John Briggs Hayes (30 August 1924 – 17 January 2001) was an admiral of the United States Coast Guard who served as the 16th commandant from 1978 to 1982.

His first command assignment was at the LORAN Transmitting Station in Matsumae, Hokkaidō, Japan.

After a series of Coast Guard cutter command assignments, he attended the Naval War College in Newport, Rhode Island.

Returning to Washington, he was promoted to captain and assigned to the U.S. Coast Guard's Office of Boating Safety, followed by his service as Commandant of cadets at the United States Coast Guard Academy.

Under Hayes' leadership, the Coast Guard accomplished a number of firsts for women in the military, including the assignment of Lieutenant (junior grade) Beverly Kelley, as the first female commanding officer of a U.S. military vessel, and Lieutenant Kay Hartzell, as the first female to command an isolated U.S. military unit.