VADM John Baptiste LaPlante (Ret.)

VADM John Baptiste LaPlante, USN (Ret.)

John Baptiste LaPlante, 84, passed away peacefully Friday, January 3, 2025, in Spartanburg, South Carolina, after a short battle with lung cancer. His wife of 60 years, Phyllis, was at his side.

John (Bat) was born in St. Joseph, Missouri, on June 6, 1940. Not a true Missourian, his family traveled extensively in his early years due to the nature of his father’s career. He had 17 addresses before leaving home to attend the Severn School in preparation for his lifelong – or at least since he watched “Victory at Sea” when he was 14 – goal of becoming a Naval Officer. He enlisted in the US Naval Reserve to help him secure an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and realized that goal on June 30th, 1958.

Bat’s career at the Naval Academy was not one of engineering prowess or even exemplary conduct at times, but he excelled in the humanities and his beloved sport, lacrosse. He began his naval career as a flight student, but that was not to be the case. Landing the T-28 got the better of him, and he was told, gently, that landing planes wasn’t his strong suit. Despite his propensity for seasickness, he embarked on his journey as a black shoe.

One snowy Chicago Christmas, Bat met his sister’s roommate, the former Phyllis DeBartolo of Youngstown, Ohio and both were besotted at first sight. Two years later, through many Navy-induced separations and Phyllis’ completion of her degree from Ursuline College, the two were married on December 12, 1964.

Bat spent most of his career as part of the Amphibious forces for the Navy, both in peacetime and during Vietnam, the Tanker War, the Gulf War and Desert Shield, Desert Storm. He served on the USS Douglas H. Fox (DD 779), the USS Duncan (DDR 874), the USS San Bernardino (LST 1189), the USS Belleau Wood (LHA 3), as well as several staff jobs, including as Aide and Flag Lieutenant to COMNAVSURFPAC. He commanded the USS San Joaquin County (LST 1122), the USS Floyd County (LST 762), the USS Thomaston (LST28), and the USS Coronado (AGF 11), during which he earned his promotion to Rear Admiral.

Bat also attended several schools, including the Naval War College, where he obtained his Masters in International Studies from George Washington University and was part of the Chief of Naval Operations’ Strategic Studies Group. 

Bat spent the better part of his late Naval career in Hawaii, Norfolk, and Washington, DC, serving as Commander Naval Logistics Command Pacific (COMNAVLOGPAC); Commander, Amphibious Group TWO during Desert Shield/Storm, where he commanded the second-largest amphibious operation since the Korean War. Commanding 43 commands and 34,000 troops. His final Navy position was Director for Logistics (J4) for the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon under the command of Colin Powell, then Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. There he was promoted to Vice Admiral. He retired from the Navy…on April Fool’s Day, April 1, 1996.

His 39-year naval career saw him honored with two Legions of Merit, two Combat Action Ribbons (Vietnam and Desert Storm), a Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V, a Defense Meritorious Service Medal, a Navy Distinguished Service Medal, and several Meritorious Service Medals.

After he retired from the Navy, Bat failed several times to actually retire. He was a consultant for Andlinger & Co. and Burdeshaw Associates. He then worked as an Adjunct Research Staff Member for the Institute of Defense Analyses. This was his last defense-related position, and leaving that position meant he and Phyllis could finally leave the hustle and bustle of Washington, DC.

Bored again with retirement after a move to Phyllis’ hometown of Poland, OH, Bat found that his time in the Navy working with, and training young sailors left him uniquely qualified to work as a special needs teacher for the Poland School District’s 5th and 6th graders. He was a beloved staff member there and continued to wear sweater vests despite them being seriously uncool (according to some of his students anyway – we thought he looked great).

In the fall of 2018, Bat retired for the last time and spent his time moving boxes for Phyllis, enjoying time with his children and grandchildren, taking walks around Poland, and trying very hard not to make any more friends as he felt he’d reached his quota. He and Phyllis moved to South Carolina in the summer of 2022 and spent his last years there away from snow, ice, and gray Ohio days. 

Bat is survived by his wife, Phyllis, also of Spartanburg, his brother, Tom LaPlante of Mill Valley, CA, and his children John (Laurie) LaPlante of Poland, OH, and Libbie (David) Bement of Inman, SC. His legacy continues with his grandchildren DJ Bement of Norfolk, VA, Zach Bement of Nashville, TN, Nick LaPlante and Alex LaPlante of Columbus - at The Ohio State University and Hannah LaPlante of Poland, OH. He will also be missed by his nephew Michael (Amelia) LaPlante, their children Maggie, Bixby, and Bodie of Mill Valley, CA, and his brother-in-law Michael (Judy) DeBartolo of Elkhart, IN.

Bat was preceded in death by his parents, John and Naomi LaPlante of San Diego, CA, his sister, Bonnie LaPlante of New York City, and his in-laws, James, and Adeline DeBartolo of Poland, OH.

Bat will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery in the coming months with full military honors. 

Online condolences may be made at The J.F. Floyd Mortuary, Spartanburg, SC, at https://www.floydmortuary.com/obituaries. In lieu of giving monetary gifts to the family, they ask that donations be made to St. Jude Hospital for Children in his memory.