Lieutenamt General John Cogswell Oakes was a United States Army general who served as Commanding General of VII Corps from 1961 to 1962 and as Commanding General, Seventh Army from 1962 to 1963. Oakes was a 1928 graduate of the United States Military Academy. After service in World War II he served on an advisory mission to Greece during the Greek Civil War. Oakes commanded the 25th Infantry Division in the Korean War, followed by an assignment as the chief of staff of the Eighth Army. He later served as VII Corps and Seventh Army commander.