John Hoskins (officer)

John Hoskins
Older Caucasian man with small white mustache wearing U.S. Navy Service Dress Khaki uniform and hat
Rear Admiral John Hoskins (1956)
Birth nameJohn Madison Hoskins
Nickname(s)"Uncle John", "Peg-Leg"
Born(1898-10-22)October 22, 1898
Pineville, Kentucky
DiedMarch 30, 1964(1964-03-30) (aged 65)
Falls Church, Virginia
Buried
Service/branchUnited States Navy
Years of service1917–1957
RankVice Admiral
Commands heldUSS Princeton
USS Valley Forge
MATS
Commander, Fleet Air
Battles/warsWorld War II

Korean War

AwardsNavy Cross
Navy Distinguished Service Medal
Silver Star
Legion of Merit
Purple Heart
Spouse(s)Sue Waters Hoskins

John Madison Hoskins (October 22, 1898 – March 30, 1964) was an officer and aviator in the United States Navy who retired as Vice Admiral. After graduating the United States Naval Academy, Hoskins entered flight school and served his entire subsequent career in naval aviation, serving aboard and eventually commanding aircraft carriers in the Pacific Ocean after World War II. Despite losing his right foot in an explosion which destroyed USS Princeton (CVL-23) in 1944, Hoskins refused retirement and went on to serve as the first commanding officer of the new USS Princeton (CV-37). After the war, Hoskins became a leading proponent of jet aircraft on carriers, was assigned to training command of the first naval jet aviators designated for carrier assignment.

In the early days of the Korean War, Hoskins commanded the first carrier group on station following the outbreak of hostilities on the Korean peninsula; the naval flight group under his command based on USS Valley Forge gave airborne support to retreating South Korean army units. While he was commanding officer of Valley Forge, the carrier group and her aircraft were twice deployed to the war zone to repel advances by the enemy and made major air cover contributions to the successful Inchon landings. While commanding Carrier Division Seventeen, "Uncle John" Hoskins was featured in a Life Magazine article which helped familiarize the public with carrier operations in the Korean theater.

Hoskins was later assigned to command the Military Air Transport Service, MATS flying U.S. military personnel of all branches to and from duty stations around the globe, often helping to bring wounded personnel quickly from remote areas to base hospitals where their wounds could rapidly receive medical care. In 1955, Hoskins was the subject of a biographical film made by Republic Pictures entitled The Eternal Sea with Sterling Hayden and Alexis Smith portraying Hoskins and his wife Sue. After retirement, Hoskins was appointed head of the Department of Defense's Office of Declassification Policy.


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