John M. Alford
John Morris Alford II was an American US Navy rear admiral who was Commander Naval Forces Korea from September 1962 to March 1964.[1][2]
Alford was born on April 13, 1915 to doctor John Merlin Alford and Shirley Foote Alford in Galva, IL. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1936 and served on the USS Lexington (CV-2), an aircraft carrier. He was stationed at Pearl Harbor Naval Base on board USS Tennessee (BB-43) as Chief Gunnery Officer, where he survived the Japanese bombing on December 7, 1941. He was then transferred to the USS Alabama (BB-60), a battleship. Near the end of the war, he was in charge of the 16-inch guns that bombarded Hitachi Steelworks. Due to his leadership, he was nominated personally by famous explorer and Rear Admiral Richard E. Byrd for a Bronze Star Medal. In September 1962, he was selected to be Commander Naval Forces Korea, having reached the rank of two-star Rear Admiral. After he retired from his position in March 1964, he settled down in Northern Virginia with his family. He died on December 17, 1988. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, VA.