Hoover, John Howard “Johnnie” or “Genial John”.

Hoover, John, born 15-05-1887 in Seville, Ohio, ,  the son of Benjamin Franklin Hoover and his wife Claudia Irene (Crawford) Brown. He grew up in Adel, Montana and following the graduation from the high school in summer 1903, he received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. While at the Academy, he was nicknamed “Johnnie” and was active in Coxswain team. He served in World War I. Hoover was in the same class as future admirals Augustin Toutant  Beauregard, (01-12-1885 – 08-04-1951 Patrick Nieson Lynch Bellinger, (08-10-1885 –  30-05-1962 Harold Medberry Bemis,  (15-07-1884 –16-02-1970) Richard Stanislaus Edwards, (18-02-1885–02-06-1956) Robert Carlisle Giffen,  (29-06-1886 –10-12-1962)  Felix Xerxes Gygax, (18-05-1916-16-10-1999)   Henry Kent Hewitt, Jonas Howard Ingram, (15-10-1886 – 09-09-1952)   Randall Jacobs, (12-12-1895- 19-06-1967) Claud Ashton Jones, (07-10-1885 – 08-08-1948) Ernest D. McWhorr, Albert Cushing Read, (29-03-1887 – 10-10-1967) Raymond Ames Spruance   and Robert “Fuzzy”Alfred Theobald Theobald. (25-01-1884 –13-05-1956) Upon graduation with Bachelor of Science degree on  06-06-1907, John Hoover was attached as passed midshipman to the protected cruiser USS Chicago and later was transferred to the light cruiser USS Chester, operating along the East Coast of the United States. While aboard that vessel, Hoover was appointed a commission to the rank of ensign on September 13-09-1908. He was transferred to the newly commissioned destroyer USS Paulding in September 1910 and served as her Executive and Engineer officer during the patrol cruises with the Atlantic Fleet until he was transferred to the battleship USS North Dakota. Hoover was promoted to lieutenant (junior grade) on 13-09-1911. In April 1913, he was ordered to for duty in connection with fitting out of the destroyer USS Aylwin. Hoover participated in the cruise to Cuba and undertook aviation instruction at U.S. Aviation Camp at Guantanamo Bay. He then returned to Aylwin and took part in the exercise off the North Carolina coast. During the latter operation, the ship’s boiler exploded and fire forced the crew to abandoned the ship. He was then transferred to the armored cruiser USS Tennessee and served with the Atlantic Fleet until August 1915, when was ordered to Washington Navy Yard. Hoover was promoted to lieutenant on 22-03-1915

During World War II he commanded the Tenth Naval District  from 1941 to 1943. He commanded Task Force 57 during the Kwajalein and Mejuro, Marshall Island landings in 1944. He then commanded the Central Pacific Forward Area, under Chester William Nimitz  1944-1945, Hoover became one of Nimitz’s trusted if little known admirals of the Pacific war. Hoover presided over the Court of Inquiry that recommended William Frederick “Bull” Halsey

face court-martial for sailing 3 Fleet into a typhoon in 1945. The recommendation was ignored by Ernst Joseph King  and Franklin Roosevelt, who likely felt Halsey was too much of a popular hero to be subjected to public rebuke. Hoover was known as “Genial John” behind his back because of his sour attitude. Towers, the senior aviator in the Navy, said of him. An enigma. Physically fit. A positive character. Not popular. Standoffish. Lack of close relationship between him and his Staff. Neither Nimitz nor his air deputy, John Towers

   , warmed to Hoover, though Raymond Ames Spruance came to think highly of him. However, Hoover had a reputation as an aggressive leader. He received the decorations, Navy Cross and Distinguished Service Medal.

   Hoover died at the old age of 83, on 01-12-1970, in Washington D.C. and is buried with his wife Helen S, who died age 85 in 1981, on Arlington National Cemetery, Section 5. Close by in Section 5 the graves of General, Provost Marshal, Headquarters, IX Corps, William Abendroth, Lieutenant General, Commander 3^rd Armoured Division, nickname “Spearhead” , Frederick Brown.  The 3^rd  Infantry Division suffered the highest casualty rate of any American Division in World War II. The Division lost 4.922 killed in action, and 18.766 wounded with a further 636 who died of wounds. Its exploits are aptly illustrated by its Medal of Honor recipient Audie Murphy

   . During their European campaign the 3rd Division had the next causalities, 4.922 were killed in action, and 18.766 wounded with a further 636 who died of wounds. Also buried in this section, Admiral USA Navy, US 7^th Fleet, Thomas Kinkaid and Marine Corps General, Commander 4^th Infantry Division, Clifton Cates. Also buried Major General, Commanding General of the Tenth Air Force , Clayton Lawrence Bissel.

In 1943, Helen Smith Hoover, wife of Vice Admiral John Howard Hoover, christened the USS Intrepid. In this photograph, Hoover (right), received a gift from Berline F. Cashwell, who worked as a riveter at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock