PH1(AC) John Sheppard, USN (Ret.) passes
By: MMCM(SW) Terence B. Hoey, USN (Ret.)
Born January 6, 1944 in New Orleans, LA, PH1(AC) John Sheppard, USN (Ret.) was adopted at birth. He lived in Washington, DC and Haiti, eventually settling in northern California. A motorcycle enthusiast in his youth, John was known to be quite the rebel. Tragedy struck his family and he ended up in El Paso and began his journey as a well-trained photographer’s assistant. Encouraged by professional photographers and other key influences in his life, John joined the Navy, graduated first in his Photographers Mate Class “A” school and eventually received advanced photo-journalism training at Syracuse University and held some of this most prestigious Photographer’s Mate billets in the Navy. With several tours in and during Viet Nam, John served with Naval Special Warfare, SEAL Team ONE along with a long and impressive career as a photo-journalist and combat cameraman.
John’s work before the Navy is impressive as his work while on active duty. He captured and recorded for history underground nuclear weapons testing, Nike missile launches and an ECHO ONE satellite pass across Texas that was published around the world. Again, all before he joined the Navy. After assignments at sea, as an air crewman and ashore in Viet Nam, the Philippines and Japan, John reported for duty at Atlantic Fleet Combat Camera GROUP in Norfolk, VA. He deployed to Europe, South America and Africa adding to his impressive resume of work. His work was widely popular in the official US Navy “All Hands” and much of his work can be found in the National Archives and the Naval Historical Center in Washington, DC. After his retirement from the Navy, John settled in the San Diego area and had a successful career as a photographer and photojournalist holding positions in news and as a combat cameraman in the defense industry. John died Monday, November 21, 2016 painlessly and fearlessly surrounded by his family. He is survived by his lovely wife Rose, his only son John and a long list of close family and friends.
This retired Master Chief Petty Officer met John a couple years back. I was to meet him in San Diego this past October, he was not well then, but my promise still stands with him, I said in our calls, “I will protect your name and honor, whether you are here or gone, ‘till the day that I die”.
Fair Winds and Following Seas …
Category: We Remember
Damn it.
I only knew him through TAH but I’m *certain* he was a fine, fine man and a damn awesome sailor.
R.I.P. Master Chief Petty Officer John Sheppard.
You better know that we will never quit, we will not fail, to honor you.
🙁
RIP Sailor from a fellow Vietnam Vet
RIP Chief, may God comfort your family and friends.
Fair winds and following seas……
Unlike a photoshopping wannabe, this man was in fact the real deal…we will all mourn his passing and acknowledge his body of work for the treasure it truly is…thank you!
Peace out, Shep! See you next time around.
Rest in peace, Sir.
A shutter bug with enough bling to make anyone jealous. Some people have those amazing service careers that you couldn’t make up. Did he actually go out on missions with SEAL team 1? That is crazy if he did.
He was assigned to them for two of his in-country tours.
I looked briefly online for any of his work but unfortunately, a lot of googling brought me back here.
Again, thoughts and prayers out to his family and *salute* to you up there John.
A man whose honorable service to his country needs no embellishment and who, having done his duty to the best of his abilities (and having done a great deal in the performance of that duty), was content to let his record speak for itself.
An honorable and forthright man in other words.
Amen.
^^This^^
Rest in peace John. God be with your family now. You will be missed brother.
Rest in peace…
Rest In Peace shipmate…
Fair Winds and Following Seas Shipmate; you stand relieved, we have the watch.
Rest In Peace, Sir. You’ve earned your rightful place in history and Valhalla.
Rest in Peace PH1(AC) John Sheppard
I exchanged Emails and phone calls with him a few times. We had talked about getting together over a plate of Mongolian beef but unfortunately heath issues got in the way.
He was a good family man and it moved him deeply that his fellow veterans though enough of him to step in when his image was stolen and misused.
God bless and prayers up.
Rest in Peace PH1(AC) John Sheppard.
Rest Well
Salute
My sympathy and condolences to you, Master Chief, in the loss of your friend.
It should not be lost to people that tomorrow is Thanksgiving, a day when we should pause and give thanks.
Certainly one of those things we should be thankful for is meeting (even electronically,) conversing with, and knowing some really good people.
While his family and friends may be hurting, they should never forget they were blessed to have Mr. Sheppard in their lives.
Rest with angels PH1 Sheppard….we have the watch now and will continue to protect your name, integrity, honour and valour from those whom wish to steal it from you.
Fair winds and following seas…
Rest well, Chief.
Til Valhalla shipmate. Rest in Peace, for you certainly earned it.
Regards Master Chief for the loss of your friend, and sympathies to the family for the loss of an obviously fine American.
Rest Easy Shipmate, we have the watch. Fair Winds and Following Seas.
Another fair winds and following seas, brother Aircrewman.
Rest in peace, Chief.
Fair winds and following seas….we’ll take it from here.
Rest in peace.
For years this Sailor has stood the watch.
While some of us were in our bunks at night, this Sailor stood the watch.
While some of us were in school learning our trade, this Shipmate stood the watch.
Yes…even before some of us were born into this world, this Shipmate stood the watch.
In those years when the storm clouds of war were seen brewing on the horizon of history this Shipmate stood the watch.
Many times he would cast an eye ashore and see his family standing there…needing his guidance and help…needing that hand to hold during those hard times…but he still stood the watch.
He stood the watch for years. He stood the watch so that we, our families, and our fellow countrymen could sleep soundly in safety each and every night knowing that a Sailor stood the watch.
Today we are here to say “Shipmate, the watch stands relieved.
Relieved by those you have trained, guided and lead.
Petty Officer Sheppard, you stand relieved, we have the watch.
Rest in peace, shipmate.
For some reason whenever I read this or have heard this being read while in formation, it gets kinda dusty…
Fair winds and following seas Petty Officer Sheppard.
May the Angels of His Mercy bring solace to all his family and friends.
Thanks you, shipmate, for all your work and sacrifice on behalf of this nation.
Rest easy fellow combat cameraman !
Mourning a star going out lessens not the gift of its presence during life.
RIP and Thank You. I will enjoy Thanksgiving all the more knowing men as you have lived.
FYI:
Services for PH1(AC) John Sheppard, USN (Ret.) will be arranged by: http://www.dignitymemorial.com/el-camino-memorial-sorrento-valley/en-us/index.page
I spoke to John’s lovely wife Rose earlier today. She is very sad indeed and we spoke for quite sometime. I let her talk away, words of total love for John, and I listened … She wanted me to pass on a warm and grateful thank you. John’s obit is not posted yet at site above, however Rose said that he will be buried on Monday. Consult the web site for more info.
MCPO
Shipmate: You were frequently the topic of conversation on TAH, and those who knew you spoke highly of you, and that’s good enough for me. Also, those in the know never confused you and your honorable service with that of an interloper who conveniently ‘borrowed’ your image. Rest in Peace, Brother. Some day we’ll meet and swap sea stories. Blessings and thank you for your honorable service and commitment.
What an awesome life he lived. Small wonder those that have probably squandered theirs in bullshit want to have been him. RIP shipmate.
Chief passed from the arms of his family to the arms of God. Hundreds of Thousands Angels cried that day by the unexpected rain that came from heaven…
R.I.P. and my heartfelt condolences to his family and friends…
Rest in Peace.