John Shannon was
born 11 December 1911 at West New York, New Jersey. He attended Hill School at
Pottstown, Pennsylvania, entering the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland,
in July 1929. Upon graduation from the Academy, he was commissioned an Ensign 1
June 1933.
He reported
immediately to the U.S.S. Mississippi as a junior officer and remained with
that battleship until April 1936 when he reported two months later as CWO,
Staff, Battleships, Pacific Fleet.
In June 1937 he was
assigned to the U.S.S. Helm (DD-388) as First Lieutenant, a ship he remained
with for two years. In September 1939 he reported to the U.S.S. MacLeish
(DD-220) where he served as Gunnery Officer until June 1940.
The following month
he took up duties as Communications Officer and Flag Secretary, Staff,
Commander Destroyer Squadron Two, aboard DD-409 and DD-417. In October 1942 he
became a Flight Officer with Blimp Squadron Eleven (ZNP-K) and a month later
was designated a Lighter-than-Air pilot. He
soon became Executive Officer of that unit and in September 1943 took over as
Commanding Officer, a position he held until March 1944; during this period he
was also Commander Fleet Air Detachment at the Naval Air Station, South
Weymouth.
April 1944 found
him assigned for seven months to the Bureau of Aeronautics, Military
Requirements Division.
In December 1944 he
took command of the U.S.S. Charles F. Hughes (DD-428) until January 1946 when
he became Commanding Officer of the U.S.S. Cone (DD-866) until June 1947.
That month he
became Executive Officer, Naval Air Station, Lakehurst, New Jersey, until
December 1948. The first three months of 1949 he was a pre-flight student naval
aviator at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida; this was followed by more
training at Pensacola's Naval Air Basic Training Command until October, 1949,
when he was transferred for further instruction to the Naval Air Station,
Corpus Christi, Texas. He won his Heavier-than-Air pilot's wings in January
1950.
The next six months
were spent in indoctrination and familiarization with Carrier Air Group Six
(VA-65).
In July 1950
Shannon took command of Fleet Airship Wing One (ZP-1) until August 1952 when he
became Commanding Officer, Naval Auxiliary Air Station, Glynco, Brunswick,
Maine, a post he held until July 1953 when he reported for instruction to the
Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington, D.C., for a year.
In March 1954 he
joined the Staff of Fleet Air Wings, Atlantic, Norfolk, Virginia, and in September 1956 became Chief of Staff
and Aide to that unit's commander.
On 19 June 1957 he
assumed command of the U.S.S. Tarawa (CVS-40) and was commanding officer during
the carrier's NATO cruise that fall.
On December 24,
1957 he received orders to report for temporary duty with Naval Air Force,
Atlantic. On March 1, 1958, he retired.
Shannon earned the
National Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; European Campaign
Medal; the Order of King George I from Greece; Pacific Campaign Medal; World
War II Victory Medal; Navy Occupation Service Medal.
He was married to
the former Katherine Jeane Broughton of Hartford, North Carolina. They had one
child, Joseph Gilmore Shannon.
Captain Shannon was
a member of the Navy League, the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and the
Ridgewood, New Jersey, Country Club.
The captain died 4
January 1974 at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood, New Jersey. A private service
was held on January 9 and he was entombed in his family mausoleum in Bayside
Cemetery, West New York, New Jersey.
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