USS Cooper (DD-695)

Encyclopedia : U : US : USS : USS Cooper (DD-695)

Career

Ordered:
Laid down: 30 August 1943
Launched: 9 February 1944
Commissioned: 27 March 1944
Fate: Sunk in battle 3 December 1944
General Characteristics
Displacement: 2,200 tons
Length: 376 ft 6 in
Beam: 40 ft
Draft: 15 ft 8 in
Propulsion: 60,000 shp (45 MW);
2 propellers
Speed: 34 knots
Range: 6500 nmi. (12,000 km)
@ 15 kt
Complement: 336
Armament: 6 × 5 in./38 guns (12 cm),
12 x 40mm AA guns,
11 x 20mm AA guns,
10 × 21 in. torpedo tubes,
6 × depth charge projectors,
2 × depth charge tracks
Motto:
USS Cooper (DD-695), a Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer, is the only ship of the United States Navy to be named for Elmer Glenn Cooper, a naval aviator who died in a seaplane accident in 1938. The Cooper was launched 9 February 1944 by Federal Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Co., Kearny, N.J.; sponsored by Mrs. Elmer G. Cooper; and commissioned 27 March 1944, Commander J. W. Schmidt in command.


Career
Ordered:
Laid down:	30 August 1943
Launched:	9 February 1944
Commissioned:	27 March 1944
Fate:	Sunk in battle 3 December 1944
General Characteristics
Displacement:	2,200 tons
Length:	376 ft 6 in
Beam:	40 ft
Draft:	15 ft 8 in
Propulsion:	60,000 shp (45 MW); 2 propellers
Speed:	34 knots
Range:	6500 nmi. (12,000 km) @ 15 kt
Complement:	336
Armament:	6 × 5 in./38 guns (12 cm), 12 x 40mm AA guns, 11 x 20mm AA guns, 10 × 21 in. torpedo tubes, 6 × depth charge projectors, 2 × depth charge tracks
Motto:

Cooper cleared Boston 23 July 1944 for Pearl Harbor arriving 4 September. After operational training, she sailed 23 October for Ulithi, arriving 5 November, and put to sea at once to screen carriers in air attacks on Luzon, Ormoc Bay, and Manila Bay until 19 November.

After repairs at Ulithi, she entered San Pedro Bay, Philippines, 29 November and joined in patrols in Leyte Gulf until 2 December, when she sailed with Allen M. Sumner (DD-692) and Moale (DD-693) to destroy shipping in Japanese-held Ormoc Bay. Here the ships engaged two small enemy destroyers and numerous small craft. At about 0013 on 3 December, Cooper was torpedoed by the Japanese destroyer Take.

Reports state that she suffered an explosion on her starboard side, broke in two, and sank within a minute. The presence of enemy forces prevented rescue of survivors until about 1400, when "Black Cat" airplanes were able to save 168 of Cooper's crew. Lost were 191. A documentary TV film on the Cooper was produced by Bigfoot Entertainment and made its debut in mid-2006. It featured deep-sea diver Rob Lalumiere and survivors of the Cooper sinking. For further information, see Battle of Ormoc Bay.

Cooper was awarded one battle star for World War II service.

References

This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships''.
Griggs, William F., "Prelude to Victory"

External links

[usscooper.com: USS Cooper] documentary site
[Return to History - the dive on the USS Cooper by Rob Lalumiere]
[history.navy.mil: USS Cooper]
[navsource.org: USS Cooper]
[hazegray.org: USS Cooper]

Allen M. Sumner-class destroyer

List of destroyers of the United States Navy
List of destroyer classes of the United States Navy

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