JOHN H. ROCKWELL, JR., CDR, USN
John Rockwell, Jr. '40
Lucky Bag
From the 1940 Lucky Bag:
JOHN HOBART ROCKWELL, JR.
Wellsville, New York
Rocky
Rocky hails from the "Empire State" where he says every man is an emperor. Ever ready with an argument, which we regret to say is always well founded on good reasoning, life has been anything but dull these years with Hobart. O.A.O.'s were ever changing but we understand he's "promised" at last. Athletics in any form always fascinated him and his participation in Navy sports made his afternoons pass quickly. He has many ambitions and his literary ability has been proven time and again. Here's hoping he makes Pensacola — his goal right now. A true friend, we'll miss him greatly when parting time comes.
Football 4, 2; Wrestling 4, 3; Reef Points 3; Log 3; Trident 4, 3, 2, 1; Quarterdeck 2, 1; Press Detail 3, 2, Chairman 1; Track 4; M.P.O.
JOHN HOBART ROCKWELL, JR.
Wellsville, New York
Rocky
Rocky hails from the "Empire State" where he says every man is an emperor. Ever ready with an argument, which we regret to say is always well founded on good reasoning, life has been anything but dull these years with Hobart. O.A.O.'s were ever changing but we understand he's "promised" at last. Athletics in any form always fascinated him and his participation in Navy sports made his afternoons pass quickly. He has many ambitions and his literary ability has been proven time and again. Here's hoping he makes Pensacola — his goal right now. A true friend, we'll miss him greatly when parting time comes.
Football 4, 2; Wrestling 4, 3; Reef Points 3; Log 3; Trident 4, 3, 2, 1; Quarterdeck 2, 1; Press Detail 3, 2, Chairman 1; Track 4; M.P.O.
Loss
John was lost on February 13, 1956 when the plane he was piloting crashed in the mountains north of Fallon, Nevada during gunnery practice.
Photographs
From the Lucky Bag
Other Information
From the Wellsville Daily Reporter on February 16, 1956:
'Hob' Rockwell's Body Found in Wrecked Jet
Funeral Mass To Be Said Monday in California; Leaves Five Children
The body of Commander John Hobart Rockwell, Jr. has been removed from the wreckage of his crashed Navy Jet plane in the snow covered mountains 30 miles north of Fallon, Nev.
The crash happened Monday evening as Cmdr. Rockwell engaged in gunnery practice on the Black Rock range.
"Hob", as he was best known in Wellsville, was one of the Navy's speed record holding jet pilots.
He was born in Wellsville March 29, 1919 a son of J. Hobart Rockwell, Sr. and Mary Higgins Rockwell.
He was graduated from Wellsville High School in 1935 and from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1940. His father is also a graduate of the Naval Academy and is retired with the rank of captain.
During World War II, "Hob" was awarded the Navy Cross and a gold star in lieu of a second Navy Cross, while he led a flight of carrier-based dive-bombers in the Pacific and Mediterranean. In 1942, he was commended for rescuing a seaman from drowning at Balboa in the Canal Zone.
The parents now live in Rochester where Mr. Rockwell is an insurance executive.
"Hob" was married Aug. 31, 1942 in Brooklyn to Phyllis Mary Butler of California.
Mrs. Rockwell and her late husband were making their home in Alameda, Calif. with their five sons: John Hobart III, Peter, Stephen, Gregory and Timothy who range from 14 months of age to 11 years.
Other survivors are his parents and five brothers: Edward of Rochester; Richard of Newark, N.Y.; Dr. Paul Rockwell of Wellsville; Lieut. James Rockwell of Ft. Bragg, N. Car. and Joseph who is stationed in Munich, Germany with the U.S. Army as a paratrooper. Dr. Rockwell is presently enroute to California to attend services.
Each of the five brothers has been in military service and Lieut. James Rockwell is a graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
The body is being taken to Alameda where a Funeral Mass will be said Monday morning. Burial will be in the National Cemetery at San Francisco.
John is buried in California; his wife is next to him.
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander John Hobart Rockwell, Jr., United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Torpedo Plane in Air Group NINETY-FOUR (AG-94), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against the enemy at the important fleet anchorage near Kure, Honshu, Japan, on 24 July 1945. As Squadron Commander and as pilot and leader of a flight of nine carrier based torpedo bombers, making a coordinated attack against major units of the Japanese Fleet in their heavily defended anchorage, in the face of intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from harbor positions and from the several ships dispersed throughout the area, Lieutenant Commander Rockwell skillfully deployed his flight for attack runs against a battleship and a heavy cruiser, and pressed home his attack on the camouflaged ships, personally diving through broken clouds and scoring direct hits on the cruiser, leaving the ship listing and down by the stern. His outstanding leadership and initiative so facilitated the bombing of other pilots in his squadron that several hits were scored on the cruiser, and the battleship suffered damaging near misses. He then rendezvoused his flight over the Inland Sea of Japan and conducted the planes safely back to the Task Force, a distance of about 250 miles, without loss. His actions contributed materially to the destruction of both ships, and his determination and heroic conduct were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander 2d Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 01917 (September 24, 1945)
Action Date: 24-Jul-45
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Naval Torpedo Squadron
Regiment: Air Group 94 (AG-94)
Division: U.S.S. Lexington (CV-16)
From Hall of Valor:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander John Hobart Rockwell, Jr., United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Torpedo Plane in Air Group NINETY-FOUR (AG-94), attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-16), in action against the enemy at the important fleet anchorage near Kure, Honshu, Japan, on 24 July 1945. As Squadron Commander and as pilot and leader of a flight of nine carrier based torpedo bombers, making a coordinated attack against major units of the Japanese Fleet in their heavily defended anchorage, Lieutenant Commander Rockwell so skillfully deployed his flight for making attacks on a heavy cruiser that, despite intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire from ship and shore batteries, he obtained two direct hits himself on the target, while four other members of his flight also obtained direct hits, the flight thus making a substantial contribution to the destruction of the ship that day. Despite the damaged condition of his plane due to anti-aircraft, he nevertheless rendezvoused his flight over the Inland Sea and led the planes safely back to the carrier. His skillful airmanship resulted in heavy damage being inflicted upon the enemy, and his leadership and heroic action were at all times inspiring and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander 2d Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 01913 (September 23, 1945)
Action Date: 28-Jul-45
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Company: Naval Torpedo Squadron
Regiment: Air Group 94 (AG-94)
Division: U.S.S. Lexington (CV-16)
Distinguished Flying Cross
His gravestone lists the Distinguished Flying Cross among his awards; unable to find this citation.
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
