John Beakes

John Beakes graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1966 and served in nuclear submarines until 1974. He then began a career of executive leadership in technology service companies, from which he retired in 2021. His five books on the Revolutionary War have focused on little-known combat leaders in America's fight for independence. He co-authored "Cool, Deliberate Courage: John Eager Howard in the American Revolution" and "'Light Horse Harry Lee' in the War for Independence" with Dr. Jim Piecuch. He then completed "Otho Holland Williams in the American Revolution" in 2015, and "De Kalb: One of the Revolutionary War's Bravest Generals" in 2019. In 2022, he completed "William Campbell in the American Revolution: Commander of Riflemen at Kings Mountain and Guilford Courthouse." These books have brought forth the stories of how these largely unknown military leaders made important contributions to the American victory in the Revolutionary War.