World War II John Franklin Shafroth Jr. (March 31, 1887 – September 1, 1967) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral.

[1][2] Shafroth Jr. rose to the flag rank during World War II and commanded Southeast Pacific Area or Battleship Squadron 2 during Battle of Okinawa.

His younger brother Morrison was a Colorado Democratic Candidate in 1924 United States Senate elections, but lost to Republican Rice W. Means, who later became Ku Klux Klan leader.

John Jr. did not followed his father's footsteps and after graduation from the Central High School in Washington, D.C., he earned an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, in summer 1904.

[5] He graduated with Bachelor of Science degree on June 15, 1908, and served as Passed Midshipman aboard the battleship USS Virginia during the cruise around the world with the Great White Fleet.

While aboard Virginia, Shafroth visited Trinidad, Rio de Janeiro, Punta Arenas, Valparaíso, Hawaii, Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Manila, Yokohama, Singapore, Ceylon, Suez Canal, Port Said, and Gibraltar.

While aboard Jenkins, he served as ship's Executive officer under Lieutenant Frederick V. McNair and took part in the American occupation of Veracruz in April 1914.

[7][8][2][9][4] The Terry had just undergone extensive repairs and upon completion, she began patrolling along the Atlantic coast and escorting merchantmen bound for Europe.

[1] Shafroth was later transferred to command of Submarine Chaser Detachment 3 and was stationed in Berehaven, Ireland until December 1918, when he was ordered back to the United States.

In April 1922, he was appointed Aide and Flag Secretary on the staff of Commander, Special Service Squadron, which was then operating in the Caribbean under Rear admiral William C.

[10][11][2][4] In June 1923, Shafroth was transferred to the staff of the United States Fleet and served as Aide and Flag Secretary to its Commander-in-Chief, Admiral Robert Coontz.

He was ordered for another tour of sea duty in June 1933, when he was appointed Executive officer aboard the battleship USS West Virginia under future Chief of Naval Operations, Captain Harold R.

He led his ship on various patrols in the Pacific until August 1940, when he was ordered back to the Bureau of Navigation in Washington, D.C., for duty as Director of the Naval Reserve Division.

His command consisted of the old cruisers Richmond and Trenton, and was originally designated as a Task Force for reinforcing of the garrison on Samoa.

Before Shafroth could embark and lead his command to the South Pacific, he was replaced with the experienced Rear Admiral Frank J. Fletcher in early January 1942.

[3][6][2][28] Shafroth's Division was reorganized at the end of January 1945 and expanded to become the battleships Indiana, Massachusetts and South Dakota (his flagship).

[2] BatDiv 8 then provided cover for fast carrier operations against Tokyo, Kyushu, and in the Inland Sea area and destroyed 54 enemy planes by use of its anti-aircraft batteries.

Vice admiral John F. Shafroth Jr. was buried with full military honors at Arlington National Cemetery, Virginia, together with his wife, Helena Marshall Fischer (1882–1975).