On June 19, a retirement ceremony was held at the Seabee Memorial in Arlington, Virginia for Captain John E. Jones. Captain Jones is a former Fairfax resident. His parents are Mrs. Alice McCartney and the late Wayne Jones.
Captain Jones is a native of Fairfax, MO. A graduate of Fairfax High, and the University of Missouri, he was commissioned an Ensign in 1969. His career in the Navy's Civil Engineer Corps started with a tour as assistant resident in charge of construction, at Marine Corps Air Station, El Toro. Captain Jones then moved to Southeast Asia with the officer in charge of construction, Republic of Vietnam and in 1973 with the officer in charge of construction, Thailand. He served as the assistant public works officer and the shops engineer at the Naval Air Engineering Center, Lakehurst, New Jersey, and then became the environmental officer at Northern Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command.
Joining the Seabees of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Jan. 23, 1979 as the operations officer, he made deployments to Roosevelt Roads in Puerto Rico, Diego Garcia, and Guam. Captain Jones then joined the staff of commander, construction battalion Pacific as the equipment officer before becoming the production officer for public works center, Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. From 1986 to 1989 he served as the area officer in charge of construction, Jacksonville, Florida, then as OICC for Hurricane Hugo restoration, Charleston, So. Car. Captain Jones reported to the European Branch, Atlantic Division, Naval Facilities Engineering Command located in Naples, Italy as director in June 1991 and assumed command of IOCC Mediterranean in July 1992. On Oct. 28, 1992, Captain Jones assumed command of engineering field activity Mediterranean, Naples, Italy.
In addition to a Bachelor of Science Degree in Civil Engineering, Captain Jones holds a Master of Science in Civil Engineering and a Master in Public Works Administration from the University of Pittsburgh.
Captain Jones' personal decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with four Gold Stars, and the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V" and gold star. He is a registered professional Civil Engineer in the state of Pennsylvania, the past president of the Naples Post of the Society of American Military Engineers, and a member of the American Society of Civil Engineers.
Captain Jones is married to the former Lynda Jean Cook, also of Missouri. They have one daughter, Angela, and one son, Christopher.
The Jones are here visiting with his mother, Mrs. Alice McCartney for two weeks, and then will move to Houston, Texas to make their home, where Gene is employed in the engineering field. The Jones have made their home in Alexandria, Virginia these past few years.

THE FAIRFAX FORUM, Fairfax, Missouri Jul 13, 1995