John Walter Reeves Jr. (April 25, 1888 – July 16, 1967) was an

admiral Admiral is one of the highest ranks in many navies. In the Commonwealth nations and the United States, a "full" admiral is equivalent to a "full" general in the army or the air force. Admiral is ranked above vice admiral and below admiral of ...

of the

United States Navy The United States Navy (USN) is the naval warfare, maritime military branch, service branch of the United States Department of Defense. It is the world's most powerful navy with the largest Displacement (ship), displacement, at 4.5 millio ...

. He graduated from the

U.S. Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (USNA, Navy, or Annapolis) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy is the sec ...

in the class of 1915. Among his classmates were future US Navy admirals

Morton Deyo Vice Admiral (United States), Vice Admiral Morton Lyndholm Deyo (1 July 1887 – 10 November 1973) was an officer in the United States Navy, who was a naval gunfire support task force commander of World War II. Born on 1 July 1887 in Poughkeepsie ...

, Harry W. Hill, George D. Murray, and Frederick Riefkohl. Prior to flag rank, Admiral Reeves was the commanding officer of the USS Parrott (DD-218) (June 1928 – June 1929) and USS Wasp (CV-7) (April 1940 – May 1942). He served as the Commander of the Alaskan Sector, Northwest Sea Frontier, during

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

. As such, he led the effort to dislodge

Imperial Japan The Empire of Japan, also known as the Japanese Empire or Imperial Japan, was the Japanese nation state that existed from the Meiji Restoration on January 3, 1868, until the Constitution of Japan took effect on May 3, 1947. From Japan–Kor ...

forces from the

Aleutian Islands The Aleutian Islands ( ; ; , "land of the Aleuts"; possibly from the Chukchi language, Chukchi ''aliat'', or "island")—also called the Aleut Islands, Aleutic Islands, or, before Alaska Purchase, 1867, the Catherine Archipelago—are a chain ...

. Later transferred back to sea duty, Reeves was designated (on 7 Mar 1944), commander, Carrier Division Four (COMCARDIV) Task Group 58.1 hoisting his flag in USS ''Enterprise'' (CV-6). Reeves' Task Group 58.3, consisting of the Enterprise, Lexington (CV-16), San Jacinto (CVL-30) and Princeton (CVL-23), played a key role in the Battle of the Philippine Sea on 19–20 June 1944. Reeves was promoted to

vice admiral Vice admiral is a senior naval flag officer rank, usually equivalent to lieutenant general and air marshal. A vice admiral is typically senior to a rear admiral and junior to an admiral. Australia In the Royal Australian Navy, the rank of Vice ...

on April 1, 1949, and advanced to admiral based on his combat service when he retired in May 1950. A native of

Haddonfield, New Jersey Haddonfield is a borough (New Jersey), borough located in Camden County, New Jersey, Camden County, in the U.S. state of New Jersey. As of the 2020 United States census, the borough's population was 12,550, an increase of 957 (+8.3%) from the ...

, Reeves died at

Pensacola, Florida Pensacola ( ) is a city in the Florida panhandle in the United States. It is the county seat and only incorporated city, city in Escambia County, Florida, Escambia County. The population was 54,312 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. ...

. He is buried in

Barrancas National Cemetery Barrancas National Cemetery is a United States National Cemetery located at Naval Air Station Pensacola, in the city of Pensacola, Florida. It encompasses , and as of 2021 had over 50,000 interments. History The area has been used as a burial ...

References

1888 births 1967 deaths United States Navy admirals United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy personnel of World War I United States Navy World War II admirals Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Legion of Merit Burials at Barrancas National Cemetery People from Haddonfield, New Jersey Military personnel from Camden County, New Jersey {{US-navy-bio-stub