0033, ch10:p0052
- ↑
- #113 The Empire Dreams · ch06:p0030, ch06:p0033
- ↑
- #1 Created, the Destroyer · ch12:p0072, ch13:p0020
- #134 Bloody Tourists · ch07:p0055, ch07:p0056
- ↑
- #2 Death Check · ch18:p0104, ch18:p0115, ch18:p0127
- ↑
- #1 Created, the Destroyer · ch16:p0034, ch19:p0058, ch21:p0001, ch21:p0017
- #38 Bay City Blast · ch11:p0071, ch11:p0074, ch11:p0076, ch11:p0080
Source notes
The recurring Conn/Conrad MacCleary: Books1/4/9 identify the CURE recruiter, while Book14 names Agent Conrad MacCleary among Smith’s wartime colleagues. This contextual continuity join preserves the OSS role without claiming Book14 recounts his recruitment of Remo.
Book 001 identifies Conn MacCleary as the CURE recruiter who recruited Remo (witness:00000002:ch05:p0024).
Book 004 calls the former employee Conrad MacCleary and recounts his suicide in a hospital (witness:00000009:ch02:p0021); the nearby follow-up connects his employment file to the agency (witness:00000009:ch02:p0023).
Book 009 says the recruiter killed himself to protect CURE, then names him Conn MacCleary (witness:00000024:ch02:p0086; witness:00000024:ch17:p0092).
Reviewed source observation locators: destroyer-001:conn-macleary (witness:00000002:ch05:p0024); destroyer-004:conrad-maccleary (witness:00000009:ch02:p0021); destroyer-009:conn-maccleary (witness:00000024:ch02:p0086).
destroyer-014:conrad-macleary links to this subject after independent source review and lead contextual comparison (witness:00000039:ch05:p0070).
destroyer-035:conrad-macleary: Lead accepted the separate-reader contextual proposal after comparing primary contexts: Book32’s actual recruiter exchange says Chiun left Remo to kill the recruiter, names him MacCleary, and Remo says he picked him. Book35 identifies deceased CIA recruiter Conrad MacCleary; Book38 has Remo name Conrad MacCleary as the man who brought him into CURE, Nobile recognize him as the one-armed MacCleary and then identify him as Conn, his OSS training companion. These role and alias bridges support the established recruiter subject. Original labels, participation scope and attributed fictional claims remain in the observation. (witness:00000102:ch06:p0020; witness:00000102:ch09:p0104; witness:00000002:ch05:p0024; witness:00000002:ch03:p0003; witness:00000002:ch03:p0065; witness:00000093:ch11:p0011; witness:00000093:ch11:p0012; witness:00000093:ch11:p0013; witness:00000111:ch11:p0064; witness:00000111:ch11:p0071; witness:00000111:ch11:p0072; witness:00000111:ch11:p0074; witness:00000024:ch02:p0086).
destroyer-032:b32-recruiter: Lead accepted the separate-reader contextual proposal after comparing primary contexts: Book32’s actual recruiter exchange says Chiun left Remo to kill the recruiter, names him MacCleary, and Remo says he picked him. Book35 identifies deceased CIA recruiter Conrad MacCleary; Book38 has Remo name Conrad MacCleary as the man who brought him into CURE, Nobile recognize him as the one-armed MacCleary and then identify him as Conn, his OSS training companion. These role and alias bridges support the established recruiter subject. Original labels, participation scope and attributed fictional claims remain in the observation. (witness:00000093:ch11:p0012; witness:00000002:ch05:p0024; witness:00000093:ch11:p0011; witness:00000093:ch11:p0013; witness:00000102:ch06:p0020; witness:00000111:ch11:p0064; witness:00000111:ch11:p0071; witness:00000111:ch11:p0072; witness:00000111:ch11:p0074; witness:00000024:ch02:p0086).
destroyer-038:conrad-maccleary: Lead accepted the separate-reader contextual proposal after comparing primary contexts: Book32’s actual recruiter exchange says Chiun left Remo to kill the recruiter, names him MacCleary, and Remo says he picked him. Book35 identifies deceased CIA recruiter Conrad MacCleary; Book38 has Remo name Conrad MacCleary as the man who brought him into CURE, Nobile recognize him as the one-armed MacCleary and then identify him as Conn, his OSS training companion. These role and alias bridges support the established recruiter subject. Original labels, participation scope and attributed fictional claims remain in the observation. (witness:00000111:ch11:p0064; witness:00000002:ch05:p0024; witness:00000093:ch11:p0011; witness:00000093:ch11:p0012; witness:00000093:ch11:p0013; witness:00000102:ch06:p0020; witness:00000111:ch11:p0071; witness:00000111:ch11:p0072; witness:00000111:ch11:p0074; witness:00000024:ch02:p0086).
destroyer-057:conrad-maccleary: Lead compared identifying passages and roles; the shared subject is supported while scene, broadcast, imagined-video, attributed-legend and model-level scopes remain separate. Current: CIA agent who intervenes when Deke Bauer threatens Remo on a Vietnam hill and later recruits Remo for Smith and CURE. Prior: CURE operative who identifies and recruits Remo; severely injured during the Felton investigation. Appears in a Capuchin-priest disguise. (witness:00000165:ch07:p0016; witness:00000002:ch05:p0024).
destroyer-070:conrad-maccleary: Same former CIA/CURE recruiter MacCleary; Book 70 gives full form Conrad MacCleary and matching recruited-Remo role. Canonical observation uses a spelling/initial variant. Lead inspected the proposed primary contexts; supplementary direct identifying anchors replace incidental context where needed. (witness:00000204:ch02:p0195; witness:00000204:ch06:p0037; witness:00000165:ch07:p0031).
