John Palmer Fishwick (September 29, 1916 – August 9, 2010) was an American railroad executive and chief executive of Norfolk and Western Railway. Born in Roanoke, Virginia, John was a graduate of Jefferson High School in downtown. He was one of four children, having two sisters and one brother, noted literary scholar and author, Marshall Fishwick. Fishwick attended Roanoke College, where he was a member of Kappa Alpha Order and served as editor of the College's newspaper. He graduated in 1937 with a major in English and a minor in economics. Fishwick furthered his education at Harvard Law School, graduating in 1940. After completing law school he worked as an associate with Cravath, Swaine & Moore before joining the Navy in 1942. Fishwick left the United States Navy as a lieutenant command