John Wilkes – Vice Admiral, United States Navy

Born May 26, 1895, the great-grandson of Rear Admiral Charles Wilkes, he graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1916. He married Winifred Jarvis and had one son, John.

He advanced through the grades to Rear Admiral in 1943. Stationed in the Pacific at the outbreak of World War II. He escaped from Corregidor aboard the submarine USS Swordfish and then re-assembled the U.S. underseas forces from a base in Java.

He used the submarine experience that he gained in World War I and thereafter. He took part in the invasion of Sicily and in 1944 assumed command of U.S. posts and bases in France. His most notable achievement however was the training of a 4,000 unit landing-craft force for the Normandy invasion on D-Day (June 6, 1944).

He served in the postwar occupation of Germany and retired from the Navy in 1951. He spent his summers at Groton, Connecticut, where he once served as Commander of U.S. Atlantic Submarines. He spent his winters at a home in Virginia.

He died at the Naval Medical Center, Bethesda, Maryland, on July 20, 1957. He had been ill for several months. He was buried in Section 30 of Arlington National Cemetery. His wife, Winifred Jarvis Wilkes, is buried with him.

WILKES, JOHN
V/ARM USN
VETERAN SERVICE DATES: Unknown
DATE OF BIRTH: 05/26/1895
DATE OF DEATH: 07/20/1957
DATE OF INTERMENT: 07/24/1957
BURIED AT: SECTION 30  SITE 1809
ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

Michael Robert Patterson

Michael Robert Patterson was born in Arlington and is the son of a former officer of the US Army. So it was no wonder that sooner or later his interests drew him to American history and especially to American military history. Many of his articles can be found on renowned portals like the New York Times, Washingtonpost or Wikipedia.

Reviewed by: Michael Howard