destroyer-085:conrad-maccleary: Book 85 identifies Conrad MacCleary as the one-armed former CIA agent who helped engineer Remo’s recruitment; older source contexts identify Conn/Conrad MacCleary in the recruitment role. Same full name and distinctive role support linking this observation to the existing character. Lead inspected actual cited primary paragraphs and, where necessary, replaced a metonymic/absent comparison locator with direct prior subject evidence. Bounded identity decision, not another complete reading. (witness:00000249:ch06:p0009; witness:00000002:ch05:p0024; witness:00000009:ch02:p0021).
destroyer-100:conrad-maccleary: Book100’s Smith explicitly calls Conrad MacCleary his CURE colleague who staged Remo’s execution and recruitment; earlier observations identify the recruiter as Conn/Conrad MacCleary. Preserve each work’s scene and attribution. Lead inspected these bounded primary contexts; this is an identity decision, not a third full reading. (witness:00000294:ch15:p0018; witness:00000294:ch15:p0024; witness:00000294:ch15:p0026; witness:00000002:ch05:p0024; witness:00000009:ch02:p0021; witness:00000024:ch02:p0086).
destroyer-002:conn-macleary: Book2 explicitly connects Conrad the hooked recruiter and Conn from Remo’s training recollection; same Book1 hooked recruiter, not merely a shared surname. (witness:00000001:ch03:p0054; witness:00000001:ch03:p0057; witness:00000001:ch18:p0104; witness:00000002:ch07:p0003).
destroyer-113:conrad-maccleary: Same recruiter of Remo associated with Smith/CURE and earlier intelligence work; Book2 explicitly names Conrad and later Conn. Preserve MacCleary source spelling and retrospective/deceased scope. (witness:00000330:ch06:p0033; witness:00000330:ch06:p0035; witness:00000002:ch07:p0002; witness:00000002:ch07:p0003; witness:00000001:ch03:p0054; witness:00000001:ch03:p0057).
destroyer-128:conrad-maccleary: Same named former CIA associate of Smith; preserve this book’s depiction of his death separately from retrospective accounts. Lead inspected the cited current and prior primary contexts; identity alone is consolidated, retaining book-specific scope, roles, variants and conflicting accounts. (witness:00000375:ch02:p0018; witness:00000375:ch02:p0019; witness:00000375:ch18:p0113; witness:00000294:ch15:p0024).
destroyer-131:conrad-maccleary: Explicit retrospective callback to Smith’s early field deputy who died after Remo arrived. Lead inspected the cited current and prior primary contexts; identity alone is consolidated, retaining book-specific scope, roles, variants and conflicting accounts. (witness:00000384:ch33:p0016; witness:00000384:ch38:p0026; witness:00000001:ch03:p0054; witness:00000001:ch03:p0057).
destroyer-134:conn-maccleary: Named Conn selects Remo and recruits Chiun in the retrospective account. Lead inspected the cited current and prior primary contexts; identity alone is consolidated, retaining book-specific scope, roles, variants and conflicting accounts. (witness:00000393:ch07:p0059; witness:00000393:ch07:p0062).
Created, the Destroyer
narrative
Sources 11 references
witness:00000002:ch03:p0003witness:00000002:ch03:p0065witness:00000002:ch06:p0001witness:00000002:ch06:p0090witness:00000002:ch10:p0001witness:00000002:ch10:p0053witness:00000002:ch16:p0001witness:00000002:ch16:p0054witness:00000002:ch05:p0023witness:00000002:ch16:p0053witness:00000002:ch05:p0024
Death Check
narrative
Sources 4 references
witness:00000001:ch02:p0038witness:00000001:ch18:p0104witness:00000001:ch20:p0083witness:00000001:ch03:p0054
Mafia Fix
narrative
Sources 2 references
witness:00000009:ch02:p0021witness:00000009:ch02:p0023
Murder's Shield
narrative
Sources 2 references
witness:00000024:ch02:p0086witness:00000024:ch17:p0092
Judgment Day
mentioned
Sources 1 references
witness:00000039:ch05:p0070
Killer Chromosomes
narrative
Sources 2 references
witness:00000093:ch11:p0012witness:00000093:ch11:p0011
Last Call
narrative
Sources 4 references
witness:00000102:ch06:p0020witness:00000102:ch09:p0104witness:00000102:ch09:p0111witness:00000102:ch16:p0063
Bay City Blast
Remo’s recollection and Nobile’s attributed history
Sources 3 references
witness:00000111:ch11:p0064witness:00000111:ch11:p0071witness:00000111:ch11:p0074
Date with Death
narrative
Sources 3 references
witness:00000165:ch07:p0016witness:00000165:ch07:p0031witness:00000165:ch07:p0050
The Eleventh Hour
narrative
Sources 3 references
witness:00000204:ch02:p0194witness:00000204:ch02:p0213witness:00000204:ch06:p0037
Blood Lust
retrospective exposition
Sources 1 references
witness:00000249:ch06:p0009
Last Rites
narrative
Sources 4 references
witness:00000294:ch15:p0018witness:00000294:ch15:p0024witness:00000294:ch15:p0026witness:00000294:ch18:p0013
The Empire Dreams
narrative
Sources 3 references
witness:00000330:ch06:p0033witness:00000330:ch06:p0035witness:00000330:ch06:p0030
The End of the Beginning
narrative
Sources 4 references
witness:00000375:ch02:p0018witness:00000375:ch02:p0020witness:00000375:ch15:p0130witness:00000375:ch18:p0113
Unnatural Selection
narrative retrospective
Sources 2 references
witness:00000384:ch33:p0016witness:00000384:ch38:p0027
Bloody Tourists
narrative
Sources 4 references
witness:00000393:ch07:p0059witness:00000393:ch07:p0061witness:00000393:ch07:p0062witness:00000393:ch07:p0063